[Nhcoll-l] Compactor/mobile storage systems for paleo collections

Tue Aug 15 14:55:11 EDT 2023

All,
I responded directly to Tiffany on this topic, but seeing the more recent messages, I’m concluding that an estimate of the weight of the UF Fish Collection objects on our new compactor systems, made fairly exacting because of the system we’ve adopted, might be of interest to the larger community.

Refining what I sent to Tiffany as concerns our “gallon jar sector” of the collection:

Bay 4, carriage 3_4 has a total of 2,173 gallon jars scanned to it (1081 on the “3” side and 1092 on the “4” side).

Taken at an estimated average of 9lbs a jar (fluid + specimen(s):

2,173 jars x 9 lbs = 19,557 lbs. ~ 10 tons.

It moves just fine.

Later in the move we will add approximately 123 two, three, and five gallon glass “buckets” of specimens to this carriage.

123 jars x ~30lbs = 3,690 lbs

For a grand total of ~ 23,247 lbs.

11.6 tons on one compactor carriage.

There will be close to 4 carriages filled with gallon jars when the move is complete.

Later in the life of the collection, as needed, small jars can be added in some of the space left at the front of each shelf. More weight. But not much more. 😉

We move the carriages one at a time.

Best wishes,

Rob

For a graphical representation of the scanned gallon jar lots in question, from Specify, see:

[cid:image001.png at 01D9CF88.7CB52B10]

Robert H. Robins
Collection Manager
Division of Ichthyology
[FLMNH Fishes logo email small]
Florida Museum
1659 Museum Rd.
Gainesville, FL 32611-7800
Office: (352) 273-1957
rhrobins at flmnh.ufl.edu<mailto:rhrobins at flmnh.ufl.edu>

The UF Fish Collection is moving:
https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/fish/

Search the Collection:
http://specifyportal.flmnh.ufl.edu/fishes/

Search samples suitable for dna analysis:
https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/grr/holdings/

From: Nhcoll-l <nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu> On Behalf Of Cundiff, Jessica D.
Sent: Tuesday, August 15, 2023 2:29 PM
To: Adrain, Tiffany S <tiffany-adrain at uiowa.edu>; nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu
Subject: Re: [Nhcoll-l] Compactor/mobile storage systems for paleo collections

[External Email]
Hi Tiffany,

At the MCZ all of the invert paleo collection is in compactors. Heaviest material we have are the fossil corals. Those are in 4 foot Delta cabinets with doors and double stacked. I don’t recall the weight we estimated per cabinet or the weight limit they gave us per compactor section, but we did not exceed the weight the compactor can handle. We have a lot of heavy corals in a fairly long compactor sections and have no issues moving as long as we move one section at a time. We have also had a few issues with water leaks that caused the rails to rust, but they still move easily.

Jessica

From: Nhcoll-l <nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu<mailto:nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu>> On Behalf Of Lazo-Wasem, Eric
Sent: Tuesday, August 15, 2023 1:19 PM
To: Adrain, Tiffany S <tiffany-adrain at uiowa.edu<mailto:tiffany-adrain at uiowa.edu>>; nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu<mailto:nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu>
Subject: Re: [Nhcoll-l] Compactor/mobile storage systems for paleo collections

Hi Tiffany,

Although not fossils, our coral range is filled with a lot of dense, heavy species such as Diploria, although I don’t have tech specs for how much I am actually moving.  Additionally, to get more packed into the dry specimen storage room, we placed 5 foot cabinets of 4 footers, so that adds extra weight compared to more standard configurations of 4 over 4.  However, in some areas with lighter material I can move a few ranges at once, but the corals, not really possible to do it.  BTW – our cabinets all have doors, so it is quite a bit of steel weight even before we packed in the specimens.

Despite a tightly closed environment, we recently dealt with flooding as the roof of an infill building was being married to my building.  The rails rusted but this has not impacted function. With use the rails clean up and given my focus on fluid collections (where I am constantly accessing different tier ranges) the dry collection can sit for weeks unmoved – never has this been an issue.

Eric

From: Nhcoll-l <nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu<mailto:nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu>> On Behalf Of Adrain, Tiffany S
Sent: Tuesday, August 15, 2023 12:37 PM
To: nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu<mailto:nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu>
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Compactor/mobile storage systems for paleo collections

Hi everyone,

If you manage a paleontology collection in compactor (aka mobile) storage, I'd be grateful from some insight into the ease at which carriages full of fossils can be moved. I am planning new storage in a warehouse-style facility

Do you have any difficulty in moving the heaviest carriages along the rails in your collection? If so, what would be the maximum weight/volume per rail you'd recommend.

Have you had any problems maintaining the carriage rails in a variable relative humidity environment (any problem with rusting or seizing up), especially when the carriages are not moved very often?

Any advice or tips you can give me are greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Tiffany

Tiffany Adrain (pronouns: she/her/hers)
Collections Manager, Paleontology Repository
Instructor, Museum Studies Certificate Program
Department of Earth & Environmental Sciences
University of Iowa
115 Trowbridge Hall
Iowa City, Iowa, 52242

phone: 319 335 1822
fax: 319 335 1821
email: tiffany-adrain at uiowa.edu<mailto:tiffany-adrain at uiowa.edu>
website: https://clas.uiowa.edu/ees/<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__clas.uiowa.edu_ees_&d=DwMFAg&c=WO-RGvefibhHBZq3fL85hQ&r=rKOeyDwg0Rrf2Mj2nVmeA0uU5RH9ElGSoLMOXWdLWyE&m=f3RJ3npe83TyT6P11sRQEIR-eKxFBMwn2ypIuN7dkK3WqeIuuKLhBsaGAl4iyWWg&s=WyV8gEMjpzz3NUGI91EUQYV03dnxp6_aYz79Ft0YANE&e=>

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