[NHCOLL-L:3027] Re: Fluid collections on compactor systems

[Gretchen Anderson]

Hi Jane
I know that Rebecca already answered you for SMM, but I am including her 
comments for wider distribution, and adding my own:
from Rebecca:
Hi there,

We use a compactor system for our fluid collections and have not had any 
problems.  We installed them 5 or 6 years ago.   The shelves have a small 
(approximately 1") lip at the edge.  We have lined the shelves with a 
neoprene non slip pad called from PGC Scientific 
http://www.pgcsci.com/online/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.display&product_mod=4208&CFID=160183&CFTOKEN=72360510

The shelves and compactors are from Elecompack. http://www.elecompack.com/

I recall a talk at SPNHC several years ago (when the meeting was in 
Madison) by a collections manager from the University of Kansas about their 
new wet collections storage which included compactors.  She described doing 
all sorts of "field testing" on the shelves to try and smash them together 
or knock them over (in short, any abuse an unsupervised college student 
might inflict) and was pleased with the  stability and resiliency of the 
system.  I don't recall which company they used.

Good luck!
Rebecca

I would add that like Jean-Marc's at CMN ours are manual. Access is easy, 
and the shelf lining helps. My only concern about the shelf lining is that 
it does age and will need to be replaced at some point. Also, keep on top 
of what the fire marshall is saying -- we got stuck with a sunken floor 
with a grid on top of it -- made laying the rails interesting and it is 
impossible to clean -- will send photos if you wish.  Turns out this was 
probably due to miscommunication between the architects and the fire 
marshall. We love the system, except for the floor.

Gretchen Anderson
Conservator
Science Museum of Minnesota


At 08:56 AM 4/6/2006, Jane MacKnight wrote:
>We're looking at ways to expand our storage of fluid collections -- fish 
>and herps.  Currently all are stored on shelving in an explosion-proof 
>room (or whatever local building code requires).  The curator is 
>considering a compactor system that would nearly double the amount of 
>useable space.
>
>I am interested to know if anyone uses a compactor system for fluid 
>collections.  I know that compactor systems are relatively smooth but I'm 
>concerned that we could be introducing a new level of risk to specimens in 
>jars of alcohol.  I'd appreciate others experience with fluid collections 
>on compactors.
>
>Thanks, Jane
>
>Jane MacKnight
>Registrar
>Cincinnati Museum Center
>T (513) 287-7092
>F (513) 455-7169
>Cell (513) 478-8168
>
>
>
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