[BCMA] Labelling Artifacts with B-72 Paraloid

[Moderated BCMA subscriber listserv.]

Hello Natalie,

                I find that more often than not the top layer tends to mess up the numbering to some extent and I tend to not use a top coat for this reason. Typically it’s not needed as we’re carefully handling things and the number should be somewhere that won’t get handled. If you’re doing a top coat I find that dabbing the B-72 on tends to work better for me than brushing but others may have different techniques.

                I’ve really gotten into using paper labels instead of physically writing accession numbers, for the appropriate objects. The numbers tend to be easier to read and it’s faster to apply. It’s not really feasible to do one offs but if you’re numbering a larger amount of objects it works well for preparing the labels on the computer. I find that applying a reasonably liberal layer of B-72 and than immediately with the other hand laying the label on top with tweezers works best. The label will soak up some of the B-72 which keeps it securely in place without coming in direct contact with the object. I label our education collection items and find that the rougher handling has seen a couple labels get pulled off so to really affix them on those items I follow the above procedure and then after all is dry dab another liberal layer on top. This really secures the label on there and stands up to the handling of the education collection.

William Shepherd
Collections Officer
Swift Current Museum
44 Robert Street West
Swift Current, Saskatchewan
S9H 4M9
Phone: 306-778-4815
Fax: 306-778-4818

Archives: http://sain.scaa.sk.ca/collections/swift-current-museum
Library: https://www.librarything.com/profile/SwiftCurrentMuseum
Website: http://www.swiftcurrent.ca

From: bcma-bounces at lists.vifa.ca <bcma-bounces at lists.vifa.ca> On Behalf Of Moderated BCMA subscriber listserv.
Sent: July 11, 2018 5:18 PM
To: bcma at lists.vifa.ca
Subject: [BCMA] Labelling Artifacts with B-72 Paraloid

Good afternoon,

I'm the summer student at the Pender Islands Museum, and we've started a new project to update our museum artifact labels (many of them are currently on normal stick-on labels, in visible places). I've been trying to get B-72 Paraloid to work on test surfaces, but regardless of what I try, the accession numbers always smudge. I'm wondering if I'm doing something wrong.

Currently, I'm putting on a layer of B-72, waiting a few minutes for it to dry, and then writing the number on with a Sakura microperm 05 permanent pen. I then wait for half an hour and attempt to apply a top coat of B-72. Without fail, the writing smudges.

Do I need to leave it to dry for longer? I'm testing one out overnight right now to see if that works. Alternatively, is a top coat actually necessary, or would just the barrier coat and the accession number work?

Any ideas on this subject would be appreciated!

Thanks so much,
Natalie Dunsmuir
Pender Islands Museum
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