[Nhcoll-l] [EXTERN] Re: Foam cushion for comparative bone collection
Dr Jonathan Kemp
j at jk-conservation.com
Wed Jan 7 03:52:35 EST 2026
Plastazote and Ethafoam are both closed cell foams
https://cameo.mfa.org/wiki/Plastazote https://cameo.mfa.org/wiki/Ethafoam
and Tyvek as an interface is good and commonly used in museums for this
when storing objects of many different types...
best Jonathan
On 7/1/26 19:28, Fabian Neisskenwirth wrote:
>
> Dear Amos,
>
>
> just to clarify: Plastozote and Ethafoam are both polyethylene foams.
> Check for the density of the foam, since it can vary significantly.
>
>
> And bare in mind that the foam can cause abrasion to your specimens if
> they are being moved a lot. As already suggested, you can use archival
> silk paper or the proposed "Tyvek" (PE textile) as a protection
> between the foam and specimen.
>
>
>
> All the best,
>
>
> Am 07.01.26 um 08:06 schrieb Amos Belmaker:
>> Thank you everyone for this interesting discussion, I've learned a lot.
>>
>> Because we want the comparison process to be quick (we get many
>> requests for bone ID) I think a Plastozote "mattress" will work
>> better than an Ethafoam cutout, where it is harder to take out the
>> bones. This way the user can quickly pickup a bone, look at it and
>> then try another. We can house them in individual compartments to
>> minimize movement.
>>
>> Best,
>> Amos
>>
>> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>> *From:* Nhcoll-l <nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu> on behalf of
>> Fox, Marilyn <marilyn.fox at yale.edu>
>> *Sent:* Tuesday, January 6, 2026 11:24 PM
>> *To:* Dirk Neumann <d.neumann at leibniz-lib.de>;
>> nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu <nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu>
>> *Subject:* Re: [Nhcoll-l] [EXTERN] Re: Foam cushion for comparative
>> bone collection
>> Polyurethane foam is not considered archival. It also off-gasses
>> toxic fumes as it sets. Polyethylene foam (ethafoam) is preferred
>> for collections.
>>
>> Marilyn Fox (marilyn.fox at yale.edu)
>>
>> Chief Preparator (retired)
>>
>> Yale Peabody Museum
>>
>> Division of Vertebrate Paleontology
>>
>> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>> *From:* Nhcoll-l <nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu> on behalf of
>> Dirk Neumann <d.neumann at leibniz-lib.de>
>> *Sent:* Tuesday, January 6, 2026 2:57:55 PM
>> *To:* nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu <nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu>
>> *Subject:* Re: [Nhcoll-l] [EXTERN] Re: Foam cushion for comparative
>> bone collection
>> 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 <mailto: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>
>>> <mailto: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 <mailto: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 <mailto: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)
>>>
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>>>
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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. Seehttp://www.spnhc.org <http://www.spnhc.org/> for membership information.
>>>
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>>> --
>>>
>>> *Fabian Neisskenwirth*
>>>
>>> Restaurator/Präparator
>>>
>>> Waterfohrstr. 20
>>>
>>> DE-45139 Essen
>>>
>>> Tel: +49 (0) 1573 2778729
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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. Seehttp://www.spnhc.org <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
>>
>> 20146Hamburg
>> +49 40238 317 – 628
>>
>> _d.neumann at leibniz-lib.de <mailto:d.neumann at leibniz-lib.de>_
>>
>> www.leibniz-lib.de
>>
>> --
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>>
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>>
>> --
>> 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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>> https://mailman.yale.edu/mailman/listinfo/nhcoll-l
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> 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. Seehttp://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
>
> www.naturhistorische-konservierung.de
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Nhcoll-l mailing list
> Nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu
> https://mailman.yale.edu/mailman/listinfo/nhcoll-l
>
> _______________________________________________
> 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. Seehttp://www.spnhc.org for membership information.
> Advertising on NH-COLL-L is inappropriate.
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