[Nhcoll-l] Very slow small leak of formalin from acrylic container

[Callomon,Paul]

One of the most effective penetrant solvent adhesives for acrylic sheet (Lexan, Plexiglass, Lucite etc.) is chloroform. At design school we used to use it to bond sheets edge-to-edge; applied with a hypodermic needle it flows into the tiniest cracks and bonds hard in seconds. Unlike Acryloid, epoxy and others, it's not a cement but a true cold weld that briefly dissolves both surfaces.
Obtaining it might be a bit harder these days, though, given its sedative/anesthetic/used-in-kidnappings qualities...

Paul Callomon
Collection Manager, Malacology and General Invertebrates

Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University
1900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia PA 19103-1195, USA
prc44 at drexel.edu Tel 215-405-5096 - Fax 215-299-1170

-----Original Message-----
From: Nhcoll-l <nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu> On Behalf Of Dr Jonathan Kemp
Sent: Tuesday, December 5, 2023 10:04 PM
To: nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Very slow small leak of formalin from acrylic container

External.

Dear All

We have a loaned specimen in a smallish bespoke made rectangular acrylic container full of formalin. The box has a very slow and tiny leak from one end joint (before my time so I'm not sure how its been made).

In the past acrylic resin (Acryloid B72) has been used to fix it but this never quite works - is there a better way to fix the leak while retaining all the contents (ie. not decanting the formalin & specimen)?

btw. there is a small air gap (the formalin fills about 95% of the box) so it would be possible to turn the box so it dried out from the end joint before using anything....

best wishes and thanks in advance

Jonathan

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