Brave New World Teaching

I am what you would call an "old fashioned" teacher.  I spent the early part of my career teaching four nights a week in the Adult Education classes which were popular in California during the 1970's and 80's.  That meant I taught Decorative Arts classes for each semester, which required 18 different 3 hour classes.

After 15 years of that type of teaching, I moved on to giving specialized classes in the Decorative Arts at various universities and colleges, generally on the quarter system.  Those classes were very popular at first, but the fashion of collecting antiques gradually went away and after the end of the last century, my teaching was reduced to occasional lectures for various groups.

My teaching  methods focused on providing as much information as possible in the time given.  During a typical 3 hour talk I would spend the first hour with a chalk board giving necessary background data on the subject, as well as introducing all the relevant research material such as books and museum sources.  The second hour would be spent on showing and discussing as many as a dozen examples of antiques for that topic as I was able to bring to class.  It is essential in teaching conneisseurship about quality, style and construction that the student is able to directly examine the object.  The third hour was showing slides of the different objects which represent the topic in question.

When I say slides, I mean that I used two carousel projectors with 80 slides in each.  By showing two images simultaneously you can begin to make subtle comparisons.  Also, with so many slides and so little time there was no falling asleep.  You had to pay attention, as you only had about 30 seconds for each image to see what was important.  I found that by throwing this much visual information at the student in such a short time that they subconsciously were able to absorb quite a bit.

Those days of teaching in person and with "hands on" methods seem like ancient history now.

I am reminded of the time some 40 years ago that I ended up buying a fake console table from Benjamin Ginsburg in New York.  I bought it from photos and when I had a chance to examine it in person I quickly determined it was put together.  However, Mr. Ginsburg (one of the most respected antique dealers in NY) was very old, and mostly blind.  I guided his hands over different surfaces of the table to convince him it was not right.  Eventually he agreed and I was refunded my money.

That was really a "hands on" experience!

These days the new format is YouTube videos, blog posts and more recently Zoom, GoToMeeting and many other apps for internet groups to meet.

Just last week I was able to participate in my very first virtual lecture.  I was asked by George Adams,  representing the New Hampshire Woodworker's Guild, if I could give a group talk about using protein glues.  Of course I was excited to try this new format, so we worked out the technical issues and Patrice helped make it work.

They asked me for a two hour lecture, and I said fine.  It turned out pretty well considering we did not know what we were doing.

You may enjoy the video by clicking on this link:  Protein Glue Talk

Protein Glues: What's The Difference?

Simple Chart: Temperature Vrs. Viscosity

I have spent my entire career as a woodworker using protein glues exclusively.  I have lectured and written lots of times trying to explain their advantages.  Features like reversibility, easy clean up, relatively low cost, quick or long open time as needed, bonding to itself, transparency to stains and finishes and, above all, no danger of working with toxic chemicals make it my first choice.  Protein glues are, by their very nature, organic.

Still, I get calls every day from woodworkers new to these adhesives asking simple questions.  Since the answers are generally the same I thought I would post a quick page for general information.

All protein glues have a common feature.  They react only to heat and moisture.  If you understand that concept then you can easily make them do what you want.  If you have a problem it is because you do not have both heat and moisture at the glue surface in the proper proportion.  If the viscosity is not right then check the heat and moisture ratio and adjust.  If the glue sets up too quickly or too slowly then consider the environment and make changes.

Consider that all antique furniture was made with protein glues, and craftsmen were often working in cold unheated workshops in winter.  So how did they manage to assemble furniture if the glue set up quickly.  Obviously, they were experienced and prepared for each operation by having all the clamps ready for the job.  Also, since the water component of the glue is the part which carries the heat, they realized that cold dry wood surfaces would quickly draw the water out of the glue and make it tack.  Therefore, they often used a hot wet rag to wipe the joint surface just prior to applying the glue.  The water molecules in the pores of the wood would prevent the glue from setting quickly, without actually diluting the glue strength.  I use this method for all large assembly projects where I need a longer open time.

