Glue

[Esquillax]

Is there some sort of glue that exists on Zalanthas?

[Halaster]

I would venture to guess there's got to be something sticky people use.  Surely it's not as good as modern glue, but maybe some tree saps?

[LauraMars]

Instruments and drums in this world are often held together by glue or some kind of sticky thing, and there are a lot of instruments in the game, which makes me think there's glue, even if I've never seen any "glue".  I've seen no squeeze bottles of Elmers sitting around in Zalanthas, but there's plenty of resin, glaze, and paint.

[Olaf]

And animal product.  

Animal glue is made from connective tissues, hoofs, bones, tendons, ligaments, hides, cartilage, etc.

Info here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animal_glue

Edit: According to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hoof_glue , the oldes known example of humans using animal glue is a 9,600 year old bow.  So the technology would certainly be available on Zalanthas.  Just go to your local tanner or butcher for supplies and make your own at home!

[Hymwen]

Special kinds of clay might be usable as well.

[UnderSeven]

Glue is actually pretty insanely easy to make and even relatively effective clue.  As seen on mythbusters once.  Man I love that show.  I believe they even made some simple glue with flour and water, or sugar and water, I forget which.

[Belenos]

Hide glue is made as described above from animal collagen.  It is still used today and is actually a rather good glue.   You can buy it online, or at any decent woodworking store.

[Djarjak]

Glue is an old technology.

However, there are a lot of things you can make without glue. Many musical instruments, including drums, do not require glue.

[Cale_Knight]

I believe they even made some simple glue with flour and water, or sugar and water, I forget which.

Probably the second. The first combo makes bread.

Mmm. Bread.

[Djarjak]

flour and water makes paste.

The kind most kindergarteners eat.

[LauraMars]

Everyone knows flour and water makes travel cakes.

[Djarjak]

=D

[Cale_Knight]

flour and water makes paste.

The kind most kindergarteners eat.

*looks it up*

Holy crap. So it does.

[Angela Christine]

Animal based glues can be really excellent.  They can also be really stinky.  And tricky to work with, depending on the setting time and whatnot.  But they do exist and pots of glue are likely used all across Zalanthas.

You can also use pegs or dowels fitted into holes to secure items together.  [url+http://woodworking.about.com/od/joineryhardware/f/dovetail.htm] Dovetail joints [/url] are also excellent for woodworking, and can be stronger and more stable than using metal wood screws.  As the wood ages and warps it becomes even more tightly bound together, rather than splitting apart the way items that are nailed or screwed together often do.


A high quality, expense item intended to last a long time or take a lot of stress would probably use both glue and wood joining.

[UnderSeven]

I don't know about you guys, but I found the elmers glue to be quite tasty.

[Djarjak]

dovetail joints are cool

Except I'm not sure you're going to get the type of precision with a saw made of bone or string to get the type of cut you'd need to do good dovetail joints.

I could be wrong.

[Eternal]

I don't know about you guys, but I found the elmers glue to be quite tasty.

A sad comment... I seem to remember feeling the same... blecch.

I expect to see more animal/hide-based glues and joinery used throughout zalanthas.  While in the southlands most buildings would just be sand and dung constructions, the northern (scum) make use of wood which typically requires some sort of connection (tepees aside).  I remember being astonished to study some 2000 year old Japanese artwork one time and was told that the elaborate sculpture was made entirely without glue...  I'll try to find a pic... it was a combination of joinery and soaking the wood so that it warped in ways that made the pieces inseparable.

[Angela Christine]

[

Except I'm not sure you're going to get the type of precision with a saw made of bone or string to get the type of cut you'd need to do good dovetail joints.

Hmm.  I think you could do it with a small, sturdy saw, but it would be painfully slow.  Something only a master craftsman would do, and would charge a premium for.  It would help account for why constructions like carts and wagons are so expensive -- it wasn't something some yahoo with an axe just slapped together with a few boards, it was months and months of painstaking craftsmanship.