<div dir="ltr"><div><font size="2">A<span class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;font-size:small;color:rgb(0,0,0)"> minor correction to Andy's description (he was not yet at KU when the compactors were installed, so he would not know this)--the original design was for wire shelving to allow penetration of the sprinkler system throughout the stack of shelving, but the spacing of the bars was too wide for our smallest jars (8 oz), so we had galvanized mats cut to fit each shelf, each mat drilled out to 50% perforation. As Andy said, a blue line was painted around the walls to show the space needed for sprinkler clearance (18 inches below the sprinkler heads).<br></span></font></div><div><font size="2"><span class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;font-size:small;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><br></span></font></div><div><font size="2"><span class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;font-size:small;color:rgb(0,0,0)">The jars move very slightly on the mats, and as Andy pointed out, there is a lip on each shelf (which was made by simply turning the shelf upside down) and earthquake bars. When designing the system, Kate Shaw (the former fish collection manager) and I worked closely with an architect, who spent enough time with us to understand what we did in terms of moving jars in and out of the collection. The architect came up with several important criteria for the system, including using stainless steel shelving and the mats rather than powder-coated shelves (which can be scratched), and making sure that it took 8 turns to move the compactor one full carriage width to ensure that the movement was slow and easy. On the architect's advice, the contract required that a test carriage and shelves be installed on tracks in the facility and the collection managers group got to abuse it all we could to see how it would work (we rocked it back and forth fully loaded, crashed it into the wall, and placed alcohol and formaldehyde soaked rags on the shelves to check for evidence of oxidation). As Andy said, the system has worked very well except of the oxidation of some metal parts caused by the ridiculous requirement to maintain 100% air makeup in the building (which is overkill).</span></font></div><div><font size="2"><span class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;font-size:small;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><br></span></font></div><div><font size="2"><span class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;font-size:small;color:rgb(0,0,0)">You do have to keep a close eye on the terms of the contract. The local rep for the compactor company was wonderful to work with, but due to the size of our contract, the company sent down two reps from the main office, who were absolute jerks, and at the last minute tried to do a bait-and-switch for cheaper shelving on us. We caught them out on it, and with the architect's support, kept the original contract terms intact. As with any project, write the contract very carefully, get an outsider to look it over, and then watch every step of the installation like a hawk. The company got really tired of Kate and I inspecting their work all day every day, but it paid off--we made sure they did it right.<br></span></font></div><div><font size="2"><span class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;font-size:small;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><br></span></font></div><div><font size="2"><span class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;font-size:small;color:rgb(0,0,0)">If you use large wheels and the right gearing on the carriages, the movement of objects when compactor carriages are moved should not be any worse than moving drawers or trays in and out of a cabinet. The solution to the movement is not fixed shelving, but rather adequate supports for the objects. In 50+ years of inspecting collections, I have seen far more damage to specimens from the vibrations of drawers and trays than from the vibrations of properly designed compactors.<br></span></font></div><div><font size="2"><span class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;font-size:small;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><br></span></font></div><div><font size="2"><span class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;font-size:small;color:rgb(0,0,0)">The compactors at KU were installed in spring 1996, so they are now almost 26 years old.</span></font></div><div><font size="2"><span class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;font-size:small;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><br></span></font></div><div><font size="2"><span class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;font-size:small;color:rgb(0,0,0)">--John</span></font></div><div><font size="2"><span class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;font-size:small;color:rgb(0,0,0)"><br></span></font></div><div><font size="2"><span class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;font-size:small;color:rgb(0,0,0)"></span></font></div><div><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><font size="2"><span style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif">Museologica<br><i>and</i><br>Associate Curator of Collections<br>Earth and Mineral Science Museum & Art Gallery<br>Penn State University<br><i>and</i><br>Investigador Asociado, Departamento de Ornitologia<br>Museo de Historia Natural, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Lima</span></font><br></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><br></div><br><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">On Wed, Dec 15, 2021 at 9:47 AM Bentley, Andrew Charles <<a href="mailto:abentley@ku.edu">abentley@ku.edu</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex">
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<p class="MsoNormal">We had our compactors for our wet collections specifically designed with that in mind – no upper “lid” on each compactor aisle and each shelf had to be perforated in order to allow water from sprinkler system to filter through. We initially
had metal liners on each shelf that were solid and they all had to be sent back to be perforated with hundreds of tiny holes. Our fire marshal also imposed an upper limit as to how high things could be stored so as to allow space between the last upper shelf
