Knox gelatine hide glue question

[Scaramouche]

I'm trying to make glue from Knox gelatine. Going by what I've read on here, I'm mixing it 1/2 cup water to one packet (1.8 grams) and heating it until it has the consistency of syrup at no more than 140 degrees using a double boiler. At that point it will be ready to size a bow back.

Is there anything wrong with what I'm doing that anyone can see? It's taking awhile to get to the consistency it's supposed to have, and I'm wondering if I mixed it wrong.

If I used too much water, I can just evaporate it off, right?

[Fred Arnold]

I would think allowing it to cook off at 140 or less would work fine until it reached it's consistency.

[osage outlaw]

I never measured the amount of water, but I used several packets.  I'm thinking like 3-5 to make my glue.  It sounds like your mix is a little thin.  Try mixing some more that is a lot thicker and then add it to what you have.  I don't think you can add the powder to hot water.

[Fred Arnold]

Osage, I'm assuming that you are storing any leftover hide glue for future projects using that many packets. How do you store it?

[Scaramouche]

Thanks for the quick replies, guys. I think there is too much water in it. I've already add another package with a smaller ratio of water, but I may prepare an even thicker mixture with cool water and add it to the rest to thicken it out, ala Osage's advice. For the moment I'm letting it heat to see what happens.

I'm also curious about saving the leftover, Osage. What I had read was that you could stick it in the fridge to cool it, and then pour it out over wax paper to let it dry into flakes, which can then be stored in an airtight jar. Does that jive with what you know?

Most of what I know comes from TBB1&2, and a bit more from here, but I haven't actually put any of that 'book knowledge' into practice yet, sooooo.......

[osage outlaw]

Knox gelatin is so cheap, I would just throw away what I didn't use.  I have started making my own glue from sinew scraps.  I save the leftovers from that.  I dried some of it and froze the rest.  To dry it, I lined a tray with plastic wrap and poured the glue in it.  Once it cooled and gelled up, I cut it into little tiny cubes.  I put them on a tray and put a fan blowing on them for a couple of days.  Then I left it set for a few weeks to make sure it was completely dry before I put it in a container to store it.

[blackhawk]

two ounces of water per packet

[Scaramouche]

Osage, what were the dimensions of the cubes?

[osage outlaw]

As little as I could cut them.  The bigger the pieces the longer it will take to dry them.

[Marc St Louis]

I have found that 1/4 cup of water per pack is about right