I am looking for the glue that you use for granulation. I am using
sterling silver, fine silver, and 14k. So far solder has worked to a
point. I have seen Hide Glue as a recommendation - I can not find it
locally. Can I get a granulation glue from Rio? Or Eurotools or Otto
Frie? If so, what is the name of the glue?
Thanks for any help you can give.
Robyn
I have seen Hide Glue as a recommendation - I can not find it locally.
Hide glue is used by bookbinders. You can find it at Paper Source
and Pearl Art and Craft, or whatever stores you have in your area
that carry high quality bookbinding supply.
Hi Robyn, I’ve bought Hide Glue at a woodworking store. You can also
use “spit”.
Jennifer Friedman
Hi Robyn,
Err… In reading your question, I get the sense you’re thinking the
granules are glued onto the surface. They’re actually fused on
metallically in one way or another. The glue’s just used to hold them
in place during the fusing process, whatever that may be. (There are
a couple of ways to do it.) The glue burns away during the fusing,
and has no further role beyond that point.
To answer your question, hide glue can be had from larger hardware
stores that stock fine carpentry supplies. “serious” woodworkers use
it from time to time. I know Elmer’s makes it in a squeeze bottle
that looks just like, (and sells near) the titebond wood glue.
You can also use gum tragacanth, and I personally use Elmer’s white
glue cut about 25/75 with spit. (Spit’s a surprisingly good
surfactant.) Any basic organic glue will probably work just fine. The
whole point of the glue is first to hold the balls in place prior to
firing, and then to supply a bit of carbon during the firing.
Regards,
Brian Meek.
Hi, I use gum tragacanth for this and for enamelling on non-flat
surfaces. It is available from cake decorating outlets as it is used
for making glossy icing and the like. A little added to water to
make a thin syrup will suffice. It burns away cleanly. Alterntives
include guar gum, gum arabic or other edible gum. They can be mixed
with water or alcohol.
Nick Royall
i too use gum tragacanth- wine making stores sell small quantities
of it. I add some (quite blue) used pickle into the glue (or fluid
mucilage after mixing the gum with warm water) it creates a flash
when soldering the shot to the piece from the small amount of copper
in the used pickle that seems to work very well in granulation. Oppi
Untracht discusses this in the book “Metal Techniques for Craftsmen”.
rer
You can find hide glue here:
http://www.tracysworkshop.com/p-5012-animal-hide-glue-1-lb.aspx
If you have a woodworking store in your area they can probably help
you find some as well.
Mike DeBurgh, GJG
Henderson, NV
Hide glue can also be ordered from an Ace Hardware near you. Titebond
liquid hide wood glue by Franklin International (1-800-347-4583) Code