Glue Factory
Glue Factory is a space for civic and community-focused activities. It also hosts monthly networking and educational workshops.
For thousands of years glue has been made from animal collagen. Hides from mammals and fish, along with a wide variety of other animals like cattle and pigs, have been used. Horses were sometimes slaughtered and sent to the glue factory (hence the idiom, that horse belongs in the glue factory).
Glue Factories
The phrase “sent to the glue factory” is often used as a metaphor for someone being sent out of work, but it was actually a real thing that happened in olden days. Glue factories were places where people would go to make glue from ground up animal bones. While glues made from these materials are still used in certain crafts and trades, modern glue production primarily uses synthetic materials and innovative manufacturing processes that do not involve horses or other animals.
Regardless of the raw materials used for glue manufacturing, most adhesives have to undergo several procedures before they’re ready for use. The first step involves washing the raw materials to remove dirt and impurities. Then the materials are cooked to extract collagen, which is the main ingredient in animal glues. Cooking the materials at just the right temperature and for a specific length of time ensures that the glue will have industry standard quality and properties.
Aside from animal glues, there are also fish glues and vegetable glues. Typical raw materials for fish glue include the heads, scales and skins of fish, which are obtained from canneries and other processing plants. These raw materials are cooked to produce a broth that’s then fermented, or made into a stronger solution, to become glue.
The fermented solution is then filtered to eliminate any remaining lime, and the glue is boiled in open or pressured tanks. This cooking process is incredibly critical to glue manufacture, as the ideal consistency and properties are only achieved by cooking the stock for the right amount of time and at just the right temperature.
While animal glues are still used in certain crafts and trades, such as bookbinding and woodworking, they have been overtaken by synthetic glues for a variety of reasons. These glues are more economical to produce and offer better strength and durability than their animal-derived counterparts. They’re also less likely to degrade over time and are safer for the environment. Despite these advances, some consumers still prefer the traditional, more natural glues. For these consumers, companies like Elmer’s now sell white all-use glues that don’t contain any animal ingredients.
Glue Making
A wide variety of glues are manufactured for a huge range of uses. While some are still made from animal byproducts, the majority now come from plant extracts and synthetic substances. The most common type of adhesive is cyanoacrylate glue, often known as super glue. This fast-acting formula is available in a wide range of different colours and can be purchased from many craft and hardware stores.
Glue making is an intriguing science experiment that can be done with children. This activity can be used as a team-building exercise, an investigation or simply for fun. The best part is that the ingredients are very inexpensive and readily available. The procedure is fairly simple and can be varied to produce a large number of different types of glue. The basic procedure is to add a small amount of water to a thickened curds mixture and stir until the glue reaches the desired consistency. The mixture can then be coloured and flavoured as desired.
When the glue is ready, it can be poured into storage tanks for further processing. It may be filtered to eliminate impurities, thickened and treated with stabilisers and other chemicals. Once the glue has been refined, it is ready for packaging and shipping.
One of the more interesting types of glue is animal-based. Traditionally, this is made by boiling the skin, bones and connective tissues of animals. Horses have a high collagen content, which is why they are often used for this purpose. This type of glue is a key ingredient in book binding, furniture restoration and art conservation because it is reversible.
Several manufacturers make commercial glues from ground-up animal bones. They are also used for shoes, car interiors and construction. Glue has been in use since ancient times, but it became a major industry in the 18th and 19th centuries. Today, for each person in the US, forty pounds of adhesives are manufactured each year for use in a variety of products.
Besides the animal-based glues, there are a wide variety of other types of glues produced from cellulose, sand, starch and other natural sources. These are becoming increasingly popular as they are environmentally friendly and offer excellent adhesion. Today, there are even special kinds of glues for paper crafts and woodworking.
Glue Adhesives
Glues are adhesive substances that help connect parts together without the use of tools or other techniques like soldering or welding. They come in a wide range of varieties to match different types of projects and materials. Modern glues are made with synthetic materials instead of animal products and are safer to use than the traditional alternatives. Glues are made up of polymers, which are large molecules that create strong bonds. The polymers can be manipulated to have low or high melting points, which allows them to bond a variety of materials and surfaces, including porous and non-porous ones.
Typical hot glues, such as cyanoacrylate, are fast-setting and require very little surface preparation. They work best when applied to clean, dry materials that are free of oil and dust. They are very thin and a little messy to work with, but they offer a great deal of strength and durability. This type of glue is ideal for a range of applications, from craft projects to home repairs.
There are also more permanent and long-lasting types of glues, such as epoxy. Epoxy is a strong, waterproof and corrosion-resistant substance that can be used to repair and seal materials like metal and glass. It is able to withstand extreme temperatures, making it an excellent choice for outdoor applications. Epoxy also has the added benefit of being able to be used on a variety of surfaces, including wood and plastics.
