Volume 5, Number 2, June 1983, pp.5-7

Technical Exchange

Information Please
Gatorfoam: A Polystyrene/UF-Acrylic Resin Support

We are currently designing a research plan in order to evaluate the safety and utility of Gatorfoam for application in painting and paper conservation. If anyone has direct experience with this product or an interest in solid support, please contact: Jim Druzik, Research Laboratory, Conservation Center, LA County Museum of Art, 5905 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90036, (213) 857-6167, (213) 857-6160.

Art Hazards

The Center for Occupational Hazards, Inc., a national clearinghouse for research and education on hazards in the arts, publish the "Art Hazard Newsletter" 10 time a year, updating information on new hazards, precautions, government regulations, lawsuits and calendar of event. The subscription price is $13.00/ year and can be ordered from the Center, 5 Beekman Street, New York, NY 10038.

The Center has just completed a 4-page data sheet on the safe handling of thymol and o-phenyl phenol, fungicides used in paper and book conservation, entitled Working Safely with Fumigants in Paper Conservation. This data sheet is available for $.75 from the Center, address above.

The Art Hazards Information Center, a project of the Center, will answer written and telephone inquiries on the hazards of arts and crafts materials and suitable precautions. The Information Center has a wide variety of written materials (articles, data sheets) available and also has begun a physician referral service for persons with medical problems relating to art materials. Send a self-addressed stamped envelope for their publications list and/or physician referral to Art Hazards Information Center, address above, telephone (212) 227-6220.

Exhibition

A Museum Services & Equipment Exhibition will be held July 25-27, 1983, at the Barbican Centre, London, England in association with the 13th General Conference of the International Council of Museums (ICOM) from July 24-August 2. The Exhibition is being organized by Reed Exhibitions, Surrey House, 1 Throwley Way, Sutton, Surrey SM14QQ, England.

Airbrushes

At a workshop on the use of airbrushes held by B.A.A.C.G. in March the IWATA Airbrush was demonstrated. The newest, all stainless steel model can handle organic solvents and has a bottle reservoir attachment. For older models, and other makes of airbrushes, a stainless steel "o ring" is available that will make feasible the use of solvents. The supplier in the San Francisco Bay Area for the Iwata and replacement "o ring" is: Amsterdam Art, 1013 University Avenue, Berkeley, CA 94710, phone (415) 548/9663.

Complete catalogs for airbrushes and supplies are available from: Artistic Airbrush, 32 N.W. 11th Avenue, P.O. Box 3318, Portland, OR 97208, toll free number (800) 547-9750.

And a new company organized from former employees of Artistic Airbrush: Tiger Airbrush, 11576 SW Barbur Boulevard, P.O. Box 19284, Portland, OR 97219, toll free number (800) 547-1466.

Tiger Airbrush also does cleaning and repairs. For technical information and repairs, call (503) 245-2424.

Photo Conservation

The publisher of PhotographiConservation, in Vol.4, No.4, (Dec 1982), has called attention to an advertisement bound into several publications lately, from Kleer-Vu Industries, consisting of a clear polypropylene "sleeve" for documents and photographs, claimed to be 100% acid-free and waterproof, with high tear strength. The material is made by Hercules, Inc. of Wilmington, DE, and the sleeves by Kleer-Vu Industries of Brownsville, TN, who give a toll-free phone number for information or ordering (1- 800-238-3966). The editor of PhotographiConservation has started "environmental testing" of these, and in a future issue will report; it takes some months for such a test.

McDonald Photo Products, inc., of Dallas is advertising a protective spray ("Ultraviolet Pro-Tecta-Cote") for color photographic prints. It's an addition to other spray formulations they have been producing. Again, the editor of PhotographiConservation will report later on tests under accelerated aging conditions.

Subscriptions to this publication are available from the Technical and Education Center of the Graphic Arts, Rochester Institute of Technology, One Lomb Memorial Drive, P.O. Box 9887, Rochester Ny 14623. Within the USA $8.00 will bring four consecutive issues of PhotographiConservation.