[Nhcoll-l] fabrics for use in fluid preserved collections

[John E Simmons]

Nylon mesh bags have been used with success for many years. You might also
want to consider using cheese cloth (gauze), although it is not as
transparent or as strong as nylon. You can also use cotton or muslin but of
course they are not transparent. Avoid fabric with dyes, and I recommend
double-washing any fabric used with collections before exposing specimens
to it (the double-washing is to get rid of the sizing). And before using
any fabric with a solvent such as alcohol, test it first to make sure no
colors come out.

--John

John E. Simmons
Museologica
128 E. Burnside Street
Bellefonte, Pennsylvania 16823-2010
simmons.johne at gmail.com
303-681-5708
www.museologica.com
and
Adjunct Curator of Collections
Earth and Mineral Science Museum & Art Gallery
Penn State University
University Park, Pennsylvania
and
Instructor, Museum Studies
School of Library and Information Science
Kent State University

On Tue, Sep 19, 2017 at 1:47 PM, Dee Stubbs-Lee <Dee.Stubbs-Lee at nbm-mnb.ca>
wrote:

> Hello,
>
>
>
> Our zoology section has asked my advice for fabrics that may be suitable
> for creating bags for holding separate the different lots of fish specimens
> in large fluid preserved collections containers. The specimens are
> generally fixed in formalin and ethanol and then permanently stored in
> ethanol only. Ideally the zoology staff would like something they can at
> least partially see through (like a mesh), something that will not float in
> the solution, and something that will not disintegrate in the ethanol over
> time. Canadian suppliers preferred if possible.
>
>
>
> Thanks,
>
> Dee
>
>
>
> *Dee Stubbs-Lee*, CAPC, MA
>
> Conservator / Restauratrice
>
> New Brunswick Museum/
>
> Musée du Nouveau-Brunswick
>
> 277 Douglas Avenue
>
> Saint John, New Brunswick
>
> E2K 1E5
>
> Canada
>
> (506)643-2341 <(506)%20643-2341>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
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