Simply put: You add water to the glue and then heat it.  It sets by first cooling (which provides a tack) then by drying out (loosing moisture).  Protein glues are friendly molecules with lots of Hydrogen bonding sites so they easily hydrate and can be modified by a large number of other chemicals which can bond at these open Hydrogen sites.  Protein glues bond to protein glues, so an old joint with glue residue can be cleaned with a water wash and new glue will bond to the glue residue with both molecular and mechanical adhesion.  Synthetic glues do not do this.

Hide glue and Glue Pot

Hot Hide Glue (HHG)

There is one company left in America making hide glue: Milligan and Higgins.  Their website is www.Milligan1868.com.  You can find a lot of technical information there, and you can call them and speak with Jay Utzig, who is their chief chemist, with your questions.  He is always happy to talk about glue.  They sell wholesale only.

Hide glue is sold by "gram strength" which is determined at the factory by measuring the glue with a Bloom Gelometer.  Gram strength has nothing to do with the adhesive strength of the glue, so a higher or lower gram strength does not mean a stronger or weaker bond.  Gram strength is determined by how much force (in grams) it takes to depress a plunger a certain distance into the glue.  It ranges from a low of 50 grams to around 500.  Low gram strength glues take longer to set and are flexible and high gram glues set quickly and are brittle.

Woodworkers generally use gram strengths in three groups: 192, 222, and 251.  I have always used 192 and find it works well in general for all my uses.

Traditional Sheets of Protein Glue

It is available in sheets (traditional), pearl or granulated form.  I like the granulated as it has a larger surface area and is quicker to hydrate.  In a dry state, it has an unlimited shelf life.

HHG must be cooked and used hot.  You need a double boiler.  It doesn't matter if the double boiler is copper, stainless steel, porcelain or iron.  Just find one on Ebay and get to work.  Get a cheap hot plate, a common stainless steel meat thermometer and a glue brush.  Add cold water to the glue, wait about 15 minutes for it to gel and then heat it up to 140 degrees.  Do not heat above 160 degrees.  Keep a thin viscosity during use by adding water the same temperature as the glue.

I use HHG for all quick setting work, like rubbed joints, hammer veneering and assembling marquetry on an assembly board.  I used to use it on all furniture making and repair but now I use Liquid Hide glue for that work.

Liquid Hide Glue

Liquid Hide Glue (OBG)

When I was involved with an international marquetry conservation group in Paris in the mid 1990's I participated in research which modified HHG using Thiourea to extend the open time.  Since Thiourea is a carcinogen I did not want to work with it.  However, Urea is not toxic and the only difference between the two is a single Sulphur molecule.  I began to experiment with Urea to modify the glue and eventually was able to formulate a liquid protein glue which I named Old Brown Glue.

Franklin Industries was the first in America to manufacture a liquid hide glue some 80 years ago, and they sell it today under the name Titebond.  However they use ammonium rhodanate and dicyanodiamide as modifiers.  I was not happy with their product and when I used urea I found that the glue was much better in many ways.

Titebond glue does not need to be heated, and I think that is one of the problems.  OBG needs to be heated, by simply placing the bottle in a tub of hot water for a few minutes.  Hot liquid glue penetrates deeply into the cracks and pores of the wood and forms an amazing bond.  OBG actually works better than HHG for this reason.

OBG has a guaranteed shelf life of 18 months, and longer if refrigerated.  It can be frozen, heated and cooled as many cycles as you want without changing the quality of the glue.  It is common for me to reheat the glue dozens of times in a single working day.

You can find out more about HHG and OBG at my website www.OldBrownGlue.com.

Fish Glue

Fish Glue

For many years I purchased Colle De Poisson in Paris and brought it home for use.  I had a very unfortunate experience one time when the glue bottle and purple dye powder mixed together inside the luggage where my nice leather jacket was kept.  Everything would have been fine except the airline somehow drove a truck over my bag.  The worst part was when my wife found me at 2 am washing out my jacket in her bathtub.  That's another story...

