Penny 11/16/11

Hi, I was wondering if other people have tested the clear plastic dip, because it failed our oddy test. I thought some people here in the Forum had? Our samples showed discolouration on the lead and copper sample, and our Preventive Conservator said it is on the border of failing. He would definately only recommend using it for temporary exhibitions up to three months, and this was also not really recommended, because of the danger of the running time of an exhibition being extended or Mounts would be recycled unknowingly. We tested both the powder and the 'melted' dip. Anyone had similar results? Thanks,

Penny Angrick Object Support Preparator - Mountmaker Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa Tory Street PO Box 467 Wellington New Zealand 0064-4-3817336

Philip Brutz

11/21/11

Hi Penny, I just had our Object Conservator recheck our ongoing ODDY test for clear Plascoat Vitroguard 12ES Natural 001 and it is still negative.  We have been using Vitroguard for about 6 years now with no problems.  Our stock is several years old so maybe they have changed the formula?  Or maybe it is a different formula in New Zealand?  This does illustrate they everyone should check everything that comes into contact with art work. What passes here may not pass somewhere else.  Thank you for bring this to our attention.  We need to be very cautious when we try new materials or techniques.

Philip Brutz Mountmaker Cleveland Museum of Art 11150 E. Blvd. Cleveland OH 44106 (216)707-2617

Penny 11/21/11

Hi Philip, It was from the batch we all shared in the Forum, which was kindly organized by George from the RBCM. We usually get all products new to us tested by our Preventive Conservator, as he said that they should be retested every 5 years in case the supplier changes the formula. Has anyone who ordered from that batch get it tested too? I was thinking about trying to contact the supplier and find out more about it. Our Conservator does not recommend using it, so we'll shelf it I guess.

Penny Angrick Object Support Preparator - Mountmaker Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa Tory Street PO Box 467 Wellington New Zealand 0064-4- 3817336

Field, George RBCM:EX

11/21/11

Hello Penny and all,

I hope this isn't so, we will start up our tests on this batch, in case you don't have it, Rosa Perullo thwe rep's contact info for the Vitroguard is as follows,

Rosa Perullo Punda Mercantile Inc. Tel: 514-931-7278 Fax: 514-931-7200 Email: info@punda.com

George Field

Penny

11/21/11

Thank you George, I will try and contact them, I hope your results will turn out different, so we might test again - we all really liked the dip. It is a shame that suppliers often change their mixtures without telling. A big thank you to you, for having organized the mail out!

Kind regards, Penny

Field, George RBCM:EX

12/5/11

Hello everyone,

I was wondering if anyone had an update or any new information on the clear Plascoat Vitroguard ? We are in the middle of an ODDY test with melted samples of the Plascoat plastic as it would occur for use, but won't have a good idea of the results for a while yet. The lead samples were black after a week, but then that was true in the control samples as well, the silver and copper are still bright.  We are about to start on a big exhibit of hundreds of small archeology artifacts and our team was hoping to use the Plascoat to coat the hundreds of custom bent pins we are using. Our exhibits project manager is pressing for options, I am going to mix up a batch of B-72 today, the shrink tube that we have been able to acquire is too large for the pins any other suggestions for appropriate barrier coatings?

George

Penny 12/5/11

Hi George, We sometimes use the silicon tubing for our pins, but I don't really like the look. You probably know them? I find them ok for smaller pins, and when they are hidden. But when they get bigger, the silicon appears too white. I was hoping to use a clear dip, it looks so much better. Penny

Philip Brutz 12/5/11

Be careful about using silicone.  Some silicone has an oily substance that can stain some art work.  We clamp any silicone that we use to a clean terracotta pot for a few weeks to see if there is any oil transfer.  I recommend the polyolefin and Teflon heat shrink tubing from Benchmark.

Penny

12/5/11

Hi Philip, We use the hospital/ food grade silicon tubing, which has been tested and passed. http://www.jehbco.com.au/HospitalTubing.htm http://www.globalscience.co.nz/gsonline/globalws.nsf/0/013B4B14F30F5D06C C25747D007D2778?openDocument&cap=50&sort=0&search=silicon

Do you have a link for your heat shrink? This sounds interesting. Thanks,

Philip Brutz 12/5/11

Benchmark is great because they ODDY test everything that they sell. http://www.benchmarkcatalog.com/main-padding.htm

Joanne 12/5/11

Re: RE: [mountmaking-forum] Plascoat Vitroguard showed discolouration in our Oddy test For very tiny pins, I've sometimes just painted them with acrylic gel medium.  Joanne White Musée Héritage Museum

david 12/5/11

Re: RE: [mountmaking-forum] Plascoat Vitroguard showed discolouration in our Oddy test To coat pins we frequently use three or four light coats of Krylon Crystal Clear Acrylic Spray.  Insert the pins into the corner edge of a piece of Ethafoam so just the part that contacts the object is exposed.  Spray them once, give the block a snap of the wrist to get the excess spray off and let dry for three or four minutes. Repeat two or three more times.  Let dry thoroughly. Best to do it in a spray booth or fume hood.  It gives a smooth acrylic coating.

David La Touche

Steve Briscoe 12/5/11

I was once give this link by our conservator for covering very small pins and monofilament. I never ordered it so I don't know if it has other problems. http://vwrlabshop.com/intramedic-polyethylene-tubing-clay-adams-/p/0013744/search/intramedic%20tubing/search1intramedic%20tubing/

Steve BriscoeCollections Preparator Oakland Museum of California 1000 Oak Street Oakland, CA 94607 510-318-8477

Ashley 12/5/11

Hi George, I have been wondering about results on different tests being done on Plastcoat recently, but from what you describe it seems like you may have a bigger problem. If your control coupons are showing up black, then it brings into question the results of any materials tested in that specific "batch" yes?.  I know that may not be what you were actually asking for but it is something to think about. Ashley

- show quoted text - T. Ashley McGrew PACCIN Publications Chair Art and Object - Integrated Preservation Systems 3749 2nd. Avenue La Crescenta, CA 91214 (646) 265 - 5526 ashley@pacin.org

michael studebaker

12/7/11

Hi George,

We use a material called Rhoplex when coating pins.  It is clear, but can also be pigmented with liquitex acrylic paint.  It comes in many differnt compositions, but the combination I always use is a 1:1 ration of AC-73 and AC-33. The 73 is very brittle when it dries, and the 33 stays quite soft, so you end up with a coating that is firm enough to be resilliant, but with a little bit of give to provide a nice grip. it can be dipped or brushed on, and its always best to prime your surface first to provide better adhesion. It has been tested and passed, and is used in other applications in the conservation department here.

This link can get you started, but we havent ordered for a while, so you might need to look around.

http://www.conservationresources.com/Main/uk_section_019/019_042.htm

best,

Michael Studebaker Mount maker Philadelphia Museum of Art

Field, George RBCM:EX 12/7/11

Hi Penny, thanks for the comments, have you contacted Rosa Purello about the Plascoat, just curious about her take on this, or maybe alternatives that they sell. George

Penny 12/7/11

Hi George, I'm tied up in exhibition work but was going to try and find some time before Christmas to mail her. It would be great to have an alternative dip, Thanks,