water soluble glue?

[Tom Jones III]

I watched a Taunton video last night on relief carving. The guy was making a shell out of mahogany. Since there was no easy way to clamp the wood, he glued the shell to cardboard, then glued the cardboard to a piece of wood that he clamped to the table. When done, he ripped the cardboard off the clamped wood and said that he would use water to dissolve the glue on the carved shell.

What kind of glue dissolves in water after the glue is dry? Is that hide glue? I know regular yellow glue cleans up with water when the glue is still liquid, but will dried yellow glue dissolve in water?

[Doug Shepard]

I'm guessing maybe fish glue. I think it's supposed to disolve better in water than hide glue. Do a google search for 'fish glue'. There are lots articles out there.

[Mike Henderson]

Another approach is to use screws to hold the shell while carving (screws through a piece of wood into the shell - then clamp the wood as you described). Just make sure that the screws are short so that you do not carve into them. I tried the glue technique that you describe and didn't like it. There's a risk of breakage when removing the shell and you have to clean off the paper and glue. Using screws are quick, clean and easy. Just be careful of the length.

Mike

[Ernie Hobbs]

Good timing- I just picked up my copy of American Period Furniture, Vol VI 2006 and read an article this morning by Bess Jarrell Naylor on "A Primer of Common 18th Century Water-Based Adhesives".

Both fish glue and hide glue are water-soluble. Fish glue is liquid and can be used cold. I can be used at room temperature and after drying, can be reactivated with water. Animal hide glue can be removed from a joint by brushing warm water into the joint and apply heat. With continuous application, the glue will soften and you can loosen joint.

You could probably use either one for the application.

[Tom Jones III]

Thanks guys. Screws sound like a good solution, like using a faceplate on the lathe.

I've never even heard of fish glue before. Scandanavians do some terrible things to fish, fish glue must have originated in Sweden along with lutefisk and pickled herring.

[Jim Becker]

I believe type-I PVA will also let go in water.

[Dan Forman]

I'm guessing maybe fish glue. I think it's supposed to disolve better in water than hide glue. Do a google search for 'fish glue'. There are lots articles out there.

I dunno, you'd tink dat fish vould come apart, living in water like dey doo, if dat ver da case.

Dan