Some time after that, as I was standing in the Paris supply house (H.M.B.) the owner asked me why I was buying fish glue.  He said it was silly, since the glue was made in North America by Norland Industries!  I stopped buying it there after that.  You can find it at Lee Valley or buy it from me.

Fish glue is normally liquid at room temperature.  We all used it in Kindergarten to glue paper together.  It was in a small glass jar with a rubber nipple top.  Some of the kids ate it.

Fish glue is used whenever wood is glued to something that is not wood, like leather, mother of pearl, ivory, brass, copper, bone, horn, tortoise shell, etc.  The reason is that fish glue has a very low sheer resistance and will allow surface materials to adjust to the wood movement during environmental changes without loosing adhesion.

Hide glues have a very high sheer resistance and will cause the wood to crack or the non wood materials to break free.

Thus, Fish glue is used for traditional Boulle materials.  The worst repairs I see on Boulle surfaces involve either nails or epoxy to hold down the surface.  That just makes it worse and my job more difficult.

Fish glue takes a long time to dry and can be easily cleaned up with cold water.  I would not use fish glue to make furniture or glue anything structural.

Rabbit Skin Glue

Rabbit Skin Glue

There are many other glues made from animal proteins.  The last one I will quickly mention is Rabbit Skin Glue.  This is diluted much more with water than HHG and used by gilders to apply gold leaf and gesso.

There is a lot more about glues to discuss.  Perhaps another time.  I will end this post and get back to work.  I hope this answers a few basic questions and serves to encourage others to explore the world of organic protein glues in their work.

You can find videos about working with these glues on our YouTube channel: 3815Utah.

There are also articles I've written which are posted on OldBrownGlue.com.  Note the article I wrote for SAPFM Journal Volume 2, "Why Not Period Glue?"  There is an excellent video on cooking and using HHG which was done years ago by Keith Cruickshank and posted on his WoodTrek's site.

Here is the video: Hot Hide Glue Video

Five SAPFM Cartouche Winners Together

Left to Right: 2013, 2008, 2005, 2011 and 2014

I just returned from the 2015 WIA in Kansas City.  It was a wonderful time with lots of expert woodworkers teaching lots of other expert woodworkers about everything.  There must have been around 20 different classrooms each with 4 or 5 different classes.

I started the day early Friday with a class on the history of marquetry and finished the day with a class on understanding protein glues.  The class rooms held around 50 people and the glue class was standing room only at the end.  Obviously more people are excited to learn about glues than something old and dusty like world marquetry.

For those of you who have not attended the annual Woodworking in America events, I strongly urge you to find time to attend next year.  Popular Woodworking magazine produces these events and it is a perfect mix of education and market place activities.

I also presented a lecture and demonstration on French Polishing, but I started out with the obvious disclaimer that it is impossible to learn it from a 2 hour talk.  In fact, I know professional polishers in Europe who have been full time polishers for over 10 years who still admit that they don't know everything about it.

After the market place closed on Saturday, it was a great opportunity for the SAPFM Cartouche winners to get together at the SAPFM booth for a photo.  What a great chance for 5 of us to stand together: Will Neptune, Al Sharp, Phil Lowe, Ben Hobbs and myself.  Funny fact: 4 of the 5 were born in the same year, 1948.  Makes you wonder what was in the milk at that time?

On Friday and Saturday the market place is an active center of tools, books, more tools, and woodworkers of all skill levels mingling around talking and buying stuff.  It is a lot of fun.  Thank goodness that I have every tool I need at this point so I am not tempted to get more.  That said, some of the planes and saws are absolutely perfect and would be very easy to bring home.

