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..??!
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