choice of glue

[Mike and Jane Spalding]

Tom and List,

Hot hide glue is not that hard.  Once you've tried it, I'm sure it will be
your favorite.  Damper felt is a good job to learn on, because the low bond
strength requirement gives you some latitude in learning to control the
water content and temperature of the glue.

Don't want to spend big bucks on a glue pot?   Go to Wal-Mart, buy a
mini-crock pot ($11, single temperature, just  plug it in, no controls to
fiddle with).  Put a couple inches of water in the crock.  Mix your glue in
an 8-oz jar with plastic screw-on top, cut or drill a small hole in the top
for your glue brush, set the jar in the water bath in the crock.  The crock
has a plastic lid, cut a hole in the lid to just clear the 8-oz glue jar.
cut or drill another small hole near the edge of the crock lid for a
thermometer.  The crock pot will slowly come up to 150 or so if you leave
the cover on.

good luck,

Mike


----- Original Message -----
From: jolly roger <baldyam@sk.sympatico.ca>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Friday, August 17, 2001 2:00 AM
Subject: Re: choice of glue


>
> Hi Tom,
>               First choice is Hot Hide glue. for two or three reasons.
1.
> Removal at a later date.  2.   Quick set up.  3. It's faster once you the
> pot hot. In the field for spot repairs I use PVC-E.
>
> For a complete set of checks, you need to clamp the second glue joint
using
> PVC-E to give it time to set. or sit there holding it for quite some time.
> The leather needs to have a little tension  to make a nice firm check.
>
> Cleaning up a set of damper heads after PVC-E glue is a pain.
>
> Regards Roger
>
>
> At 10:20 PM 8/16/01 -0400, you wrote:
> >I am about to replace some felt and leather on a couple of pianos.  I'm
> >replacing the damper felt on an old grand and on an old spinet.  I am
> >planning on using PCV-E glue for its non-wicking properties.  Is this a
good
> >choice?
> >
> >I understand that choice of glue often has to do with the ability to
remove
> >the glue later.  Both of these pianos are old enough that by the time the
> >dampers need replacing again, the other parts will be dust, so I'm
operating
> >as if glue-removal is a non-issue.
> >
> >I am also replacing the catcher leather on the spinet.  Never having
glued
> >leather before, would PVC-E be a good choice for this application?
> >
> >Tom Sivak
> >Chicago PTG Associate
> >
>
>