Another common type of glue is contact cement. This type of glue is safe for use on fabric, paper, wood, stone and rubber. It is also easy to apply and dries quickly. This glue is a good option for small jobs, such as attaching earrings or cabochons. It also dries clear, so it is perfect for crafting and jewelry design.
There are many other kinds of glues available as well, from liquid to tape to wood and stone glues. There are even special glues that can withstand impact and vibration. The glues used in the manufacturing of these substances are made with a chemical process that results in a strong bond by using electrostatic and chemisorption forces. This type of bonding penetrates into the pores of the adherend material and around any projections.
Glue History
For 200,000 years humans have made glues and other adhesive substances to keep things in place. Some of the earliest evidence comes from Ancient Egypt, where hieroglyphs show the casket of Pharaoh Tutankhamun was glued together with an animal-based compound.
In ancient times, people used glue for woodwork, quick fixes on tools and for preserving painted images and small medicinal use cases. The glues were made from various animal parts like sinew, skin and bones because of the keratin and collagen in those materials. These types of glues were a bit messy, but were very strong and durable.
The first commercial glue factory started in Holland in the early 18th century. The glue was made from a combination of animal collagen and water. Eventually it was refined to make it more consistent and easier to work with. This was a big step towards the modern glues that are used today.
By the mid-20th century, there were many different kinds of glues available for household and industrial uses. Some of them were even waterproof. Most of these new glues were invented by chemists and engineers like Ashworth Stull. One of the most famous was Elmer’s Glue, which was named after a character in children’s television shows at the time, who was always making and repairing things for his family. The ad campaign for the product was a hit, and a generation of kids grew up knowing about Elmer’s Glue.
Peter Cooper is best known for his glue company in Gowanda, NY, but he also had a hand in many other Brooklyn projects, including the Main Post Office and City Hall. You can even see his glue factory on a 1902 map of the area, right next to the Newtown Creek and the Brooklyn Kings County Penitentiary.
In 1942, Harry Coover of Eastman Kodak accidentally stumbled upon a revolutionary glue material while working on heat-resistant polymers for jet canopies. This material was called cyanoacrylate and it would be the foundation for all of today’s superglues. It’s also used in medicine and has saved lives of soldiers in the Vietnam War.
Glue Factory is a space for civic and community-focused activities. It also hosts monthly networking and educational workshops.
For thousands of years glue has been made from animal collagen. Hides from mammals and fish, along with a wide variety of other animals like cattle and pigs, have been used. Horses were sometimes slaughtered and sent to the glue factory (hence the idiom, that horse belongs in the glue factory).
Glue Factories
The phrase “sent to the glue factory” is often used as a metaphor for someone being sent out of work, but it was actually a real thing that happened in olden days. Glue factories were places where people would go to make glue from ground up animal bones. While glues made from these materials are still used in certain crafts and trades, modern glue production primarily uses synthetic materials and innovative manufacturing processes that do not involve horses or other animals.
Regardless of the raw materials used for glue manufacturing, most adhesives have to undergo several procedures before they’re ready for use. The first step involves washing the raw materials to remove dirt and impurities. Then the materials are cooked to extract collagen, which is the main ingredient in animal glues. Cooking the materials at just the right temperature and for a specific length of time ensures that the glue will have industry standard quality and properties.
Aside from animal glues, there are also fish glues and vegetable glues. Typical raw materials for fish glue include the heads, scales and skins of fish, which are obtained from canneries and other processing plants. These raw materials are cooked to produce a broth that’s then fermented, or made into a stronger solution, to become glue.
The fermented solution is then filtered to eliminate any remaining lime, and the glue is boiled in open or pressured tanks. This cooking process is incredibly critical to glue manufacture, as the ideal consistency and properties are only achieved by cooking the stock for the right amount of time and at just the right temperature.
While animal glues are still used in certain crafts and trades, such as bookbinding and woodworking, they have been overtaken by synthetic glues for a variety of reasons. These glues are more economical to produce and offer better strength and durability than their animal-derived counterparts. They’re also less likely to degrade over time and are safer for the environment. Despite these advances, some consumers still prefer the traditional, more natural glues. For these consumers, companies like Elmer’s now sell white all-use glues that don’t contain any animal ingredients.
Glue Making
A wide variety of glues are manufactured for a huge range of uses. While some are still made from animal byproducts, the majority now come from plant extracts and synthetic substances. The most common type of adhesive is cyanoacrylate glue, often known as super glue. This fast-acting formula is available in a wide range of different colours and can be purchased from many craft and hardware stores.
