Ozbow

I was visiting some people the other day when the fella showed me this pot and asked me if I knew what it was. After looking at it for a bit I worked out how it worked but wasn't sure what it was used for. He did tell me the answer.

Anyway I thought this would be of interest to some of you. Have a look at the two photos and answer the two questions if you can?

What was the pot used for?

How was it used?

Jeff

A double boiler for melting or heating wax, or something along those lines -soap or candlemaking perhaps,or a soft metal, hung from a cauldron ? bubble bubble toil and trouble....

cheers
sue

its a bain-marie of some sort right?

Jeff,

It is a glue pot that was used in the book binding industry. The large pot contained water and the glue which I think was in a powder form or solidified pieces were placed in the smaller container. A gas ring was used to heat the water which in turn liquefied the glue.

Water could be added to the glue to change its consistency.

Daryl.

I remember using something like that back in my schooldays of woodworking it was either a glue pot or a pot for melting the small thin flakes to make shellac...........

It is for heating hide glue. I have my grandfarthers as he was a cabinet maker and used it.
You put boiling water in the outer pot and your glue in the inner one.
woodie

Well, that didn't take long.

Bill, partly right. Daryl, your answer is most probably correct also but woodie's was spot on.

woodie wrote:It is for heating hide glue. I have my grandfarthers as he was a cabinet maker and used it.
You put boiling water in the outer pot and your glue in the inner one.

I imagine they were used for a number of different glues in different industries. I would think more than a few Bowyers would have used something similar over the years also.

Thanks for your replies and I hope it was of interest.

Jeff

PS robmoore PM'd me with the correct answer also.

Hay Jeff I also have my grandfarthers "new" one that is 40 years old.
woodie

woodie wrote:Hay Jeff I also have my grandfarthers "new" one that is 40 years old.
woodie

What great keep sakes mate. I enjoy seeing and learning about old stuff. A lot of the tools etc from years past were of much better quality than their equivalents today.

As an aside, I bought an old 16" camp oven off the fella who had the glue pot. It is over 100 years old and was made in the Albion Stove Works foundry right here in Maryborough. I was stoked!!!

Jeff

Jeff, I know i'm late in the answer, yes it is a glue pot, still have at home. Used for mealting down horse Hoofs for glue. Great for Cabinet making glue. Cheers Roadie.

Thanks Roadie. I'm sure the aroma coming from the glue pot was less than appealing.

Jeff

Very interesting....i'm to young to know anything about those things

also used in boat building to melt down animal glue and keep it workable. Glue used to come in brownish beads. Waterproof, great stuff.

Three Rivers make/market a small electric glue pot for melting hotmelt when making arrows.

Thanks for showing that. I remember making timber clinker built row boats and sail boats with him using such a pot on a gas ring. We used to steam the bow and bend it in one piece for keel and bow. Used to use turpentine for the keel. The klinkers were Huon Pine. Brings back memories.

Kevin

I never guessed the answer because my memory is shot.I knew it was for something like its intended use, but what did happen is it brought back long subliminated memories of my Dad boiling up hide glue in his workshop, and the unforgettable odours! He was a chippie and hide glue was all the go in the early days circa 50 years ago and he had something similar! Thanks Jeff for regaining a great[?] memory of those days.

I'm glad it was of interest and brought back memories for some. Thanks for sharing your stories and memories with us.

I kinda thought some of our more senior members would have known what it was.

Jeff

Hide glue was commonly known as Pearl glue and can still be bought as such , many cabinet makers who specialise in restoring old furniture still prefer to use it

David

Some of those glues made very strong and highly waterproof bonds. They were used for many years, especially by cabinet makers doing inlays and veneer work.

Kevin

My Dad had one when I was a Kid. I wish I knew what happened to his tools, he still won't let me anywhere near them. Nice Score Jeff

regards Jacko