Finding a Temporary Adhesive for Securing Objects for Display in Earthquake-Prone Regions

ABSTRACT

New Zealand institutions and private collectors use both QuakeHold!™ Museum Wax and Rhoplex® N-580 to temporarily secure their objects on display, though the manufacture of Rhoplex® N-580 was discontinued in 2018. This paper studies the efficacy of a select group of adhesives to produce similar stabilising effects for terracotta and glass objects during seismic events, while also exhibiting properties which meet standards for conservation and display. Shake-table and tilt table test methods were used to imitate the effects of an earthquake on two types of objects secured to painted medium-density fibreboard or acrylic. Lascaux® 303HV shows promise for use as a temporary adhesive for small objects on display.

KEYWORDS:

• Rhoplex® N-580
• Lascaux® 303HV
• Lascaux® 498HV
• QuakeHold!™ Museum Wax
• Quake Wax
• Gudy® Dot Tape
• adhesives
• earthquake
• restraint
• terracotta
• ceramic
• glass
• display

Acknowledgements

We are grateful to Rebecca Engelhardt, Jerry Podany, Terri Elder, and Kasi Albert, who kindly shared their ideas, materials, and techniques with us. We would also like to acknowledge the wide ranging support provided by Canterbury Museum for this project.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 Rebecca Engelhardt, pers. comm.