Connecting to Collections Care

Hi Ron,
As the acting C2C Care community monitor, I'd like to thank you for returning to the community with another question! I've gathered a wide range of information for you from the care of wooden artifacts to museum fungal problems and dry rot. If you are willing to provide the community with information on the environmental conditions in which the hemp breaker is being stored/displayed, that may help members provide more specific information on options for preventive and interventive care.

•  NPS Museum Handbook Appendix N: Curatorial Care of Wooden Objects
• State Historical Society of Iowa – Collections Care, Wooden Objects & Furniture
• Wikipedia – Conservation and restoration of wooden artifacts
• Western Australia Museum – Wood
• CCI Technical Bulletin 12 – Controlling Museum Fungal Problems
• National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage – Conservation of Wooden Objects
• Cathedral Communications – Dry Rot and its Treatment in Historic Buildings
• The International Research Group on Wood Preservation – A new approach on conservation of wooden heritage

Attached as file

• Dry rot and other wood-destroying fungi

 






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Sharon Fickeissen
Connecting to Collections Care Monitor
Senior Library Conservation Technician
Hagley Museum & Library
Wilmington DE
sfickeissen@hagley.org
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Original Message:
Sent: 12-02-2022 18:34
From: Ron Hemenway
Subject: Wood Rott

I have a question, in adition to volunteering with the Rutland Historical Society, I also volunteer with the Vermont State Fair in Rutland in it's Farm Museum. The farm museum has a hemp breaker dated from the 1880's. This artifact is suffering from extensive wood rot. I wanted to ask can this be fixed some how ? Any info would be greatly appreciated.

Sincerely,

Ron Hemenway

Hi Ron, 
The consolidation of rotted wood, either in artifacts or historic timbers, is often addressed with epoxies. Take a look at this paper from the University of Pennsylvania
I have also uploaded information on the subject from the Office of Archeology and Historic Preservation PK Service

Considering the Use of Epoxies in the Repair of Historic Structural Timber 


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Craig Deller
Fellow
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Original Message:
Sent: 12-02-2022 18:34
From: Ron Hemenway
Subject: Wood Rott

I have a question, in adition to volunteering with the Rutland Historical Society, I also volunteer with the Vermont State Fair in Rutland in it's Farm Museum. The farm museum has a hemp breaker dated from the 1880's. This artifact is suffering from extensive wood rot. I wanted to ask can this be fixed some how ? Any info would be greatly appreciated.

Sincerely,

Ron Hemenway