JAIC 1997, Volume 36, Number 3, Article 8 (pp. 253 to 261)

TWO HOUSINGS: MODIFYING A STANDARD BOX AND CONSTRUCTING AN OVERSIZE SINK MAT

PATRICIA INGRAM

SOURCES OF MATERIALS FOR MODIFYING A STANDARD BOX

Standard print box

Metal Edge West, 2721 E. 45th St., Los Angeles, Calif. 90058, (800) 862-2228

Four-ply mat board 100% rag, acid-free museum quality mounting board

University Products, P.O. Box 101, Holyoke, Mass. 01041, (800) 628-1912

Heavy Japanese paper (Okawara)

Aiko's Art Materials, 3347 N. Clark, Chicago, Ill. 60657, (312) 404-5600

20 pt. lignin-free board and Jade 405 PVA

Conservation Resources, 8000-H Forbes Pl., Springfield, Va. 22151, (800) 634-6932

Estimated material cost: $27. The Humanities Research Center purchases many materials in large quantities, a system that reduces the unit price; this estimated cost of one housing is based on our cost.

MATERIALS FOR CONSTRUCTING AN OVERSIZE SINK MAT

Coroplast corrugated plastic sheets, precut, 4 mil.; 10 pt. lignin-free board or archival cover weight paper; Monsanto acid-free Fome-cor, ⅜ in. thickness; paper backed cotton-linen book cloth; metal album-type screw posts; ⅝ in. linen tape; linen thread; adhesives: poly(vinyl acetate); Rhoplex N-580, wheat starch paste (50:50 mix with PVA); tools: sewing needle, scissors, bone folder, Teflon folder, long metal straightedges, disposable glue rollers and trays (we used small, 4 in. rollers and trays and just let the Rhoplex dry on them; they can be used quite a few times even with this abuse), pressing boards, lead weights, ⅝ in. chisel, electric sander and medium-coarse sandpaper, awl or electric drill and � in. drill bit, Olfa utility knife (this particular knife is very easy to use), vinyl eraser.

SOURCES OF MATERIALS FOR CONSTRUCTING AN OVERSIZE SINK MAT BOX

Coroplast 4 mil.

Coroplast Inc., 4501 Spring Valley, Dallas, Tex. 75244, (800) 666-2241

10 pt. lignin-free board

University Products, P.O. Box 101, Holyoke, Mass. 01041, (800) 628-1912

Monsanto acid-free Fome-cor ⅜ in. thick

M & M Dist., P.O. Box 727, Freehold, N.J. 07728, (800) 526-2302

Mohawk Superfine 80 lb. cover weight paper

Monarch Paper, P.O. Box 18568, Austin, Tex. 78760, (512) 443-7112

Cotlin Van Heek Scholco (Half-linen) book cloth

Ecological Fibers, 40 Pioneer Industrial Dr., Lunenburg, Mass. 01462-1699, (508) 537-0003

metal screw posts

local hardware store or office supply

Olfa utility knife

Daniel Smith, 4130 First Ave. S., Seattle, Wash. 98134, (800) 426-6740

Jade 405 PVA and linen sewing tape

Talas, 213 W. 35th St., New York, N.Y. 10001-1996, (212) 736-7744

Rhoplex N-580

Conservation Support Systems, 924 W. Pedregosa St., Santa Barbara, Calif. 93101-4622, (800) 482-6299

Estimated material cost: $100 for each of the housings with two layers of Fome-cor. The Humanities Research Center purchases many materials in large quantities, a system that reduces the unit price. This estimated cost of one housing is based on our cost.

AUTHOR INFORMATION

PATRICIA INGRAM received a B.A. in studio art from the University of Texas at Austin in 1978. She began her conservation training in the Conservation Department of the Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center and has worked there as a book conservator since 1990. She enjoys the three-dimensional problem solving associated with housing in general and oversized housing in particular. Address: Conservation Department, HRHRC, University of Texas at Austin, P.O. Drawer 7219, Austin, Texas 78713-7219; p.ingram@mail.utexas.edu