Crucible Piggly No Wiggly Glue

Crucible Piggly No Wiggly Glue is a gelatin-based adhesive with all the advantages of animal glues: it is reversible, non-toxic, endlessly repairable and as strong as any glue must be. It comes in bottles of about 320 grams. The glue is made in the Rubank shop under licence from Lost Art Press.

Unlike other animal glues, it dries clear, ideal when gluing light-coloured woods, and has virtually no smell unless mistreated. It is made from three ingredients: food-grade gelatin, water and salt. With a Bloom strength of 250, it must be heated until liquid before use, for example in a glue pot, slow cooker or baby bottle warmer. Its open time of 15-18 minutes is much longer than modern yellow glues, letting you relax during complex assemblies.

As with all water-based glues, open and clamping times depend on temperature and humidity. At 22 °C and 30-50% relative humidity, it stays tacky for about 18 minutes. Leave the work clamped for an hour or two, or overnight if you can. Lower temperatures can reduce open time and high humidity can increase clamping time. Leave some squeeze-out to monitor: if it is tacky or soft, leave the clamps on; if it is hard, remove them. Squeeze-out is easily removed with hot water, even when fully dry.

Shelf life is indefinite if stored correctly. Keep it cool and dark, in the fridge in warm, wet weather, and don't let it freeze. The glue is completely non-toxic and reversible: to disassemble a joint, wrap it in a moist towel and soften the glue with a heat gun. There is no need to remove the old glue, as a fresh coat reactivates the dried glue for a strong joint.