Make Your Own GLUE - Look At What I Made

Here you will find my favourite 2 home-made glue recipes:  Tacky Gelatin Glue and Corn starch glue/paste.

I have used corn starch glue quite a bit and have really liked the results.  But my new favourite is gelatin glue!  It is a bit more of a hassle to use once it has cooled down, because you have to reheat it (easily done under running hot water) and keep reheating it as you go.

I have used both of these to make my paper straws and they both work very well.  If I had to choose between the two, though, I would choose the Tacky Gelatin Glue.  But then, I’m not a vegetarian…

Both these glues are perfect for Making Your Own Paper Drinking Straws.  They stick hard and fast, they are edible and they are cheap!

Tacky Glue (Gelatin Glue)

This glue dries clear(ish).  You will notice a very slight yellow tinge.  But this doesn’t matter when using it for labels or stickers, does it :)

Ingredients

• 1 packet of unflavoured Gelatin** (I recommend Knox, available HERE from Amazon)
• 4 tbsp water (3 of which should be boiling)
• 1 tbsp white vinegar (you can use malt vinegar, but you’ll get brownish glue)
• 1 tsp glycerin

** 1 packet of Gelatin is equal to 7 g, 1/4 oz, or 1 tbsp

Method

1. Let gelatin bloom in 1 tbsp cold water
2. Add 3 tbsp boiling water, vinegar and glycerin and stir to dissolve. I found that a few 5 sec blasts in the microwave helped this along.  You could also put it in a pot on the stove if you felt it needed a bit of help.
3. Once made, store in an airtight container.

“Oh no!  My glue has become a solid lump!”

It’s ok.  That’s what gelatin does.  To get the glue gloopy again, place the whole container under hot running water or zap in the microwave (without a lid) for a few seconds.  It will become nice and runny again.

If you want to save yourself some hassle, just leave the gelatin in the pot/cup (whatever you used to make it in) to set.  Once set, remove from the pot and cut up with a pair of scissors.  When you need to use some of it, just place a few shards and a few drops of water in a microwavable bowl and blast for 5 sec at a time until melted.  Waaaay easier than getting the whole pot wet every time.  Especially if you go to all the trouble of putting on a label.

This glue is AWESOME for labelling as it keeps the label stuck on, but also peels off super easily when you want the label gone.  And if you decide that you  didn’t actually want the label gone, just lick the glue side and stick it back on.  Apply a little bit of pressure and you’re set.  I’ve repeated the whole process 5 or 6 times with my little glue label and it is still sticking strongly after being removed and re-applied that many times.

Uses

• Stick labels to glass jars semi-permanently
• Make stickers by printing out pictures/cutting them from magazines and coating the back with this tacky glue.  Let dry and lick when ready to use. (Takes about 24 hours to dry completely, but can be lick-and-sticked before then.)
• Stick paper to paper/cardboard/wood quite thoroughly!!!

Corn Starch Glue/Paste

This glue dries completely clear and is merrily vegetarian – even vegan!

Ingredients

• 30 ml corn starch
• 120-150 ml cold water
• 1 tbsp white vinegar

This is the ratio if you want to make more or less:

• 1 part corn starch
• 4-5 parts water
• 1 ml white vinegar for every 10 ml water (roughly)

Method

1. In a saucepan:  make a paste with the corn starch and 30 ml of the water (to avoid lumps later on).  Add the rest of the water and stir constantly over a low heat.  When the mixture starts firming up, remove from the heat for a second and beat quite vigorously with a wooden spoon.
2. Return to the heat and heat (stir stir stir!) until the mixture is the consistency and colour of Vaseline.
3. Remove from the heat and add the vinegar.  When it has cooled sufficiently, stir stir stir again before popping it into your airtight container.  This will make it a bit more pastey again.

Note:  A lot of recipes call for 3 parts water for every 1 part of corn starch, but I find the resulting paste to be more bouncy ball than glue.  Go with your gut.  If you are concerned that the 1:5 ratio will be too liquid (IT WON’T), add 3 parts water to begin with and then add more if you need it (YOU WILL).  You can always add more later.  You can’t really add less later.

Uses

• Stick labels to glass jars semi-permanently
• Make stickers by printing out pictures/cutting them from magazines and coating the back with this tacky glue. Let dry and lick when ready to use. (Takes about 24 hours to dry completely, but can be lick-and-sticked before then.)
• Stick paper to paper/cardboard/wood quite thoroughly!!!