Artifact Storage: Bag, Pad, Interleave Solutions

BAG SOLUTIONS

Images below help illustrate some artifact storage ideas.  A bag is an archival plastic enclosure with or without a ziplock.  Tubular bags are made with a bag sealer.

PROS:

• Faster than a box, tray or pallet
• Long term dust or water protection
• Allows handling without gloves
• Prevents objects from snagging or abrading each other
• Catches loose fragments that might fall off and keeps them associated with object
• Allows density of objects if done well

CONS:

• No custom support
• Does not prevent objects knocking each other
• Objects can be damaged if it is hard to get them out of the bag again

TIPS:

Great for small items

Include a slip of paper inside bag with object number or write it on bag

Include a sheet of blueboard the full size of bag as a support for the object

INTERLEAVING SOLUTIONS

Interleaving is when you wrap or place material (like thin foam, Tyvek, or tissue) between objects to protect them from each other.

PROS:

• Prevents snagging, abrading, and staining
• Some limited protection from knocking
• Allows object density, even some overlapping
• Allows stacking of thin flat items like flat textiles

CONS:

• Less protection than other solutions
• Harder to see the objects
• Does not provide support for lifting
• Objects might get squished too tightly
• Does not keep detached fragments associated with object

TIPS:

See also: box solutions, pallet solutions, tray solutions, and tips n’ tricks.

Cavity pack with Tyvek interleaving.

Volara (polyethylene) foam collars prevent abrasion and knocking.

Custom holes in foam sheet to prevent shifting and knocking.

Textiles stuffed out and folds softened with tissue padding.

Big fat padded hangers for hanging garments.

Tyvek in between skin boots to prevent abrasion.

Delicate shells sit on a pad of polyester batting covered with tissue.

Little coin holders with Mylar windows are good for very small items, like individual beads.

These drawers dividers made of blotter paper are then slipped through slots in a sheet of polyethylene foam and…

…make good storage for halibut hooks.

Snowshoes are bagged in pairs with foam padding between them.

Close up of the padding between snowshoes with cotton twill tape ties.

A bag with a pallet inside supports the object, as well as catches any loose beads that might fall of this octopus bag.

Jointed jewelry likes to have a pallet inside a bag too.

These ivory necklaces store well tied down to pallets inside tubular bags.

Some items come on their own backing board. Foam collars help prevent knocking.

Love redundant numbers! Just in case…

Careful use of a handheld bag sealer allows 3-D bags to protect taxidermy specimens.

A pallet supports the arctic tern, and a 3-D custom bag is made for it.