I have become fairly well known in these circles as the maker of Old Brown Glue, and I took 100 bottles to pass out for free just to promote my glue.  Last year we actually bought a booth and sold the glue, but the cost of the booth and the glue sales broke even.  So this year, instead of being tied to a booth for two days, we decided to just take the glue and make it free.  It felt good passing out glue.

It is interesting to note that one of the primary sponsors of the event was a very well known brand of polyurethane glue.  The glue which you find advertised everywhere.  The glue which cannot be removed from your skin with any solvent.  The glue which is toxic and scored a 53% strength score by independent testing at Fine Woodworking (Issue #192, August 2007, page 37) when compared to PVA Type I waterproof glue.

In the same test, I am proud to say that Old Brown Glue scored a 79% strength score.  This was the highest score for any glue which is organic and reversible.  The average breaking point in the test for Old Brown Glue was 1595 pounds where polyurethane glue broke at an average of 1164 pounds.

Thus OBG can hold 431 pounds more load than the best polyurethane glue.  Since the average male gorilla in the wild weighs 400 pounds, you can think of a standard gorilla unit as a measurement of strength.  Note this is a full grown male gorilla.  We will call a gorilla unit a "G force".

In conclusion, polyurethane glue is 3G and OBG is 4G in strength.

There are 4 Gorillas in Every Bottle of OBG.

Television or YouTube?

My television career started early.  In 1973 I wrote and starred in a series about American Furniture for CBS.  This consisted of 10 different 30 minute shows which began with Pilgrim furniture and ended with the Arts and Crafts period.  It was called "Welcome to the Past...The History of American Furniture.

My director was pregnant during the production and was not able to direct the last 4 episodes so I guess I can also claim credit for behind the camera work as I was asked to fill in for her while I was "acting" in front of the camera.

We taped two episodes back to back every two weeks.  I was responsible for setting up the set, positioning the furniture, marking out the blocking shots and generating the "B" rolls.  There were three cameras, each the size of a Volkswagen, on rolling stands.  I had to memorize the script and end exactly at 28 minutes and 30 seconds, as the taping was live.  There were no edits.

I opened each show sitting on one of the pieces of furniture in the set and discussed the topic for a few minutes, setting the historical context.  Then I would have the director switch the feed to the "B" roll which was a series of images that lasted a few minutes.  During the "B" roll I would continue the audio, talking about each of the images, while at the same time I was moving all the furniture off the set and then placing the next few pieces in place.  From time to time you can hear me grunting and breathing heavily as I dragged something heavy by myself.

When the camera returned to the set, I was sitting comfortably in the next chair or standing behind the next table in the show.  It was a little fun and a lot of work.

After taping a show, the crew would take a half hour break.  I would change clothes and reset the set for the second show.  That meant new "B" rolls, new furniture and a completely new script.

By the way, in 1973 I had shoulder length hair, paisley shirts with high collars, and bell bottom pants...with a 30" waist.  So much has changed since then.

I was fortunate to do a lot of television over the years.  In fact I was involved with two shows which were each nominated for an emmy.  The first was under an NEA grant, working with the Timken Museum in San Diego and called "The Age Of Elegance.  France in the 18th Century."  The second was when the Mingei Museum created an exhibition comparing Japanese potters of the 19th century and their approach to their work and the Shakers during the same time.  It was called "Kindred Spirits."  I was the Shaker woodworker and talked about my relation to my tools and the process of simple perfection.

I also had the pleasure to work with Roy Underhill during one episode of the Woodwright's Shop.  That was  easily the most fun two guys can have in front of a camera.  It was a real honor to share time with an American legend and icon.

The last few years I have worked with Patrice Lejeune here at work, making short videos for YouTube.  We have a channel, 3815Utah, which is simply names after the address of the shop.  Patrice is my "French Director" and we have a lot of fun.

Usually it goes like this:  I am working, as usual.  He walks by and says casually, "that would make a great video."  I say, "Don't bother me, I am working."  Then my wife, Kristen, comes out of her office and says, "You need to document that!"

