Adhesives and plumbing problems

Claudia Stall <cstall [at] mail__sdsu__edu> writes

>>We put our glue brushes in a small amount of water to soak over
>>night.
>
>I was wondering how you keep the brushes from developing a "permanent wave"
>as my old art teacher used to call it?  You know, bristles all bent to one
>side?

To prevent the brush bristles from becoming permanently curved due
to pressure, they should be suspended in the water or other fluid.
Art stores sell containers with a handle formed of coils that curves
over the top of the container; the coils hold the handle of the
brush to any height desired so the brush can suspend in fluid
without touching the bottom of the container. I believe there are
other designs that accomplish the same end, keeping brush bristles
straight. The container I describe was designed to suspend oil
painting brush bristles in turpentine.

Elaine R.S. Hodges
Scientific Illustrator
MRC 169, Rm. W-622
Smithsonian Institution
Washington, DC 20560, USA
202-357-2128
Fax: 202-786-2894

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                  Conservation DistList Instance 9:54
                Distributed: Thursday, January 11, 1996
                        Message Id: cdl-9-54-012
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