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I"m looking to buy some HHG and a melting but. just not sure what a good price and where I should get it.
stew mac and LMI want like $140 for the pot set up. are there other things I could use for the pot?

baby bottle warmer

can you set a temp with that?

I didn't opt for an expensive pot but instead use a small 1.5 quart slow cooker. I found that if I fill the cooker about half full of aquarium gravel with a bit of water it will keep the temp at almost exactly 145 degrees as long as you keep the bottom of the jar up off the bottom of the slow cooker (plus the gravel will help hold the jar upright).

You can buy a small Slow Cooker on Ebay for about $20. A very cheap alternative to an expensive glue pot.


And hey! if you ever want to make a small roast.....

I use a hot plate with a pan of water & the glue in a little squeeze bottle.

I think you can also find an adjustable temp electric soup pot, sort of like a mini crock pot.

Grumpy puts stainless nuts in the bottom of his glue bottles which helps retain the heat and prevents them from floating up .

Kevin Looker

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I'm not a luthier.
I'm just a guy who builds guitars in his basement.
It's better than playing golf.

I use a hot wax pot from a beauty supply source. You can set the temp with a dial. 1/2 the price of a glue pot. Keep the glue in a plastic bottle or baby food jar. It is in the background of this photo.

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What are some good tips for using HHG? I've never used it before.

baby bottle mini crock pot $1 yard sale with a candy thermometer in the water bath,HHG in recycled baby food jar.

My one has three settings. The full setting seems to max out around 145ish Its a bit slow heating it to that temp but I think it's just old. I think mine is a phillips one maybe got it on ebay for about £5 as I remember.
There are lots of ways of heating water to that temp without spending $140..

Put the thermometer in the glue rather than the water

A common problem, but I'm not sure where to point you for that particular solution.

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Aaron Craig

Hot Pot or a baby bottle warmer for me.

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Aaron Craig

Baby bottle warmer at Kids R Us. It's got an adjustable dial...1 thru 3...on 2, it's right at 140. And yes, put the thermo in the glue, not the water.

I use a spice jar with a hole drilled for a standard lab thermometer. I made a lid of plywood to cover the warmer, with a ole cut in the top so the jar can stick out.


Tips: GLue when it's warm. Use a heat lamp. Use a hair dryer to heat parts. Don't be afraid to pull something apart, wash the glue off and try again. The water will not hurt a thing.

http://www.amazon.com/Crock-Pot-32041-C-16-Ounce-Little-Dipper/dp/B0000CCY14/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1376960760&sr=8-1&keywords=little+dipper
Keeps the water about 140-145F. I heat the water on the stove and pour it in there, since that little thing takes a while to heat up on its own, especially with a cold glue bottle in it (I keep it in the fridge between uses). On my stove and the pan I use, it's just about the right temperature when the little bubbles on the bottom start to fizz up. Never bother with a thermometer anymore.

As for hide glue use, warm parts before applying glue. Otherwise it will gel on contact, unless the room is uncomfortably hot. I just run them back and forth over an open flame on the stove for a bit, but a heat gun would probably be better. Hair dryer isn't powerful enough, IME.

If you can't get something clamped before the glue gels even when the parts are heated and the operation goes smoothly, you probably need to add more water to the glue.

Cleaning squeeze-out is really easy if you can get it after it gels, but before it dries. Fully dried squeeze-out is difficult, but still not as difficult as other glues since it will come off when rehydrated.

One of my favorite properties of hide glue is that it has a practically infinite shelf life when dry. Don't have to buy fresh every few months like with LMI white or Titebond.

LMI sells good glue. Not too stinky.

I use little plastic squeeze bottles from the local craft store (JoAnn), but a baby food jar and paintbrush would work too, and be a bit more "authentic"

I know where you can get hide glue, but I don't know where you can get pot. I don't smoke it.

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Old growth, shmold growth!

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Cambrian Guitars

"There goes Mister Tic-Tac out the back with some bric-brac from the knick-knack rack"

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Magic-Chef-6- ... r/17655879

$28.00.

Fill with water and use the basket to hold your container of HHG and a probe thermometer. Get the $.97 plastic bottles, with the small tip, from Walmart's craft department.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Mainstays-Dis ... e/14964974

Per Grumpy, use stainless steel nuts in the bottle to maintain the heat and keep it from tipping over in the water. Works great.

You should use a timer, as discussed above, so that you won't forget and leave the unit on when you leave the shop.

James

If I don't use all that I mix up. Can I just let it cool and heat it back up?

And how long do I have to leave it clamped up?

bump

ok, cool! how long do I have to leave it clamped up for? I use LMI white and I can unclamp after about 20-30 mins.

All of them? Or just the fans?

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Pat

I've had a Hold-Heet pot for six or seven years with nary a hiccup. I love it. Heat a Pyrex cup of water to about 160 degrees in the microwave, pour it in the Hold Heet pot. Toss in your glue bottle and in 30" everything's at 140 and ready to go.

I like Stephen's hot wax pot, looks like it's pretty well made.

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It's not what you don't know that hurts you, it's what you do know that's wrong.

Yeah, like perfect glue joints and no hair sticking out of your Speedo, what's not to like?

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It's not what you don't know that hurts you, it's what you do know that's wrong.

Ha!

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PMoMC