End of discussion.

Then I have to stop and "set up" the stuff for the video.  Patrice needs to set up his camera and we agree on blocking and some basic text.  Then I have to "act."

As you can see, I am never enthusiastic about my involvement.  I have perhaps the least exciting or interesting personality on screen, after all these years.  When I think I am done I am ready to go on to something else.  That is when I hear Patrice say, "Can't we do better?  Let's do it again!"

At least he includes the bloopers at the end.

Protein Glue Reversibility

How To Veneer a Column

Damaged column with contact cement

I think it is probably obvious that I love antique furniture.  In particular, I am fascinated with the quality and variety of designs that were produced in Europe and America.  The high point of this period was during the 1820's and best represented by the Monroe Doctrine.  If you look at the furniture made in major American cities during that decade, you see rich Cuban mahogany, with highly figured veneers, and carved elements representing cornucopia, lion's heads and paws, stars, and other Egyptian, Roman and Greek motifs.  In addition to all this elaborate decoration one of the most common elements was the use of veneered columns, usually with a carved capital or imported gilt bronze mounts.

I was always fascinated with the veneered column as a form, and very early in my career as a furniture builder I did some research to try to duplicate it for my self.  I failed miserably.  Several times.

I began with hot animal glue and wet jute webbing.  I put the hot glue on the column, wrapped the veneer around and then added the webbing.  I tried to then heat the webbing on the theory that it would shrink and pull the veneer tight.  I remember reading something somewhere about this, and they suggested holding the column near the fire, but I live in San Diego, and it is not often that I have access to an open fire.

Next I tried to use bicycle tire tubes.  They were messy and applied uneven pressure, leaving marks.  Also, I couldn't work fast enough and the glue set before I was ready.  There was no way to add heat, since the tubes would distort and loose their stretch.

It was nearly 15 years after that when I was involved in a conservation group in Paris and discovered that I could modify the glue to give a longer open time.  I began experimenting with urea and, after 37 different formulas, found a mixture that worked.  That was the creation of Old Brown Glue.  It was designed to solve the problem I had struggled with all that time, and the first time I used it to veneer a column it was a success.

In December 2004 I wrote a column for Fine Woodworking (Issue Number 173) that was published in the Master Class area of the magazine, called "Low-tech method for veneered columns."  To go along with this article, they put one of my pieces on the back cover, the Bonheur du Jour.  This piece is one of my early favorites, and has large veneered columns on the base and small veneered columns on the top.  The veneer is some plum pudding Cuban mahogany I purchased years earlier in New York, and I didn't have enough to do the entire desk, so I used a contrasting Honduras ribbon mahogany in the upper section.  That meant that I had no surplus material if the veneering didn't work as planned.

I thought the article would create a bunch of interest and I expected a lot of phone calls about veneering columns.  The only phone call I got was from a person who wanted to know where I got the mounts and if I would sell him the blueprints to make the desk.  He was disappointed to learn that I don't use any plans or measured drawings when I build furniture, and the mounts were from Paris.

Recently a table came into the shop for restoration and it included a column which had been veneered using a cheap mahogany veneer and contact cement.  This table was English Regency and made with Brazilian rosewood.  The client agreed that I should remove the mahogany and use rosewood, which is now on the endangered species list.  However, I have a lot of rosewood, sliced very thick, which pre dates the ban.  Most of it was harvested over 50 years ago and the quality is amazing.  I purchased it from an old cabinet maker early in my career and have kept it for special projects.

As I began to do this job, it occurred to me that it would make a good video.  My partner, Patrice, has been successful at filming and editing videos here at work, and he set up two cameras to record the work.  Our videos can be seen on YouTube by searching for our channel.

