Adding the Cartilage

July 07, 2014 Posted by: K. VandenBerg
Progress on articulation slowed down a bit as winter gripped Maine in her icy clutches. Record snowfall forced the crew inside for most of December, January and February, but the hard work continued. The finish work on the spine sections and the flippers became the focus during this time. The materials that would be used to finish these sections needed to be applied in a dry, warm environment - mainly urethane foam and epoxy. 
The sixty-four individual vertebrae were combined into three modules for easy transport back to Glacier Bay. To simulate cartilage between each bone urethane foam was used to fill the spaces. The expanding foam acts like glue compressing the vertebrae together to secure them in place. A final coat of epoxy and taxidermy putty will give each section the look of a finished spine.
 
Great strides were made in the spring as temperatures warmed and Dan and his crew were able to get outside.The entire skeleton was mocked up to simulate installation in Glacier Bay. By completing this critical step, the crew would insure an easy transition from the shop to the shelter, anticipating any problems that might arise before arriving in Glacier Bay. 
Preparing the caudal vertebrae module

Last updated: April 14, 2015

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