Volume 13, Number 2, May 1991, p.17

Technical Exchange

The Pencil

Henry Petroski's The Pencil: A History of Design and Circumstance (Knopf, New York, 1989. ISBN 0-394- 57422-2), offers a rather thorough coverage (if a subject of this scope may be said to be covered in 434 pages) of this lovely subject, ranging with apparent delight over historical, technical and aesthetic matters. The author, an engineer, writes for humans and rather well at that.

Photo Book Being Revised

Susan Shaw and I are hard at work updating her classic book, Overexposure: Health Hazards in Photography. We are asking readers for comments and suggestions, especially on waste disposal, historic silver processes, non-silver processes, photoprinting, photolithography, photosilkscreen, photoceramics, and photo conservation and restoration. We will send original and revised copy to those who wish to comment. Comment will be gratefully received and credited in the Foreword.

"Tight Spot"

Objects conservators will find a new brush a very useful tool. Called the "Tight Spot," it is distributed by Lowe-Cornell Brush Co. Marketed to be used for painting on the interiors of containers, it is bent at an angle of about 25 degrees on the handle, just below the ferrule. The handle length up to the bend is 5 inches (similar to a small watercolor brush). The synthetic fibers extend beyond the ferrule about 5/16 inch. It is widest at the base, to hold a fair amount of fluid paint, and slants directly to a fine point at the tip. For inpainting, it should be more comfortable to hold over long sessions than most regular brushes. I have found the brush to be suitable for use with water based materials and at least those solvent based materials I have tried.

Computer Assisted Design/Model Making

ACAD-Makette is an intriguing program designed to convert designs created with AutoCAD, a popular Computer Assisted Design program for PCs, into a 3-dimensional paper model. The program, intended for architects and designers, produces a file that can be plotted to produce a cutting template for a model of the "Fold A over B and insert tab C in slot D" variety. At least one obvious conservation application suggests itself--prototyping storage containers, packing setups, display cradles, and the like--but with a little bit of craftiness one can imagine all sorts of extensions. For more information:

ACAD, Inc.
233 Peachtree St. NE, Suite 404
Atlanta, GA 30303
404/523-8544 404/522-7116 (fax)

OSH Computer Bulletin Board System

Center for The Center for Occupational Hazards (also known as the Center for Safety in the Arts), with partial support with public funds from the New York State Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Training and Education Program, operates the Occupational Safety and Health Bulletin Board System (OSHBBS). The sysop is Michael McCann. In addition to timely and informed bulletins on legislative and regulatory issues, there are a variety of discussion groups and a searchable database of OSHA regulations. Of perhaps the greatest interest is an excellent selection of information files available for downloading, covering such matters as fire safety, respirators, gloves, fume hoods, emergency plans for museum conservation, reproductive hazards, carpal tunnel syndrome, ionizing radiation protection, and the effects of exposure to a wide variety of materials. The BBS operates 24 hours a day, at 1200/2400 Baud (set your communications parameters to 8N1) at 212/385-2034.