[Nhcoll-l] [EXTERN] Re: Foam cushion for comparative bone collection

Tue Jan 6 15:47:54 EST 2026

Polyurethane does deteriorate in UV but has great long-term stability in
dark conditions.  It is what all modern taxidermy mannequins are made
from.  I use it for this and to make diorama habitats and as the foundation
of play structures (like a seat that looks like a rock and can be climbed
on).  If you have any modern taxidermy in your collections, you have
hand-mixed urethane foam there, too.  It comes in a range of densities,
based both on chemistry and mixing conditions.  For big or heavy items, I
wouldn't use spray foam in a can because most versions are very soft and so
easily deformable by the weight of specimens and easily ripped by
handling.  (They use this formulation to make sure a DIYer doesn't blow out
the walls of their home when it is sprayed in a cavity.)

Rather, I would buy quarts or larger quantities of a high-density formula.
For big things, this will end up being far cheaper than spray foam, too.
Here's one example from VanDykes taxidermy supply
<https://www.vandykestaxidermy.com/UFQ-P21139.aspx>  .  Along with most
taxidermy supply companies, it can also be had from local boat building
companies, Smooth-On, and craft stores.  Prevent cross contamination and
the liquid form has good shelf-stability.  The liquid expansion ratio is
often 5-7X and can be increased by adding just a few drops of water during
early mixing (which, of course, decreases density/strength).  The final
product can be cut with saws, rasps, etc.

For cradling large fossils, whale skulls, etc. I would tape a layer of
ethafoam on the long side of a large "garbage" bag.  (This layer of foam
will smooth the final product and prevent undercuts that wrap around the
specimen while curing, thus trapping the specimen to the mount.  This is
also a better contact surface than the bag.)  I might add some wooden or
foam blocks at strategic points inside the bag, corresponding to support
points for the specimen during curing.  I would then fill the bag with a
volume of liquid calculated to fill the bag to the correct amount.  (If you
need to do multiple pours, they will bond to each other.)  Just before the
product kicks (this will take some practice and experience)  I would lower
the specimen onto the now- inflated bag of foam and support it until the
foam has fully cured (this may take a minute or two).  This is easier said
than done but is not to difficult and you can experiment with small amounts.

--Steve

On Tue, Jan 6, 2026 at 2:58 PM Dirk Neumann <d.neumann at leibniz-lib.de>
wrote:

