Jim- You might check with the Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research at U of A to see what they advise?  I know we used to use parafin dissolved in "white gas" (coleman fuel), then wrapped like a mummy with string.  I have heard that the Tree-Ring lab people really dislike this as it is nasty (and unhealthy) to deal with in the lab, so maybe Tim's recommendation is current "state of the Art?"  It also would depend on what you thought was the primary value of the specimen, for tree-ring dating or museum collections/future research.- Mark


Mark Henderson
Chupadero Archeological Resources, LLC
Henderson, Nevada

-- Timothy Scarlett <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
I would use Acryloid (Paraloid) B-72 (SKU: F4022-001) diluted with  
acetone.  You brush it on as the wood dries during excavation.   
Repeated coats will consolidate the first few millimeters of the  
surface, then once in the lab you can submerge a section of the wood  
and impregnate it.  This treatment is reversable using acetone.   
There are also trademark products.  Try this website:
http://stores.homestead.com/conservemp/Detail.bok?no=703
Cheers,
Tim


On May 16, 2008, at 10:30 AM, Doms, Keith wrote:

> Elmer's glue is proprietary which means its formula can change with  
> out
> warning.  It is also irreversible.  If the wood is not oak, a high
> weight of carbowax is recommended for waterlogged wood and might do  
> the
> job.  It will be a long process.  You are bound to loose some of the
> surface during treatment due to the weakness of charcoal.  Freeze  
> drying
> then applying some sort of surface consolident might be of use.
>
> Keith
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: HISTORICAL ARCHAEOLOGY [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of  
> Carl
> Steen
> Sent: Friday, May 16, 2008 9:54 AM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: HISTARCH Digest - 14 May 2008 to 15 May 2008 (#2008-108)
>
>
>  I have used watered down Elmer's glue for this sort of thing in the
> past with good results, but it is not a "permanent" solution. Good  
> luck!
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: D'Angelo, James (Atlanta,GA-US) <[log in to unmask]>
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Sent: Fri, 16 May 2008 9:42 am
> Subject: Re: HISTARCH Digest - 14 May 2008 to 15 May 2008 (#2008-108)
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Does anyone have experience preserving burned wood?  We have burned
> milled lumber at the site of Fort Daniel (c.1795-1815) in Georgia that
> we would like to lift intact if possible. The only product that  
> comes to
> mind is liquid epoxy but I am not sure how it would work with the
> cellular structure of charcoal.
>
> Jim
>
> James J. D'Angelo, RPA, Ph.D.
>
> Archaeologist
>
>
>
>
> TRC
> 4155 Shackleford Road Suite 225
>
> Norcross, Georgia, 30093
>
> 770.270.1192  x125 phone
> 770.270.1392  fax
> 404.580.2079 cell
> [log in to unmask]

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