One day several years ago, while at a Wal-Mart or K-Mart, I came across
a mini crock pot.  Thinking this might work as a much less expensive
substitute to the traditional glue pot (which were selling for about
$150 at the time), I bought one.  If I recall correctly, I paid less
than $10.00.  Testing the temperature, I determined that it heats up to
150 degrees, the exact temperature recommended for the hide glue I had.

Also, during one of the seminars at the Sacramento AMICA convention
a few years ago, I learned from Bing Gibbs a neat way of using glue.
He uses a squeeze bottle commonly used for ketchup or mustard to apply
hot glue when recovering pneumatics.  A clear (or translucent) bottle
would be preferable to the red or yellow ones so the glue can be seen.
Check availability at one of the numerous dollar stores.

Bing had a chunk of aluminum machined to fit the glue pot and a hole
bored to fit the squeeze bottle, but I'm sure just putting water in the
pot and setting the bottle in the water transfers the heat just as
effectively.

Just some ideas that might be helpful.

Tom Rosenbusch