[NHCOLL-L:5990] Re: How to, and would you, repair a bird specimen?

[Steve Halford]

Equally essential is to record what treatment the specimen did receive
and what materials were used and keep that information with the
permanent record of the specimen.

Best,
Steve.

Steve Halford (halford at sfu.ca)
Museum Technician
Department of Biological Sciences
Simon Fraser University
8888 University Drive
Burnaby, B.C. Canada               Phone
V5A 1S6                                  778-782-3461



On Wed, Apr 18, 2012 at 3:36 AM,  <CAHawks at aol.com> wrote:
> 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
>
> On Apr 17, 2012, at 1:41 PM, 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
> www.pocket-fruit-knives.info
>
> http://uk.linkedin.com/in/naturalsciencespecimenconserve
>
> In a message dated 17/04/2012 17:51:22 GMT Daylight Time, 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
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> =