[NHCOLL-L:3500] Re: polyethylene foam rod advice requested

[Rebecca Newberry]

We use backer rod instead of corks on the glass vials housing our 
small mammal skull collection.  They hold up well over time.  There 
is some compression but we haven't seen that they become loose.  It 
helps to use a diameter slightly larger than your vial so you get a 
nice tight fit.  Backer rod is nice because it's easy to cut and it's 
cheap.  Just remember to allow time to chop up a bunch of 
stoppers--utility knives work very well, as do scissors.

We've used the gray backer rod for years and it is fine.  I've never 
seen white round backer rod (triangular backer rod comes in 
white).  We purchase ours from a local construction supply 
company.  You can also get it in shortish lengths at many hardware 
and home improvement stores.  I believe Gaylord sells it, too.

Good luck!
Rebecca

At 01:26 PM 7/23/2007, Adrienne Raniszewski wrote:
>The USGS vertebrate collection at the Museum of Southwestern Biology
>is looking for a substitute for polyethylene (PE) caps because the
>appropriate size for our glass shell vials is unavailable. Rather
>than revert back to corks, which introduce acid into the collection,
>we are considering using polyethylene foam rods (aka backer rods) as
>plugs. They come in a variety of diameters, can be easily cut to any
>length, and are said to be inert. Have any of you used backer rods
>for this purpose? What do you think of the results? Do they stay put
>over time? Or do they eventually mold to the shape of the vial,
>becoming loose (as corks are known to do)? We can only find gray rods
>in the size we need; do they come in white? What vendors have you
>used? Any other advice you can offer would be much appreciated.
>
>Thanks in advance for your help.
>
>~ Adrienne
>
>
>
>
>
>
>Adrienne Raniszewski
>Scientific Aide
>-------------------------
>ASRC
>contracted to:
>US Geological Survey
>Museum of Southwestern Biology
>University of New Mexico
>Albuquerque, New Mexico
>-------------------------
>
>
>
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Rebecca Newberry
Conservation Assistant
Science Museum of Minnesota
120 West Kellogg Boulevard
St. Paul, MN 55102
(651) 265-9841
www.smm.org