> Hi Paul and all,
>
> isn't this spray foam Polyurethane foam? Polyurethane foams (at least
> those that I have seen in constructions) may deteriorate fast if exposed to
> UV - which might not be that much of a problem in a (drawer or other
> container in a) dark collection storage room.
>
> With best wishes
> Dirk
>
>
>
> Am 06.01.2026 um 15:44 schrieb Callomon,Paul:
>
> For permanent storage Ethafoam and its relatives (e. g. Sekisui Volara)
> are very good. However, I’ve recently seen large, fragile engine parts
> shipped using another method that I think might work well for very big
> bones, and that would be a lot cheaper: spray foam (sold in hardware stores
> for filling gaps around windows and doors) sprayed into plastic bags within
> a confining box or tray. The bags “inflate” as the foam expands, forming
> themselves exactly to the bones and to the box, and then setting more or
> less rigid. How long the foam will last is hard to say, but in construction
> use I have seen no softening or deterioration in 25 years.
>
>
>
> PC
>
>
>
> *Paul Callomon*
> *Collection Manager, Malacology and General Invertebrates*
> ------------------------------
>
> *Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University, Philadelphia*
> *callomon at ansp.org <callomon at ansp.org> Tel 215-405-5096 - Fax 215-299-1170*
>
> *President of the American Malacological Society for 2027*
>
>
>
>
>
> *From:* Nhcoll-l <nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu>
> <nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu> *On Behalf Of *Fabian Neisskenwirth
> *Sent:* Tuesday, January 6, 2026 9:35 AM
> *To:* nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu
> *Subject:* Re: [Nhcoll-l] Foam cushion for comparative bone collection
>
>
>
> *External.*
>
> Hi again,
>
> Gali's email was in my spam. She already posted all you needed to know.
>
> All the best,
>
> Am 06.01.26 um 11:44 schrieb Gali Beiner:
>
> Hi Amos,
>
>
>
> If foam is what you are looking for, then preparing a suitable cutout with
> Palziv foam should do the trick. Palziv is the equivalent of Plastazote
> foam, made of polyethylene, and you can choose the hardness of the foam, as
> well as the thickness. I usually buy only white foam to avoid colorants. In
> terms of "archival" - it is a commercial product so there are colorants
> etc. but it is made of polyethylene so it is used by conservators.
>
>
>
> Cheers,
>
>
>
> Gali
>
>
>
> On Tue, Jan 6, 2026 at 12:30 PM Amos Belmaker <belmakera at tauex.tau.ac.il>
> wrote:
>
> Hello fellow collection managers,
>
>
>
> We are planning to organize one cabinet dedicated to a comparative
> skeleton collection. Each drawer will have one element for easy comparison.
> We are looking for advice on foam or something like that to act as a
> cushion for the bones. It needs to be 'archival'.
>
>
>
> Any thoughts are welcome.
>
>
>
> Cheers,
>
> Amos
>
>
>
>
>
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>
>
> --
>
> Gali Beiner (ACR)
>
> Conservator, Palaeontology Lab
>
> National Natural History Collections
>
> The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
> Berman Building, Edmond J. Safra campus, Givat Ram
> Jerusalem 91904, Israel
> Fax. 972-2-6585785
> *gali.beiner at mail.huji.ac.il <gali.beiner at mail.huji.ac.il>*
>
> *https://nnhc.huji.ac.il/?lang=en <https://nnhc.huji.ac.il/?lang=en>*
>
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> _______________________________________________
>
> NHCOLL-L is brought to you by the Society for the Preservation of
>
> Natural History Collections (SPNHC), an international society whose
>
> mission is to improve the preservation, conservation and management of
>
> natural history collections to ensure their continuing value to
>
> society. See http://www.spnhc.org for membership information.
>
> Advertising on NH-COLL-L is inappropriate.
>
> --
>
> *Fabian Neisskenwirth*
>
> Restaurator/Präparator
>
>
>
> Waterfohrstr. 20
>
> DE-45139 Essen
>
> Tel: +49 (0) 1573 2778729
>
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>
> www.naturhistorische-konservierung.de
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>
> _______________________________________________
> NHCOLL-L is brought to you by the Society for the Preservation of
> Natural History Collections (SPNHC), an international society whose
> mission is to improve the preservation, conservation and management of
> natural history collections to ensure their continuing value to
> society. See http://www.spnhc.org for membership information.
> Advertising on NH-COLL-L is inappropriate.
>
>
> --
>
> ******
>
>
>
> *Dirk Neumann*
>
> Collection Manager, Hamburg
>
>
>
> Postal address:
>
> *Museum of Nature Hamburg*
> Leibniz Institute for the Analysis
>
> of Biodiversity Change
>
> Dirk Neumann
>
> Martin-Luther-King-Platz 3
>
> 20146 Hamburg
> +49 40 238 317 – 628
>
> *d.neumann at leibniz-lib.de <d.neumann at leibniz-lib.de>*
>
> www.leibniz-lib.de
>
>
>
> --
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>
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> Grüter (Kaufm. Geschäftsführer)
> Sitz der Stiftung: Adenauerallee 160 in Bonn
> Vorsitzender des Stiftungsrates: Dr. Michael Wappelhorst
>
>
> --
> Stiftung Leibniz-Institut zur Analyse des Biodiversitätswandels
> Postanschrift: Adenauerallee 127, 53113 Bonn, Germany
>
> Stiftung des öffentlichen Rechts;
> Generaldirektion: Prof. Dr. Bernhard Misof (Generaldirektor), Adrian
> Grüter (Kaufm. Geschäftsführer)
> Sitz der Stiftung: Adenauerallee 160 in Bonn
> Vorsitzender des Stiftungsrates: Dr. Michael H. Wappelhorst
> _______________________________________________
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>
> _______________________________________________
> NHCOLL-L is brought to you by the Society for the Preservation of
> Natural History Collections (SPNHC), an international society whose
> mission is to improve the preservation, conservation and management of
> natural history collections to ensure their continuing value to
> society. See http://www.spnhc.org for membership information.
> Advertising on NH-COLL-L is inappropriate.
>

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