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Adhesives, Paints, and Varnishes: Mucilage

Mucilage. To make mucilage, put 3 ounces of gum arabic in a glass bottle with pint of cold water. Let stand 24 hours and stir occasionally.

Add a few whole cloves or a few drops of any of the essential oils to prevent molding.

Or mix 1½ ounces of gum arabic and 14 ounces of gum tragacanth. Add pint of water and dissolve.

The solution may be made much more quickly by the use of gentle heat by means of a double boiler or otherwise.

Or mix 3 ounces of gum arabic or gum tragacanth, 3 ounces of distilled vinegar, and 1 ounce of white sugar.

Or 6 ounces of gum arabic, 1 ounce of acetic acid, 1 ounce of white sugar, and 5 ounces of water.

Botanical Mucilage. - Mix 5 ounces of gum arabic, 3 ounces of sugar, 2 ounces of starch, and 5 ounces of water. Boil and stir until very thick and white. Thin with hot water if necessary. Use for mounting pressed flowers and other botanical specimens.

Ivory Mucilage. - Mix 2 ounces of pulverized gum arabic and 1 ounce of calomel. Add water to make a thin paste. Use for gluing on ivory veneers, piano keys, and the like.

Label Mucilage. - Mix ounce of gum arabic, 10 grains of sulphate of aluminum, and 5 ounces of water.

This will attach labels to wood, tin, or metal, and will not become moldy.

Before attaching the label, free tin or metal surfaces from grease by washing them with a dilute solution of caustic soda or potash by means of a rag or brush.

Or dissolve 24 ounces of glue in 10 ounces of water. Add 5 ounces of rock candy and 14 ounces of gum arabic. Brush this upon paper while lukewarm and allow it to dry. It keeps well without sticking, and when moistened will adhere firmly to clean glass or tin.

Dextrin Mucilage. - Dextrin and gelatin or glue treated with glycerin are also used to make mucilage.

Dissolve dextrin in hot water to the consistency of cream or honey.

Add a few drops of any of the essential oils or alcohol as a preventive. Dextrin mucilage is used on the backs of labels, envelopes, postage stamps, etc. To make the kind mucilage used on the United State postage stamps, dissolve 2 ounces of dextrin in 5 ounces of water. Add 1 ounce of acetic acid, and when the ADHESIVES, PAINTS, AND VARNISHES dextrin is dissolved, add 1 ounce of alcohol as a preservative.

Or use gelatin in place of dextrin in the above.

To Preserve Mucilage. -Mucilage composed of gum arabic and dextrin is liable to become moldy and to decay. It may be preserved by the addition of alcohol or a few drops of any of the essential oils, as oil of cloves, lavender, etc.; or a few whole cloves, or a few drops of sulphuric acid, or carbolic acid or creosote in such quantity that the odor is just apparent; corrosive sublimate, salicylic acid, or boracic acid. or If the use of these is objectionable, the addition of 10 or 12 grains of sulphate of quinine to 1/2 pint of mucilage is a good and safe preservative. Ordinary quinine pills dissolved in hot water may be used for this purpose.

GLUE Liquid Glue. Prepared or liquid glue is a solution of glue with water kept liquid by the addition of 1 fluid ounce of strong nitric acid to 1 pound of dry glue.

Or add 3 ounces of commercial acetic acid to 1 ounce of glue.

Or mix 2 ounces of glue, 2 ounces of vinegar, and 2 ounces of water; dissolve in a double boiler and add 1 ounce of alcohol.

Or dissolve pound of the best pale glue in 1½ pints of water and add pint of vinegar.

Or put any quantity of the best glue broken in small pieces in a glass fruit jar and cover with 1 part of vinegar or dilute acetic acid and 5 parts of water. Set the jar in a vessel of hot water, and let stand until the glue is melted. In all these cases the glue will dissolve more rapidly if allowed to stand a few days in cold water, which may be poured off when the glue is wanted.

Or dissolve in a double boiler 8 ounces of the best pale glue in pint of water. Add slowly, stirring constantly, ounce of pure nitric acid. Bottle and cork for use. This can be used cold for all ordinary purposes, and does not thicken, decay, or become moldy, but is not waterproof. This recipe has often been sold as a trade secret.