and the sprinkler heads for better coverage.<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">We also have “earthquake” bars on the front of each shelf – not only in the event of seismic activity but also to ward against anything toppling off a shelf while moving. On the whole we have been happy with our compactor system in our
wet collection. Even though it is now about 20 years old it still functions just fine. The only issue we have had is rusting of the internal mechanism due to high humidity events in our wet wing caused by a less than perfect HVAC system. This has affected
locking mechanisms, chains, etc. and rails.<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Andy<u></u><u></u></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU"> A : A : A :<br>
}<(((_°>.,.,.,.}<(((_°>.,.,.,.}<)))_°><br>
V V V<br>
Andy Bentley<br>
Ichthyology Collection Manager<br>
University of Kansas<br>
Biodiversity Institute<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU">Dyche Hall<br>
<a><span style="color:rgb(5,99,193)">1345 Jayhawk Boulevard</span></a><br>
<a><span style="color:rgb(5,99,193)">Lawrence, KS, 66045-7561</span></a><br>
<a><span style="color:rgb(5,99,193)">USA</span></a><br>
<br>
Tel: <a href="tel:%28785%29%20864-3863" target="_blank"><span style="color:rgb(5,99,193)">(785) 864-3863</span></a><br>
Fax: <a href="tel:%28785%29%20864-5335" target="_blank"><span style="color:rgb(5,99,193)">(785) 864-5335</span></a> <br>
Email: <a href="mailto:abentley@ku.edu" target="_blank"><span style="color:rgb(5,99,193)">abentley@ku.edu</span></a> <u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">ORCID: <span style="color:rgb(73,74,76);background:white none repeat scroll 0% 0%"><a href="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3093-1258" target="_blank"><span style="color:rgb(5,99,193)">https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3093-1258</span></a><u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU"><a href="http://ichthyology.biodiversity.ku.edu/" target="_blank"><span style="color:rgb(5,99,193)">http://ichthyology.biodiversity.ku.edu</span></a></span><u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> A : A : A :<br>
}<(((_°>.,.,.,.}<(((_°>.,.,.,.}<)))_°><br>
V V V<u></u><u></u></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b>From:</b> Nhcoll-l <<a href="mailto:nhcoll-l-bounces@mailman.yale.edu" target="_blank">nhcoll-l-bounces@mailman.yale.edu</a>> <b>
On Behalf Of </b>Callomon,Paul<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, December 15, 2021 8:35 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> <a href="mailto:rapp@inpa.gov.br" target="_blank">rapp@inpa.gov.br</a>; Douglas Yanega <<a href="mailto:dyanega@gmail.com" target="_blank">dyanega@gmail.com</a>>; <a href="mailto:nhcoll-l@mailman.yale.edu" target="_blank">nhcoll-l@mailman.yale.edu</a><br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [Nhcoll-l] Compactors in collections<u></u><u></u></p>
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</div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Lucia’s comments reminded me of another major caveat about compactors: if you’re planning on using them for wet collections, at least in the USA, check with your fire marshal and insurers first. As she pointed out, in a serious fire a compacted
wet collection without sufficient venting is an enormous fuel-air bomb. Ethanol burns fairly quickly anyway, but if it’s pre-heated before encountering a flame, weakening or even popping the lids and filling the compactor with vapor, then an explosion becomes
more likely and the whole building could go. <u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white none repeat scroll 0% 0%"><span style="font-size:12pt;color:black">Paul Callomon<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white none repeat scroll 0% 0%"><span style="font-size:12pt;color:black">Collection Manager, Malacology and General Invertebrates<i><u></u><u></u></i></span></p>
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<span style="font-size:12pt;color:black">
<hr width="100%" size="2" align="center">
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white none repeat scroll 0% 0%"><b><span style="font-size:12pt;color:black">Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University<u></u><u></u></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white none repeat scroll 0% 0%"><span style="font-size:12pt;color:black">1900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia PA 19103-1195, USA<br>
<i><a href="mailto:prc44@drexel.edu" target="_blank"><span style="color:rgb(5,99,193)">prc44@drexel.edu</span></a> Tel 215-405-5096 - Fax 215-299-1170</i><u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:0.5in"><b>From:</b> Nhcoll-l <<a href="mailto:nhcoll-l-bounces@mailman.yale.edu" target="_blank">nhcoll-l-bounces@mailman.yale.edu</a>>
<b>On Behalf Of </b><a href="mailto:rapp@inpa.gov.br" target="_blank">rapp@inpa.gov.br</a><br>
<b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, December 15, 2021 9:23 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> Douglas Yanega <<a href="mailto:dyanega@gmail.com" target="_blank">dyanega@gmail.com</a>>;
<a href="mailto:nhcoll-l@mailman.yale.edu" target="_blank">nhcoll-l@mailman.yale.edu</a><br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [Nhcoll-l] Compactors in collections<u></u><u></u></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:0.5in"><u></u> <u></u></p>
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<p><b><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;font-variant:small-caps">External.<u></u><u></u></span></b></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:0.5in"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">I can't resist to add my comments after Douglas.<br>
<br>
Yes, you have "literally to breathe down the necks of the people from the compactor company "! This expression is great and it was exactly my experience. Although I received the visitation of an engineer in compactors, the project assembled by them made me
order for half extra budget of complements! The shelves came with an internal "channel" designed to keep the rigidity of the shelf, however, for alcohol collections the jars could turn!!! So, I had to order extra covers for these channels. I also had to order
