[NHCOLL-L:4284] re: Nalgene paper

[Steve Halford]

This was just posted to SCIART-L:

From: Andie Thrams <andiethrams at EARTHLINK.NET>
Date: April 2, 2009 5:48:45 PM CDT
To: BOOK_ARTS-L at LISTSERV.SYR.EDU
Subject: [BKARTS] Tyvek Tales
Reply-To: Book_Arts-L <BOOK_ARTS-L at LISTSERV.SYR.EDU>

Two tyvek tales:

1. I listened with horror to friends, who are general contractors, as
they discussed finding disintegrating tyvek inside the walls of homes
built less than twenty years ago. They said they found tyvek sheeting
in the walls of homes they were renovating in tattered shreds. They
are returning to using good old tar paper for their own  work as a
result.

2. A USGS map from REI, that has been on our wall for under four
years, recently crumbled into a zillion pieces and fell right off the
wall. It had been printed out from their in-store on-demand machines
on a tyvek-like material, though I am uncertain exactly what that
material is. To their credit, REI refunded in full. I asked about
printing out on paper instead, but this option is not available.
(Yikes.)

So, what of tyvek and the book arts? I understand some tyvek is sold
as "archival," and that this has to do with the various coatings on
the tyvek. And, this is what I have been using. But... now I really
wonder about tyvek. Can we rest assured about the longevity of this
material? Or am I nuts to use it in books I would not want to fall
apart in the near future? I really do love how it takes color and have
enjoyed using it for end sheets and other purposes, too.

Any thoughts out there?

Thanks!
Andie Thrams

On Tue, Mar 31, 2009 at 7:38 AM, Alexandra M Snyder <amsnyder at unm.edu> wrote:
> Dear Alastair,
>
> I have used Tyvek (product name), which is also made of spun-bonded
> polyethylene olefin fibers, for labeling oversize fish specimens in tanks of
> ethanol, formalin, and isopropanol.  The label is printed using an impact
> printer (Epson LQ 870). The thermal transfer labels/plastic paper do not
> work as well for tank specimens as the hole tends to tear out.  I purchase
> Tyvek 6060 sheets (#18)  of 23"x35" from University Products, Massachusetts
> USA. (www.universityproducts.com) This is a heavier paper than the rolls of
> type 1443R.
>
> Lex
> **************************************
> Alexandra M Snyder
> Collections Manager-Fishes
> Museum of Southwestern Biology MSC03-2020
> 302 Yale NE
> University of New Mexico
> Albuquerque NM 87131 USA
> PH/FAX 505.277.6005
> http://www.msb.unm.edu/fishes/index.html
>
>



-- 
Steve Halford (halford at sfu.ca)
Museum Technician
Department of Biological Sciences
Simon Fraser University
8888 University Drive
Burnaby, B.C. Canada               Phone
V5A 1S6                                  778-782-3461