Moldy hide glue

[Gittinger, Delbert M.]

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> From: Bill Maxim <wmaxim@gnn.com>

> Usually by the time I get to it, there is mold growing on the top of
> the glue.  This is a fairly recent occurrence; it started not more than
> a year ago.  Is this just a nuisance or will it affect the longevity of
> the glued joints?

Bill & all,

Mark Ritchie, RPT from the Columbus PTG Chapter, put me on to using a
plastic pipe tobacco lid with a whole for a glue brush in the center over a
baby food jar of hide glue sitting in water.  I can leave the pot on all
day without the usual skimming and/or thickening of the glue.

To prevent mold I put the lid on the baby food jar as the glue cools to
seal the jar.  I rarely get any mold on the glue even if it sits for a long
time, though it does get rather "earthy" smelling :-)  One time I did get
mold and I think it was due to getting some contaminant in the glue or
possibly that lid did not seal well.

Del Gittinger, RPT
Registered Piano Technician
of the Piano Technicians Guild
delgit@acc-net.com
Marion, Ohio