[NHCOLL-L:3956] Re: Vats for storing large specimens in alcohol

[Andries J. van Dam]

Dear Moretta,

When approaching a gasket manufacturer, you might want to consider gasket
made of epdm (ethylene-propylene-diene-monomer).
Is has a very long lifespan and has a good resistance towards ethanol.
See also attached pdf with Q&A about epdm.

-- 
Andries J. van Dam, conservator

Director Alcomon Company
http://www.alcomon.com

Co-ordinator ICOM-CC Working Group Natural History Collections
http://icom-cc.org/WG/NaturalHistoryCollections

Administrator WG-interactions, the official forum site of ICOM-CC:
http://icom-cc-wg.phpbb24.com

Museum of Anatomy
Leiden University Medical Center
Postal zone T7-P
P.O. Box 9600 
2300 RC Leiden 
The Netherlands 
tel: +31 (0)71 526 9581
fax: +31 (0)71 526 8275
E-mail: A.J.van_Dam at lumc.nl
Visiting address: Hippocratespad 21, building 3



From: Thomas Labedz <tlabedz1 at unl.edu>
Reply-To: <tlabedz1 at unl.edu>
Date: Wed, 27 Aug 2008 16:03:09 -0500
To: <MFrederick at royalbcmuseum.bc.ca>
Cc: <NHCOLL-L at lists.yale.edu>
Subject: [NHCOLL-L:3953] Re: Vats for storing large specimens in alcohol

Moretta, 

We too use the stainless steel tanks Andy Bentley described, and it should
be mentioned that those tanks have positive closure latch system for
sealing.  In addition to tanks I've begun using open-head polyethylene drums
for specimens too large for gallon jars.  These are available in 8, 15, 30,
and 55 gallon sizes.  I've only used the 8-gallon size as we don't get that
many big fish in the continental interior.  The 8-gallon barrels are
relatively easy to handle even when full, and each  costs us about $40.00
US.  There may be some issues with the life span of the gaskets on those
barrels but they seem to be doing okay for me with the oldest having been in
use for about 10 years.  We got our from Consolidated Plastics
(consolidatedplastics.com, item # 30249L2).  You might consider a custom
made steel box if you have a seriously long fish that won't go into a barrel
and is too long for the tanks Andy mentioned.

I suggest contacting a conservator and gasket manufacturer to find out what
might be a more appropriate material to retrofit your big boxes with, and
how to install the gasket.  I've seen your big box collection and it is
impressive.  Good luck with your search.

Thomas E. Labedz, Collections Manager
Division of Zoology and Division of Botany
University of Nebraska State Museum
W-436 Nebraska Hall
Lincoln, NE  68588-0514
402/472-8366    fax 402/472-8949
tlabedz1 at unl.edu    www.museum.unl.edu

On Aug 27, 2008, at 11:43 AM, Frederick, Moretta RBCM:EX wrote:

> We have a significant number of our specimens stored in large plastic vats
> made by Schoeller Arca Systems (their 'big box' line). 
> 
> The lid has a gasket inside the rim that forms a seal with the upper lip of
> the box.  However, these gaskets become stuck to the box over time, ultimately
> coming dislodged from the lid and falling into the alcohol.  Obviously, these
> seals aren't working, so we would like to improve upon our current system,
> both in terms of the material used for the gasket, and the method used to
> secure the lid to the box (currently it's just gravity).
> 
> My question is threefold:
>         - does anyone else use this product (Schoeller Arca Systems 'Big Box')
> to store specimens in alcohol?
>         - has anyone experienced this problem with the gasket and what have
> they done to fix the seal?
>         - what types of containers are other collections using to store fish
> and inverts too large for a gallon jar?
> 
> Thanks  
> 
> Moretta Frederick
> Collections Manager, Invertebrates, Fish,
> Reptiles, and Amphibians
> Royal British Columbia Museum
> mfrederick at royalbcmuseum.bc.ca
> (250) 387-2932  
> 


-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://mailman.yale.edu/mailman/private/nhcoll-l/attachments/20080828/11a17719/attachment.html 
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: EPDM_Q&A.pdf
Type: application/octet-stream
Size: 19263 bytes
Desc: not available
Url : http://mailman.yale.edu/mailman/private/nhcoll-l/attachments/20080828/11a17719/attachment.obj