Double Boiler / Bain Marie / Gluepot

[Jelly]

Can anyone recommend a source for a double boiler or electrically heated gluepot... I've been making my own varnishes for a while now and kept thinking "one of those would be good" when I recalled them from other people's videos or WIP's whilst precariously balancing a pyrex bowl of molten pitch and scalding hot oil over a pan on the stove.

Long story short today my balancing skills were worse than usual and I'm fairly lucky not to have been burned or started a major fire, so a nice to have has just become a neccesity (well it will be once I've used 2¼ pints of varnish up anyway).

 

[AndyT]

I've still not got round to trying one myself, but I've seen people write about using an electric baby bottle warmer for small quantities. Plenty on eBay for a couple of quid or not much new.

 

[beech1948]

Also a mini fat fryer. Used one myself after careful checks on the lower range of temperature control.......65 degrees true needed 95 degrees on the fryer...so some calibration needed to know what your getting out of it.

Works well though.

 

[Droogs]

I got one of these earlier in the year and has been good

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/220V-Stainles ... 1219644600

 

[mouppe]

I use this one. I searched for a vintage one for ages but they were all rubbish or rusted and not that much cheaper once shipping was factored in.

http://www.musicaravan.com/gluepot

 

[AJB Temple]

Touchstone tonewoods (lutherie supplies) do one with thermostatic control and ceramic inner. However it is £280. http://www.touchstonetonewoods.co.uk/pr ... -glue-pot/

Other lutherie supplies do them as well. You can also import the brass kettle type from the US. I have one that sits on an electric heating base and works pretty well, that cost me $60 from the US about 4 years ago as I recall. They are still available. You might get hit with a bit of import duty. Here is s similar one at $97 http://www.touchstonetonewoods.co.uk/pr ... -glue-pot/

Mine is much plainer than this but still the same basic idea of a pot in a pot and a heater that stays constant. Can't find where I got it from now. Note that the lutherie ones from the US are quite small capacity, maybe about a cup full of material at most.

 

[bugbear]

Mine is much plainer than this but still the same basic idea of a pot in a pot and a heater that stays constant. Can't find where I got it from now. Note that the lutherie ones from the US are quite small capacity, maybe about a cup full of material at most.

Fixing a bridge doesn't need much glue

BugBear

 

[AJB Temple]

Ha yes! However, glueing fingerboards on can take a fair amount. Plus I am messy and wasteful!

I have this recollection of the woodwork teacher's glue pot when I was at school a long time ago. In my memory it was massive. In reality, probably not much bigger than the little one I have. I must admit I do like animal glues despite the march of technology. For some jobs, especially where repair or disassembly is on the cards, they are great. I wonder what has happened to all the old glue pots - every joinery shop and school used to have one.

 

[NazNomad]

There's a lovely cast iron ''Vintage Glue Pot'' on our favourite auction site.

 

[bugbear]

I wonder what has happened to all the old glue pots - every joinery shop and school used to have one.

In a word - Rust.

BugBear