extra steel bars for protection to avoid the jars to fall from the shelves. The initial project reduced the number of shelves from 6 to 5 despite of all my observations. I had to order extra shelves and connections. Maybe it was just local incompetence, but
compactor companies may be not familiar with our kind of storaged material.<br>
<br>
I ended up gaining approx. 40% of space, what was great. I also order for holes, small openings, on the top shelves, to avoid excessive heat during fires. One of our Brazilian collections (Butantan) lost all the material inside compactors during a fire because
the material "cooked" inside and the cabinets would not role with the heat. I hope I will never have to test if this idea will work or not...<br>
<br>
cheers<br>
<br>
Lucia Rapp Py-Daniel<br>
Fish Colelction - INPA<br>
Manaus, AM, Brazil<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
14 de dezembro de 2021 14:14, "Douglas Yanega" <<a href="mailto:dyanega@gmail.com?to=%22Douglas%20Yanega%22%20%3cdyanega@gmail.com%3e" target="_blank">dyanega@gmail.com</a>> escreveu:<u></u><u></u></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:0.5in"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">On 12/14/21 7:58 AM, Ann Bogaerts wrote:<u></u><u></u></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:0.5in"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Hello everybody,
<u></u><u></u></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:0.5in"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">We wish to renovate our herbarium with 4 milj. specimens and we want to get some feedback from other institutions who already renovated or renewed their
collection buildings.<u></u><u></u></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:0.5in"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">One of our main questions is the use of compactors yes or no? So what is your opinion about this? How much space do you save using a compactor and how
is it working with this kind of system? For which collections do you use it?<u></u><u></u></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:0.5in"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">We are really interested in the do's and don'ts and it would also be nice if you could send us a picture of the compactors you use.<u></u><u></u></span></p>
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<p style="margin-left:0.5in"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Briefly: our insect collection went from regular static insect cabinets to a compactor system in 2002. It almost doubled our storage capacity (instead of 7 aisles and
8 rows of cabinets, we now have 2 aisles and 13 rows of cabinets). That bought us a few decades' worth of expansion.<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0.5in"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Liquid storage cabinets are in the static units to either side, and and microscope slides are in a narrow shelving unit in the middle; the 11 movable compactor units are
only for cabinets of pinned specimens, and operated manually. In 18 years we have not needed any repairs, which is a far better track record than electric-powered compactor systems. Insects on pins are fragile but not as bad as people might think; we routinely
ship specimens using postal delivery and only rarely experience significant damage.<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0.5in"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">The MAJOR caveat for compactors has to do with design and execution: we had to literally breathe down the necks of the people from the compactor company because they kept
screwing up the blueprints and specs for the hardware dimensions in very minor ways, and there were also issues with pouring a layer of concrete on top of an existing floor. To illustrate how subtle but devastating a mistake can be, one of the things they
didn't account for was that both sides of each moving unit had a knob that could be pulled out to engage the brake on that side. Those knobs stuck out an inch when fully retracted. We have two aisles, and each was calculated on the blueprints to be about 36
inches wide, and there are 6 moving compactor units on one side and 5 on the other. They failed to realize that their calculations had
<b>excluded the knobs</b>, which subtracted 2 inches of space per unit. Had they proceeded with the installation as planned, the aisle on one side would have been only 24 inches, and only 26 inches on the other, which isn't even enough space to open the cabinet
doors. I caught this mistake and had them machine the knobs an inch shorter so they retract almost flush with the side, instead of projecting; they are a little tricky to pull out, but at least we can work in the aisles. They similarly failed to account for
the three inches in height that were added by the wheels of the undercarriage on the compactor units, but I didn't catch that mistake, so the tops of some cabinets would have run into some low-hanging ceiling ductwork that we had expected to be clear. We had
to rebuild the ductwork before all the cabinets could be installed.<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0.5in"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">I advise anyone planning compactors to stay very actively engaged during the design process, and don't trust the contractors to get every little detail right. Be very
wary in particular about the precision of dimensions, and maybe plan a few extra inches here and there if you can.<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0.5in"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Peace,<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<pre style="margin-left:0.5in">-- Doug Yanega Dept. of Entomology Entomology Research Museum Univ. of California, Riverside, CA 92521-0314 skype: dyanega phone: (951) 827-4315 (disclaimer: opinions are mine, not UCR's) <a href="https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Ffaculty.ucr.edu%2F~heraty%2Fyanega.html&data=04%7C01%7Cabentley%40ku.edu%7C6a62565369f44ca59f6008d9bfd822c8%7C3c176536afe643f5b96636feabbe3c1a%7C0%7C0%7C637751757290536243%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000&sdata=WWw%2B0YLo8c23P2240anN%2BUqyF6ZEjCTYpXb%2FfqCnHko%3D&reserved=0" target="_blank">https://faculty.ucr.edu/~heraty/yanega.html</a> "There are some enterprises in which a careful disorderliness is the true method" - Herman Melville, Moby Dick, Chap. 82<u></u><u></u></pre>
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