Readily available consolidant? Caught short without my PVA.

[Doctor Mud]

Hi folks.

 

I left my PVA beads at home. This is what I normally use as a consolidant. PVA beads in acetone.

Anyone think of a readily available substitute? Something that could be available at the hardware store and is reversible with acetone or another solvent.

Cane across a shop selling plastic beads as stuffers for toys etc.

I wonder if polystyrene would work as it dissolves in acetone, might not be as hard as PVA....

 

Any ideas?

[izak_]

I used to use craft or wood glue mixed with water not sure if it can be removed very easily though?

[Miocene_Mason]

3 minutes ago, Foozil said:

I used to use craft or wood glue mixed with water not sure if it can be removed very easily though?

Also will yellow over time. It’s not great but it will do if it is seriously needed.

[Fruitbat]

I have had some success with a product called Varathane (satin finish) diluted with mineral spirits.  I haven't had any problems with it yellowing on fossils that I applied it to almost 35 years ago.  I don't know if acetone will remove it once it has set, but it IS soluble in acetone.

 

-Joe

[izak_]

Can always remove it when you get back home, I think

[Doctor Mud]

Great suggestions guys.

 

I tried another internet search and found a company in New Zealand that actually stocks Paraloid B-72. Who would have thought. They could have it to me in 2 days.

 

http://www.conservationsupplies.co.nz/

 

This company provides products for museums and archives.

 

So any kiwis looking for a consolidant or visitors could check them out.

 

$NZ 30 (about 20 USD) for 0.5 kg of beads. That would last me for years so I think @6ix might also appreciate if I left him some for his crabs. It makes a good "crab finishing sauce" as @RJB puts it. A protective finish not too glossy that really makes the crab pop out from the matrix.

Also a great consolidant and I have a fragile crab that needs protecting.

 

Sorry I jumped the gun and posted before my research was done!

[izak_]

Yup paraloid certainly beats craft glue  

[caldigger]

Somewhere in the world, a craft glue salesman just got a tear in his eye.

[RJB]

16 hours ago, Doctor Mud said:

$NZ 30 (about 20 USD) for 0.5 kg of beads. That would last me for years so I think @6ix might also appreciate if I left him some for his crabs. It makes a good "crab finishing sauce" as @RJB puts it. A protective finish not too glossy that really makes the crab pop out from the matrix.

Also a great consolidant and I have a fragile crab that needs protecting.

 

  Im purty old school and still using Glyptal to this day.  I dont fix was isnt broken.  Plus I have enough to last me the rest of my life.

[Sagebrush Steve]

I’ve seen people here on TFF recommend Duco cement in acetone but others don’t like it.  I’ve used it on GreenRiver fish but nothing more substantial.

[Ash]

Paraloid user here.

 

Never heard of Duco cement.

[Doctor Mud]

5 minutes ago, Ash said:

Paraloid user here.

 

Never heard of Duco cement.

 

@Sagebrush Steve Is the duco cement the glue typically used for model kits?

 

 

[Sagebrush Steve]

1 hour ago, Ash said:

Paraloid user here.

 

Never heard of Duco cement.

 

58 minutes ago, Doctor Mud said:

 

@Sagebrush Steve Is the duco cement the glue typically used for model kits?

 

 

It is not, although it looks similar.  It is a general purpose glue you can find at your local hardware store or on Amazon: Duco cement.  The mixture I used to coat my Green River fish was about 10 parts acetone to 1 part Duco cement, although I sort of guessed at the amounts.  

Some people dilute it even more but this worked for me.

[Ash]

Same ratio I guesstimate with paraloid!  (10:1)

[Doctor Mud]

My Paraloid B-72 arrived today. A couple of days to arrive. Looks very much like PVA beads, but clearer from memory.

 

Looking forward to making up a batch and stabilizing some fossils.

 

Even though I found Some  Paraloid I hope this thread is useful for others who need a consolidant, but can't find something.

[Doctor Mud]

In case anyone hasn't seen what Paraloid B72 looks like when you get it.

 

 

In the bag. 500 grams. This would make about 5 L of consolidant when mixed with acetone.

 

 

The Paraloid comes as extruded plastic pellets. These will dissolve overnight in acetone. You can then brush it on, spray it on, or soak your fossil to make it more durable. 

[Doctor Mud]

P.S. you might not want to shake your jar to expedite dissolving. It seeps into the thread and makes it very difficult to get the lid off.

 

I know a guy who did this recently 

[Ash]

Been there before, HA! I somehow manage to get it all over my fingers too.. same with super glue.

[6ix]

@Doctor Mud  I'll buy half the bag off ya!  I'm guessing its different to PVA wood glue mixed with acetone?

[Ash]

Unsure, but I know the museum here use it for their Pleistocene stuff.

 

Another they recommended for during prep (but not consolidating) is PEG, Polyethylene glycol (I think she said). You can use it to temporary join sediment in a prep (like sand) and it's easily removable since it acts like a wax. But it will stay in the pores of a fossil so that's something to consider. Should be getting some shortly to try out on a current prep..

[Ptychodus04]

On 1/24/2018 at 3:37 AM, 6ix said:

@Doctor Mud  I'll buy half the bag off ya!  I'm guessing its different to PVA wood glue mixed with acetone?

Wood glues and white glues are polyvinyl alcohol based, very different than the museum grade consolidants and adhesives (PVA-polyvinyl acetate, Paraloid B72, or Butvar-polyvinyl butytal). 

 

Polyvinyal alcohol glues, while water soluble initially, are not reversible after they have set.