Artists use(d) casein glue to glue up panels for painting. The
advantage is that it is waterproof so isn't softened by the gessoing
process.
Casein Glue for Joining
If it is necessary to glue up a panel, the best thing to use is the
cheese and lime glue which Cennino describes in Chapter CXII. [The
Craftsman's Handbook, p. 68.] I have seen a medieval panel, made up
with this cement, which was [11] so completely eaten away by worms
that the cement which originally joined two parts together stood out
in a thin ridge half an inch high, with the marks of the grain of
the wood visible on both sides of it. It is durable, adhesive, and,
once dry, insoluble in water. This insolubility is a great
advantage; for the surface of a panel is kept moist for a long time
in the process of gessoing, and ordinary glues tend to soften
dangerously if they are kept damp. If the panel is so wide that it
cannot be cut from a single plank, two or more planks may be put
together with this glue, with broad clamps to hold them while it
dries, of course. Moldings may be glued to the panel with it, and
nailed through in addition with copper nails, or brads. There are
several proprietary casein glues on the market now which are good
and useful, but for gluing wooden panels Cennino's lime-casein
recipe is better. The alkaline principles of the trade casein glues
are more soluble than lime, and may do damage; and the dried film
which these products leave behind resembles a glue, while the lime
mixture resembles a cement, and is better suited to use in a joint
between two pieces of wood. Cennino's recipe is easily followed,
using any lean cheese, "mouse cheese," or even "cottage" cheese,
consisting of fresh curds strained from the whey. Be sure to get
pure lime, and not the compound material called "Hydraulic lime"
which many builders use instead. (D Thompson, The Practice of
Tempera Painting, 1936, pp10-11)
Cennino's recipe is found in his book, "Il Libro dell'Arte" from about
1390.:
To Make a Glue out of Lime and Cheese.
Chapter C XII
There is a glue used by workers in wood; this is made of cheese.
After putting it to soak in water, work it over with a little
quicklime, using a little board with both hands. Put it between the
boards; it joins them and fastens them together well.
A translation of the full text of Cennino's fascinating book is
[1]here.
I suppose it might have been used for gluing up the panels of a
harpsichord lid prior to painting, but generally it is too hard and
permanent for instrument making.
I once found and used an old tin of Casco, which was the predecessor of
Cascamite. It worked fine but smelt distinctly cheesy, and left a
brownish stain on the wood even though it was very pale itself.
Regards
M
On 15 March 2013 10:15, Martyn Hodgson <[2]hodgsonmar...@yahoo.co.uk>
wrote:
Dear Bill,
Many years ago, before I knew better, I made my first instrument
with
a propriety wood glue 'Cascamite' which I thought at the time was
a
cassein type adhesive (the similarity in the name). And it was
certainly strong, gap filling (benefit for a novice!) and took
plenty
of time to go off (a mixed blessing). But on reading the label
shortly
after I saw it was made using a urea based compound - which I
took to
mean piss rather than diary products........
I seem to recall some make use of it for gluing parchment for
roses
etc. I think FoMRHI archives might have something.
regards
Martyn
--- On Fri, 15/3/13, William Samson <[3]willsam...@yahoo.co.uk>
wrote:
From: William Samson <[4]willsam...@yahoo.co.uk>
Subject: [LUTE-BUILDER] Cassein glue
To: "[5]lute-buil...@cs.dartmouth.edu"
<[6]lute-buil...@cs.dartmouth.edu>
Date: Friday, 15 March, 2013, 9:33
Hi,
An idle question here - I saw on TV how to make casein glue -
using
skimmed milk, bicarb and vinegar. Apparently it's been around
since
ancient Egyptian
times.
[1][7]http://www.ehow.co.uk/how_8474158_make-casein-glue.html
Do you know of any uses it might have had in instrument making,
or
any
evidence that it was used at all?
Bill
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To get on or off this list see list information at
[2][8]http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
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References
1. [9]http://www.ehow.co.uk/how_8474158_make-casein-glue.html
2. [10]http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
--
References
1. http://www.noteaccess.com/Texts/Cennini/
2. mailto:hodgsonmar...@yahoo.co.uk
3. mailto:willsam...@yahoo.co.uk
4. mailto:willsam...@yahoo.co.uk
5. mailto:lute-buil...@cs.dartmouth.edu
6. mailto:lute-buil...@cs.dartmouth.edu
7. http://www.ehow.co.uk/how_8474158_make-casein-glue.html
8. http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
9. http://www.ehow.co.uk/how_8474158_make-casein-glue.html
10. http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
