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Post by beetlehorn on Mar 1, 2014 8:18:25 GMT -8
The process of mounting insects is one of the chores a collector should be able to master, and it can be accomplished with good equipment and large dose of patience. I have specimens that were mounted many years ago and they are still set exactly the same as when they came off the mounting board. Going through my collection from time to time I have noticed that some Lepidoptera need to be re-mounted because the wings either droop, try to fold back up, or one side is no longer symmetric in relation to the other side. It seems like Lycaenidae are the worst, and some moths like Saturnidae don't want to stay put either. I give most specimens a two week drying period, so maybe I need to lengthen that time, or perhaps there is something going on within the thorax that I need to address. Anyone have any ideas?
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Mar 1, 2014 9:36:54 GMT -8
Tom, is the 2 week drying period for relaxed material or freshly killed, I always give freshly killed stuff at least 3 weeks, sometimes a month, relaxed material is usually OK after 2 weeks unless its agrias/prepona/charaxes/ornithoptera, I always give these a month, I may be overcautious but I hate resetting material, its such a waste of time. I also prior to setting relaxed material dig my nails into the underside of the thorax next to the wings to free up those strong muscles. For some reason unknown to me specimens that have been killed with cyanide need longer on the boards, I recently set a load of British material from the 1960's that were all dispatched this way, gave them the same length of time as all other stuff and they all lifted, have to do them all again, they wont be coming off the boards until mid april now.
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Post by beetlehorn on Mar 1, 2014 10:05:10 GMT -8
I was thinking the same thing in regards to fresh specimens vs. rehydrated. I always try to mount freshly dispatched specimens because the results are usually top quality. However I hardly ever have to reset one that was freshly killed. I think that sometimes a specimen has been in the envelope so long that it naturally "wants" to fold back up,(for lack of a better explanation). I think I'll try for a longer setting period, as is your suggestion Duncan.
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Post by nomad on Mar 1, 2014 10:54:35 GMT -8
I know collectors who use a tiny amount of wood-glue after specimens come off the boards on the side of the thorax beneath the wings. The wings have always remained in place. Once the glue has dried, it is never seen. Peter.
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Post by dertodesking on Mar 1, 2014 11:30:56 GMT -8
I know collectors who use a tiny amount of wood-glue after specimens come off the boards on the side of the thorax beneath the wings. The wings have always remained in place. Once the glue has dried, it is never seen. Peter. I've been told that glueing wings like this is a common technique among collectors in Japan...wasn't this mentioned in an older thread (I can't find the thread in question - maybe it was on the old forum). Simon |
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mygos
Full Member
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Post by mygos on Mar 1, 2014 11:31:46 GMT -8
I believe all this depends on how you killed the specimen, as some chemicals make specimens very stiff !
A+, Michel
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Post by manticora on Mar 1, 2014 21:10:24 GMT -8
Is there another way of drying specimens quickly than leaving them for several weeks on the spreading board ?
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Post by lordpandarus on Mar 1, 2014 22:06:11 GMT -8
This is the main reason I use mostly Riker Mounts but my collection is purely for display
I'm not sure leaving a specimen 3 weeks on the setting board rather than a few days makes a difference for papered specimens. For freshly killed specimens they have to dry out the body fluids so I would guess you have to leave them to dry long
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Post by nomad on Mar 1, 2014 23:47:22 GMT -8
Is there another way of drying specimens quickly than leaving them for several weeks on the spreading board ? Some collectors use a heated drying cupboard, the set specimens are ready after a few days to come off the boards, and some then add a tiny amount of glue as suggested, to stop any wing movement. Peter. |
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Post by nomad on Mar 1, 2014 23:53:32 GMT -8
I know collectors who use a tiny amount of wood-glue after specimens come off the boards on the side of the thorax beneath the wings. The wings have always remained in place. Once the glue has dried, it is never seen. Peter. I've been told that glueing wings like this is a common technique among collectors in Japan...wasn't this mentioned in an older thread (I can't find the thread in question - maybe it was on the old forum). Simon Perhaps that thread was in the last forum, which all got deleted.  . Adding a tiny amount of wood-glue seems to work very well, especially with those specimens that are dried quickly in a heated cupboard. Any excess is wiped off with a tissue. I have also heard that Japanese collectors use this technique. Peter. |
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Post by manticora on Mar 2, 2014 1:23:14 GMT -8
Are there collectors who dry in an oven at the lowest temeperature ?
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Post by nomad on Mar 2, 2014 1:31:21 GMT -8
Are there collectors who dry in an oven at the lowest temeperature ? I do not think anybody would they go to that extreme, they use lamps for heat in a cupboard. I am sure that other members here use the latter method. My friend has a special purpose built heated drying cupboard and its very effective. |
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Post by hewi on Mar 2, 2014 1:33:49 GMT -8
Yes, I've been doing this a long time.
I dry them in the oven (no convection !!) for 3 hours at 60 degrees (Celsius).
It is important that the butterflies cool in the closed oven.
I therefore take them out only after 24 hours.
The result is very convincing.
Manfred
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Post by manticora on Mar 2, 2014 1:40:32 GMT -8
Peter,
Can you tell me how it's made.
It is very intersting to make one for myself.
I let my specimens drying for about 2 weeks on the spreading board.
Harry
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Post by nomad on Mar 2, 2014 3:01:49 GMT -8
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. Adding a tiny amount of wood-glue seems to work very well, especially with those specimens that are dried quickly in a heated cupboard. Any excess is wiped off with a tissue. I have also heard that Japanese collectors use this technique. Peter.
