[BCMA] Preserving Cedar Boughs?

Moderated BCMA subscriber listserv. bcma at lists.vvv.com
Tue Mar 20 11:53:37 PDT 2012


I remembered that we tried freeze drying before settling on the  
glycerine method I mentioned in a previous post. Don't remember the  
details though.

Chris
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Chris Au CGD SEGD NAI
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Didax Design
Metro Vancouver, BC, Canada
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C R E A T I V E   S O L U T I O N S   B Y   D E S I G N



On Mar 20, 2012, at 8:19 AM, Moderated BCMA subscriber listserv. wrote:

> It might, I’ve never done this. The problems with branches like  
> pine, spruce, cedar etc. is stopping the needles from falling off.  
> The sprayed on caulking glues everything together. You could try to  
> freeze dry the branch, but you still need to deal with the falling  
> needles problem.
>
> Colin
>
>
>
>
>
> From: bcma-bounces at lists.vvv.com [mailto:bcma- 
> bounces at lists.vvv.com] On Behalf Of Moderated BCMA subscriber  
> listserv.
> Sent: Thursday, March 15, 2012 1:45 PM
> To: bcma at lists.vvv.com
> Subject: Re: [BCMA] Preserving Cedar Boughs?
>
>
>
> Colin,
>
> What about freeze-drying?  Would this work?
>
> Lynn Maranda
>
>
>
> From: Moderated BCMA subscriber listserv. <bcma at lists.vvv.com>
> To: "'bcma at lists.vvv.com'" <bcma at lists.vvv.com>
> Sent: Wednesday, March 14, 2012 11:00:40 AM
> Subject: Re: [BCMA] Preserving Cedar Boughs?
>
>
>
> I have not found a way to actually preserve the branches as this  
> usually involves chemicals and a large cooking tank of some kind.  
> But I have learned of a way to keep the branches from falling  
> apart. It involves spraying the branches with a mixture of water  
> and clear caulking. It does not preserve the branch but rather  
> ‘glues’ it together to keep the branches and needles from  
> falling apart. You can do this for large or small branches. The  
> mixture goes on white but will dry clear. If you need to make large  
> branches, collect your large branch and cut off each small branch  
> close to the main branch (make sense?). the large main branch does  
> not need to be sprayed with the glue mixture, but each small branch  
> does. Once you have finished the small branches, you can re-attach  
> these to the main branch by drilling a hole where you cut it off  
> and insert with some white wood glue.
>
> The branch will turn dark brown so you will need to paint the  
> branch. Use an airbrush or some other small paint sprayer to coat  
> the glued branches green, then touch up with artists paints.
>
> You may find larger heavier branches want to curl, it is important  
> that the branches have time to dry properly, this may take several  
> weeks. Be sure the branches are hung or stacked in layers so as to  
> form the final shape. I would suggest several branches be layered  
> with paper in between and a piece of thin plywood on top. Cedar  
> branches are kind of flat naturally and once they are installed in  
> your exhibit would probably start to droop in a natural looking way.
>
>
>
>
>
> You will need:
>
> ·         DAP Dynaflex 230 clear. (this can be found in your local  
> hardware store, it is a caulking compound in a tube).
>
> ·         Spritzer bottles
>
> ·         A piece of stucco wire or chicken wire big enough to lay  
> your branches on.
>
> ·         Artists paints (I have used ordinary latex house paint  
> for the base color, just thin it a bit so you can spray it)
>
> ·         Poly film
>
> ·         Electric drill and mixer paddle
>
>
>
> Build a frame with the chicken wire and set this over a sheet of  
> poly to keep your floor clean.
>
> Cut the end off of the tube and force the contents out into a bucket.
>
> Add an equal amount of water.
>
> Mix the two together and add water if needed to make the mixture  
> the consistency of milk.
>
> Pour this into the spritzer bottles
>
> Lay your freshly cut cedar branches onto the wire frame and spray  
> with the water/ DAP mix just enough to wet the entire branch. You  
> don’t want to soak your floor with it, just the branch.
>
> Allow the branch to dry by hanging it by its stem on a clothes line.
>
> Each branch should be re-coated at least 6 times and up to 10 times.
>
>
>
> If you have any questions please contact me at 250-818-6386 or at  
> clongpre at royalbcmuseum.bc.ca
>
> Colin Longpre
>
>
>
>
>
> From: bcma-bounces at lists.vvv.com [mailto:bcma- 
> bounces at lists.vvv.com] On Behalf Of Moderated BCMA subscriber  
> listserv.
> Sent: Friday, March 09, 2012 11:52 PM
> To: bcma at lists.vvv.com
> Subject: Re: [BCMA] Preserving Cedar Boughs?
>
>
>
> They are a fire hazard. We used them for Christmas decorations at  
> various historic sites I worked at. After a month they were dry as  
> tinder and shedding. At BVM went with synthetic as I recall. Design  
> crew now deceased I believe so no lead on replicas unless current  
> design crew have files etc. can also try Internet search.
>
>
>
> Preservation or synthetic? Try RBCM people who worked with Jean  
> Andre. They created artificial forest when Jean was Chief Designer.
>
>
>
> Colin Stevens
>
> Richmond BC
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
>
> On 2012-03-08, at 12:33 PM, "Moderated BCMA subscriber listserv."  
> <bcma at lists.vvv.com> wrote:
>
> Hello,
>
>
>
> I am wondering if anyone out there has had any success preserving  
> cedar boughs for long term use in exhibits. If so, any instruction  
> would be kindly appreciated.
>
>
>
> Thank you,
>
> Erin Wright
>
> Quatse Salmon Stewardship Centre
>
> Port Hardy, BC
>
> www.thesalmoncentre.org
>
>
>
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