To Other proportions recommended are equal parts by weight of glue and water and to their combined weight of nitric acid; e. g., melt 10 ounces of glue in 10 ounces of water and add 2 ounces of nitric acid.

Or dissolve 10 ounces of glue in 20 ounces of water and add 1 ounce of nitric acid. Any of these is a powerful adhesive which is always ready for use.

Or dissolve 6 ounces of glue in 16 ounces of water and add 1 ounce of hydrochloric acid and 14 ounces of sulphate of zinc. This is a permanent liquid glue which will not spoil under ordinary household conditions.

Or mix 1 ounce of clear gelatin, 1 ounce of glue, 1 ounce of alcohol, and 1 tablespoonful of powdered alum.

Add 2 ounces of commercial acetic acid. Melt in a double boiler. Bottle and cork for use. Flexible Glue. - The addition to any of the above liquid glues of one fourth by weight of glycerin in proportion to the amount of glue employed, imparts a flexible quality which prevents the glue from cracking and is useful for all flexible surfaces, as leather, paper, bookbinding, and the like.

Photograph Glue.--Mix 3 ounces of chloral hydrate and 44 ounces of gelatin and dissolve in 13 ounces of water. Let stand 2 or 3 days. Use for mounting photographs.

Waterproof Glue. -Dissolve in a double boiler pound of best white glue in 1 quart of skimmed milk.

Stir occasionally until the mixture has the consistency of glue. Apply with a brush. This hardens to a durable waterproof cement. The addition of a few drops of nitric acid converts this mixture into liquid glue or mucilage.

Portable Glue. - Melt in a double boiler 5 ounces of glue and 2 ounces of sugar with 8 ounces of water.

Pour into small molds to dry. Dissolve when required in warm water. Or dissolve pound of best white glue in hot water, and strain through cheese cloth. Dissolve 2 ounces of best isinglass in water to the consistency of cream. Mix the two solutions in a glass vessel. Add 1 pound of pure brown sugar, put the vessel in boiling water, boil, and stir until it thickens. Pour off into small molds to harden. When cold this cement is solid and portable. When required for use it may be softened by holding it over steam for moment, or wetting it with the tongue and rubbing it on the surfaces to be cemented. It is used for cementing paper, leather, and many other materials, and is doubly valuable on account of its convenience, being always ready for use. a Or mix 1 ounce of isinglass, 1 ounce of parchment, 2 drams of sugar candy, and 2 drams of gum tragacanth. Add 1 ounce of water and boil until dissolved. Pour into molds for use. This may be wet with the tongue or otherwise and rubbed on the edges of paper, silk, or leather to cement them. It is recommended for sealing letters. Isinglass Adhesives. - Pure isinglass, which may be dissolved readily in water, is a very strong adhesive. Isinglass is an animal tissue obtained chiefly from the air bladders of certain fish. The substance used in place of glass in stove windows, sometimes improperly called isinglass, is a stone or mineral, the correct name of which is mica. Dissolve isinglass in hot water, using a double boiler, and apply with a brush to glass, china, or marble.

Or dissolve ounce of isinglass in 1 or 2 ounces of alcohol and add a tablespoonful of water. Apply to the edges of broken glass or similar articles with gentle pressure, and the fracture will hardly be noticeable.

Or isinglass may be dissolved in about its own weight of brandy, gin, alcohol, or other spirits. This solution makes the best cement for glass and porcelain.

Or mix 2 ounces of isinglass and 1 ounce of gum arabic, cover with 95 per cent alcohol, cork loosely, and put the bottle in boiling water until dissolved. This is the best and most delicate cement. Used by opticians, jewelers, and others whose trades require the finest workmanship. Spalding's Liquid Glue-Dissolve in a double boiler 1 pound of pure isinglass in 1 pint of soft water.

Add slowly, stirring constantly, 2 ounces of nitric acid. This is a permanent liquid glue, which is always ready for use and will not mold or putrefy. Bottle and cork to prevent evaporation. Used for wood, leather, paper, and, in the absence of special adhesives, for many other purposes.