The simple answer is to just mix up a bottle of ordinary hide glue. Keep it in something like a shampoo bottle with an airtight seal on the cap to prevent evaporation. This will keep indefinitely in the fridge, so why not keep it there? The only problem I have is when the kids think it's maple syrup. No need for any preservatives. Why bother to make a `jelly'...regular hide glue goes almost completely solid at room temp, but not totally if you prevent the water from evaporating. You can re-liquify to working temp of 55C in only 10 minutes floating the bottle in hotwater. Don't be misled by people saying you can only re-heat it a few times...this is not true. The proteins only start to break down if you keep the stuff cooking all day in your glue pot...just as a good beef stew goes tough if you cook it too long. You don't need any special formulas, and especially keep away from `liquid hide glues'. Urea is only used to slow the working time. Stephen Birkett (Fortepianos) Authentic Reproductions of 18th and 19th Century Pianos Waterloo, Ontario, Canada tel: 519-885-2228 fax: 519-763-4686
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