Steaming Hide Glue and Laminating Ribs

by James Ham

from his 2011 GAL Convention workshop

Originally published in American Lutherie #109, 2012



I make double basses, and I also do a lot of instrument restoration and repair. My glue of choice for both new work and restoration is hot hide glue. You guitar makers need to take your Titebond and throw it in that bin over there and learn to use hide glue. (laughter, applause) It will make your guitars better.

Hot hide glue has a very short working time. I used to clamp the joint dry and without glue, then section-by-section I’d loosen the clamps and insert a little bit of glue. Then I thought, what if I put the glue on first and let it dry, then go along and add a little hot water? Not boiling water, but hotter than tap water — enough to resoften the glue. That worked, and I did many instruments that way, but it was still messy, and loosening the clamps could allow things to slip out of position. One day I went into a vacuum cleaner repair store and saw a steamer, and thought, “Hmmm. What could I do with that?” (laughs) And history was made. What I do now is to use that steamer to reactivate hide glue that was applied earlier to both surfaces and allowed to dry.