[NHCOLL-L:5988] Re: How to, and would you, repair a bird specimen?

[CAHawks at aol.com]

Hi Kirsten
 
I add my support for the method Julie supplied - it's the approach I've  
used for years and like very much. It is easily reversible in acetone or  
ethanol.
 
Cathy
 
Catharine  Hawks
Conservator, NMNH
(h) 703.876.9176
(o) 202.633.0835
mobile  703.200.4370
mobile 202.701.8458


In a message dated 4/17/2012 2:35:59 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,  
orangeskyblue at mac.com writes:

Dear  Kristen,  
In our lab, if reattachment of a detached part is necessary/advisable, we  
would recommend using a stable, easily reversible adhesive with good aging  
characteristics. Most commonly we use an appropriate concentration of 
Paraloid  B-72 dissolved in solvent, sometimes with a material like goldbeaters 
skin,  japanese tissue, or spun-bond polyester sheet if one needs to provide 
added  stability to the join. For repairs requiring greater flexibility, we 
use  BEVA film applied to spun-bond polyester sheet and adhered with gentle  
heat. We would not recommend the use of hot glue, because most types have  
poor aging characteristics and it must be removed mechanically if you want to 
 reverse the join.


Best,
Julia Sybalsky
Assistant Conservator
American Museum of Natural  History
Central Park West at 79th Street
New York, NY  10024-5192
212-313-7533
_jsybalsky at amnh.org_ (mailto:jsybalsky at amnh.org) 



On Apr 17, 2012, at 1:41 PM, _Couteaufin at aol.com_ 
(mailto:Couteaufin at aol.com)  wrote:



Dear Kirsten
 
I have a long history of repairing birds but in a more  ethically-correct 
manner and have not (yet) resorted to hot glue!  For  re-attaching a tail I 
use neutral pH PVA and wrap some glue-moistened Gampi  tissue around the 
insertion part of the tail and spread some glue around the  cavity on the body 
using a spatula, ensuring that some soaks into the wood  wool or hempen 
filling but without getting any glue on the surrounding  feathers.  Then the tail 
is inserted and pinned into  place.  Leave it overnight, remove pins, 
realign the tail support  armature wire under the tail and there you are.
 
If you need to be really ethically correct then use pearl (fish) glue  
dissolved in warm water and isopropanol mix.  Rather smelly  though!
 
With all  good wishes, Simon

Simon Moore MIScT, FLS, ACR,
Conservator of  Natural Sciences and Cutlery Historian,

_www.natural-history-conservation.com_ 
(http://www.natural-history-conservation.com/)  
_www.pocket-fruit-knives.info_ (http://www.pocket-fruit-knives.info/)  

_http://uk.linkedin.com/in/naturalsciencespecimenconserve_ 
(http://uk.linkedin.com/in/naturalsciencespecimenconserve)   


In a message dated 17/04/2012 17:51:22 GMT Daylight Time, 
_norops at gmail.com_ (mailto:norops at gmail.com)  writes:

Our  museum has a long history of "repairing" specimens that get damaged 
(in  the myriad ways that damage happens).  Because more of our specimens  are 
used for teaching and exhibiting than for research, perhaps this makes  
sense.  However (and not having been formally trained in this), the  methods 
used concern me and I'm asking you all the question of whether  specimens 
should be repaired, and if so how?  Specifically, in this  case, I'm asking  
about a bird specimen who's tail has fallen off  (and it happens that this is 
one of two specimens that we have of this MI  endemic and endangered species 
in our collection).  It had been on  display for years, but that display has 
now been removed and apparently  the tail was damaged in the process.    


I'm curious as to what you guys all do, recognizing that if often all  
depends on the details and circumstances.


What bothers me the most is the the historical "treatment" for most  
repairs was hot glue.  I guess if the specimen was in a teaching  collecting and 
dedicated only for that, and had little if any provenance,  then maybe it 
doesn't matter so much.  But what would you do in this  case?  My gut feeling 
is to say leave it alone, it goes back into the  research collection and keep 
the tail with the body.


Thanks for any help you can offer,


Kirsten


-- 
Kirsten E. Nicholson,  Ph.D

Assoc. Prof. Biology        and       Curator of Natural History
Dept.  of Biology                    Museum of Cultural and Natural  History
217 Brooks Hall              103 Rowe  Hall
Central Michigan Univ.              Central Michigan University 
Mt. Pleasant, MI 48859  Mt. Pleasant, MI  48859
989-774-3758                 989-774-3829


















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