Since we are on glue -- again -- it is probably time for my confession.

I made my ZHI Italian in Michigan, and even during the two July weeks 
of summer I could not find an environment hot enough to use hide glue 
without concomitant high humidity.  In the winter, the problem was 
the opposite, of course, with low humidity made even worse by heating 
a room.  So I chose the low humidity option, particularly for the 
installation of the soundboard.  On 14 Feb 2003, humidity was 30% 
(better a lower than higher value for this job) and I installed the 
soundboard.  Because I did not think I could get the job done before 
hide glue cooled, I used fish glue from a bottle -- obtained from 
Canada (I think Lee Valley).  I used this for the whole 
instrument.  I never need to bother about cracks, because I moved 
away from Michigan, to places where the RH never gets down as far as 
30%.  However, I understand that even after setting fish glue 
dissolves in H2O, and every time it has rained hard I have wondered 
whether the fish would escape and I would be left with a pile of planks.

Perhaps I have been lucky, but thirteen years on I am happy to report 
that the instrument has not deteriorated at all.  The gap has 
narrowed, but there is still clearance.  (Of course, I wouldnt take 
it for a cruise on Rodney's boat!)

David

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