Glue making is an intriguing science experiment that can be done with children. This activity can be used as a team-building exercise, an investigation or simply for fun. The best part is that the ingredients are very inexpensive and readily available. The procedure is fairly simple and can be varied to produce a large number of different types of glue. The basic procedure is to add a small amount of water to a thickened curds mixture and stir until the glue reaches the desired consistency. The mixture can then be coloured and flavoured as desired.
When the glue is ready, it can be poured into storage tanks for further processing. It may be filtered to eliminate impurities, thickened and treated with stabilisers and other chemicals. Once the glue has been refined, it is ready for packaging and shipping.
One of the more interesting types of glue is animal-based. Traditionally, this is made by boiling the skin, bones and connective tissues of animals. Horses have a high collagen content, which is why they are often used for this purpose. This type of glue is a key ingredient in book binding, furniture restoration and art conservation because it is reversible.
Several manufacturers make commercial glues from ground-up animal bones. They are also used for shoes, car interiors and construction. Glue has been in use since ancient times, but it became a major industry in the 18th and 19th centuries. Today, for each person in the US, forty pounds of adhesives are manufactured each year for use in a variety of products.
Besides the animal-based glues, there are a wide variety of other types of glues produced from cellulose, sand, starch and other natural sources. These are becoming increasingly popular as they are environmentally friendly and offer excellent adhesion. Today, there are even special kinds of glues for paper crafts and woodworking.
Glue Adhesives
Glues are adhesive substances that help connect parts together without the use of tools or other techniques like soldering or welding. They come in a wide range of varieties to match different types of projects and materials. Modern glues are made with synthetic materials instead of animal products and are safer to use than the traditional alternatives. Glues are made up of polymers, which are large molecules that create strong bonds. The polymers can be manipulated to have low or high melting points, which allows them to bond a variety of materials and surfaces, including porous and non-porous ones.
Typical hot glues, such as cyanoacrylate, are fast-setting and require very little surface preparation. They work best when applied to clean, dry materials that are free of oil and dust. They are very thin and a little messy to work with, but they offer a great deal of strength and durability. This type of glue is ideal for a range of applications, from craft projects to home repairs.
There are also more permanent and long-lasting types of glues, such as epoxy. Epoxy is a strong, waterproof and corrosion-resistant substance that can be used to repair and seal materials like metal and glass. It is able to withstand extreme temperatures, making it an excellent choice for outdoor applications. Epoxy also has the added benefit of being able to be used on a variety of surfaces, including wood and plastics.
Another common type of glue is contact cement. This type of glue is safe for use on fabric, paper, wood, stone and rubber. It is also easy to apply and dries quickly. This glue is a good option for small jobs, such as attaching earrings or cabochons. It also dries clear, so it is perfect for crafting and jewelry design.
There are many other kinds of glues available as well, from liquid to tape to wood and stone glues. There are even special glues that can withstand impact and vibration. The glues used in the manufacturing of these substances are made with a chemical process that results in a strong bond by using electrostatic and chemisorption forces. This type of bonding penetrates into the pores of the adherend material and around any projections.
Glue History
For 200,000 years humans have made glues and other adhesive substances to keep things in place. Some of the earliest evidence comes from Ancient Egypt, where hieroglyphs show the casket of Pharaoh Tutankhamun was glued together with an animal-based compound.
In ancient times, people used glue for woodwork, quick fixes on tools and for preserving painted images and small medicinal use cases. The glues were made from various animal parts like sinew, skin and bones because of the keratin and collagen in those materials. These types of glues were a bit messy, but were very strong and durable.
The first commercial glue factory started in Holland in the early 18th century. The glue was made from a combination of animal collagen and water. Eventually it was refined to make it more consistent and easier to work with. This was a big step towards the modern glues that are used today.
By the mid-20th century, there were many different kinds of glues available for household and industrial uses. Some of them were even waterproof. Most of these new glues were invented by chemists and engineers like Ashworth Stull. One of the most famous was Elmer’s Glue, which was named after a character in children’s television shows at the time, who was always making and repairing things for his family. The ad campaign for the product was a hit, and a generation of kids grew up knowing about Elmer’s Glue.
Peter Cooper is best known for his glue company in Gowanda, NY, but he also had a hand in many other Brooklyn projects, including the Main Post Office and City Hall. You can even see his glue factory on a 1902 map of the area, right next to the Newtown Creek and the Brooklyn Kings County Penitentiary.
In 1942, Harry Coover of Eastman Kodak accidentally stumbled upon a revolutionary glue material while working on heat-resistant polymers for jet canopies. This material was called cyanoacrylate and it would be the foundation for all of today’s superglues. It’s also used in medicine and has saved lives of soldiers in the Vietnam War.