A New Field
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Recipe

Casein milk glue

Curdled milk mixed with baking soda becomes a strong, water-resistant glue, traditionally used on furniture.

Every A New Field recipe has been run in a domestic kitchen or community hall. Read the safety notes before you start and adapt for your venue.

What you’ll make

Pale, opaque, very strong on wood and card.

Flexible slots (flex around your material)

  • Casein source

    Casein (milk protein)500ml milk

    Protein in milk, curdles when acid or rennet is added. Dries into a tough plastic.

    Examples Milk, yogurt

  • Acid

    Acid2 tbsp

    Mild household acids. Adjusts pH, curdles milk, releases pectin.

    Examples Vinegar, lemon juice

  • Alkali

    Alkali1 tsp

    Mild household alkalis. Raises pH, makes milk glue, fixes some dyes.

    Examples Baking soda

    Note — Activates glue.

Fixed ingredients

  • Water · 50ml

Equipment

  • Saucepan
  • sieve
  • muslin
  • jar.

Refinements and variations

  • Let the curds dry into a powder for a shelf-stable version.

Source notes

19th-century furniture tradition; widely revived.