The real breakthrough in my efforts to veneer columns was the direct result of my problems with my back.  All my life I lifted heavy objects and stressed my back without any problems.  However, when I was 48 I actually damaged my back and suffered a period of pain.  The doctor recommend that I use a stretchy band of rubber to exercise my muscles and rebuild my strength.  As he handed me a short piece of the stuff, my mind immediately realized this was the perfect solution to the problem I was having with inner tubes.  Sold as "Rep Band" (resistive exercise band for exercise, rehabilitation and conditioning) by Sammons Preston, it comes in different strengths.  The purple is the strongest (level 5), and a box has 50 yards.  Here is the link: Rep Band

Veneering a column actually is very simple with this process, but it takes a few days.  The reason is that the glue sets slowly, which is a good thing.  It allows time for the application of the glue, veneer and elastic bands.  Then, over night, the glue begins to set and the veneer shrinks to fit on the column.  The next day you can cut the overlap and make a joint, reheat the glue at the seam and wrap it up again.  One more day and it sets completely, even though if you have any problems you can simply reheat the area and fix it.

Sit down, get a cup of coffee and watch me veneer a column: Veneer a Column

I think if you watch the video you might be encouraged to try veneering a column yourself.  It is fun and rewarding and adds an element to your furniture design portfolio which you may not have considered previously.

Just don't call me and ask for plans to build the table.

Properly Restored with Hide Glue

Assembly Board Videos

Lately we have been encouraged to make more videos, and YouTube provides the perfect venue for others to see what we do and how we do it.  We are working on a series of videos which will explain the different methods for making marquetry, according to Dr. Pierre Ramond.  Those will follow as we get the time to put them together.

However, as we are building the second series of Treasure Boxes, we thought it would be nice to show how a picture is put together on an assembly board, according to the traditional French process.

I have posted previously about this method, and it is important to note that the idea of building marquetry face down in hot glue on stretched Kraft paper is something developed by the French and not usually done in other countries.  In fact, the type of Kraft paper used is not even available in America, and I have searched for it.  We import rolls of it from a company in France, and the shipping costs exceed the cost of the paper.  (Last shipment arrived by air freight, and the "friendly" customs inspector drove his fork lift over the shipment and thought that was funny.)

Anyway, the French Kraft paper is shiny on one side and dull on the other.  The shiny side resists moisture and is the side we glue to, and the dull side absorbs moisture, and is the side we apply water to to remove the paper from the marquetry when we are finished.  By applying moisture to the shiny side and allowing it to soak in for several minutes the paper expands.  Then when we wrap it around a board and glue it to the edges, it shrinks tight.  That is an assembly board.

A more exhaustive explanation of how to build an assembly board is found on this blog by searching earlier posts.  Use the search word "assembly board."

Patrice finished cutting all the pieces for the marquetry panel using the Classic Method ("piece by piece"), and we set up the camera to film the incrustation of the elements.  Each picture took about a half hour to assemble, working normally, and we speeded up the video so it takes half that time to see what goes on.

Hot hide glue is spread on the paper and the background is laid face down on the board.  Each piece is then picked up, flipped left to right and placed into its appropriate cavity.  We use a special marquetry knife to install the pieces.  It is a soft steel, so we can pry with the point without breaking the tip.

When all the pieces are in place, we clamp it under a piece of plexiglass and start over.  It is fast and easy.  Note we are using sawn veneers, which are quite thick, and you can easily hear the "click" as they plug into place.

As soon as we posted this to YouTube, we noticed that our friend, Paul Miller, had made a similar video last month.  The difference is that he is using sliced veneers, which are much thinner, and he has applied paper to the veneers before cutting them to strengthen them.  After he installs the pieces on the board, he must then carefully remove the paper with a slight amount of water and scraping to clean off the surface.

In either case, once the picture is done, we mix hot glue, hot water and fine sawdust to make a mastic.  That mastic is applied to the entire surface, which fills any gaps and holds the parts together.  Only then can the picture be cut away from the assembly board and applied to the final project.

Hope you enjoy this.  Patrice's video is HERE

Paul Miller's video is HERE