Another Rib Repair

Here is another rib repair that Gordon has carried out. This time it was a large crack that had opened up in the bone that required filling. The deep cracks were first packed with polyether foam. A layer of ground cork mixed with B-72 (a conservation glue) is then spread over the surface of the foam. This is then covered with a skin of balsa wood 'flour' (finely ground balsa wood) mixed with B-72 to complete the fill.

Rib Repairs

In addition to cleaning the skeletons we must carry out repair work where bones have broken or degraded. This helps to stabilise the skeletons and also improves the appearance of the damaged bones.

All the repairs were undertaken using methods that will last for the forseeable future but can also be reversed (undone) if necessary. This is very important as although we wish to repair and conserve the skeletons we do not want to make permenant changes to them.

Many of the skeletons have broken ribs and Gordon has been busy repairing them. He has used different techniques depending upon the type of break or damage, as no two were the same.

The ribs were disarticulated from the skeletons so that work could be carried out on them and then re-mounted when the repairs were completed.

Here is an example of one of the repairs that Gordon has carried out on a broken rib from the Right whale ....


A) This is the break in the rib that requires repairing.


B) The ends of the bone are glued together using a special conservation glue called Paraloid that can be disolved which acetone if the bone needs to be taken apart again.


C) The joint is re-inforced with a small metal pole.



D) Small pieces of soft wood are cut and shapped to fill the gap.



E) The wood is then trimmed and smoothed to match the surface of the bone. Can you see the repair..??!