Erik,

I normally use hide glue for my projects, but appreciate the somewhat PITA
aspect of it. I tried Old Brown Glue for my last one and was really pleased with
it. Keep in the fridge, set the bottle in a container of (our setting) hottest
tap water for 15-20 minutes, and use. It’s very obvious when it's ready to use,
no mess (squeeze on and spread), and the remainder can be put right back in the
fridge.

I purchased mine direct from Patrick Edwards (downside is shipping cost) but
it's available from Woodcraft and others. One thing I really like is the 'use
by' date on the bottle. No trying to decipher lot numbers to figure out how much
life is left in it.

Dennis

-----Original Message-----
From: oldtools@g...  On Behalf Of Erik Levin via groups.io
Sent: Tuesday, December 6, 2022 8:07 PM
To: Oldtoolslist 
Subject: [oldtools] Hide glue for Gerstner repair

As my stock of hide glue is depleted, and it has been more than a decade since I
bought any since I so rarely use it, I am open to suggestions: My Gerstner No 55
(machinist case, circa 1923, six drawer with no till on top, hence case, not
chest) is in need of regluing the corner joints. I am not doing a full
restoration, though the felt will be replaced in a couple drawers, and I may re-
leather the handle at some point, but a couple corners are open, and one side
panel has opened at a joint, so repair is called for. I *think* it is oak.

Any suggestions for a hide glue source? Is the Gerstner official "whew" glue
worth while? My preference it to work it into the joints and clamp, rather than
fully disassemble, as the drawers are factory fit to the case or chest, and it
is a user.

It will be going into my new garage- the old one finally collapsed- which will
not be climate controlled, but is on a slab with vapour barrier, and will be
insulated and vapour barrier all around (New Jersey), which leads to the next
question: Any suggestions as to how to protect it? I am maybe the third or
fourth owner, and the sheer quantity of oil and grease when I go it a good while
back necessitated spirits and putty knife. It no longer stains a finger when
touched, but refinishing to original isn't going to happen.

(this is the oldest I have, and,honestly, the best overall, as the drawers are
all original, fit and slide well, and it has had no prior repairs to worry
about, so I want to not bodge it. A while ago, I did use shellac to bond a
filler into a stripped screw hole and re-drilled it, though. The one I picked up
a couple years ago was a mismatched, previously repaired crudely mess, so I had
no compunction using PVA under the leatherette and epoxy to refit the corner
braces where the screw holes were sripped)


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