8/11/2019 The Use of the Vacuum or Suction Table

1/4

THE USE OF THE VACUUM OR SUCTION TABLE IN TEXTILECONSERVATION

Maj RinggaardThe National Museum of Denmark

Textile Conservation DepartmentBredeDK-2800 Ln!"Denmark

#"stra$t%arious textile $onservation uses of va$uum or su$tion ta"les are des$ri"ed& su$h aslaminatin! 'eak textiles to support fa"ri$s& 'ashin! fra!ile and fu!itive $olour textiles&stain and spot removal& drin! textiles& $rease and fold removal(

Ke'ordsTextiles& va$uum ta"le& su$tion ta"le& spot removal& $leanin!& $rease)fold removal

Introduction

The va$uum or su$tion ta"le toda is 'idel used in paintin! $onservation& "ut is stillnot $ommon in textile $onservation la"oratories& althou!h it offers man different

possi"ilities in textile $onservation 'ork( *t $an "e used not onl to laminate supportfa"ri$s to fra!ile textiles & "ut also to fa$ilitate spot removal& to flatten or smoothtextiles +ironin!,& to speed up drin! pro$esses& to hold fra!mented textiles in positiondurin! $onservation& and 'hen 'ashin! painted textiles or textiles 'ith fu!itive

$olours(

Lamination

The most $ommon use of the va$uum ta"le is for lamination treatments& e(!( theadhesion of ver fra!ile silk textiles su$h as "anners to a support fa"ri$(ilk or polester $repeline& ta"ilitex& is adhesive $oated on one side 'ith a 2-20.solution of either polvinl a$etate& a$rli$ polmer or ethlene vinl a$etate $o-

polmer(The va$uum ta"le is $overed 'ith smooth felt or soft filterpaper( The adhesive $oatedfa"ri$ is pla$ed 'ith the adhesive up'ards and $are is taken that the fa"ri$ is pla$ed

$orre$t( The fra!ile textile is $arefull pla$ed on top and ad/ustments of the fra!mentand loose threads positions $an "e made( a$h se$tion is then se$ured& usin! !entlefin!er pressure or a hand held spatula iron( The hot ta"le is $overed 'ith melinex1polester foil and the su$tion s'it$hed on& and the temperature set at approx( 30 C(The final adhesion is a$hieved " a $om"ination of the ne!ative pressure and theelevated temperature(

Note4 the textile should "e surfa$e $leaned "efore treatment as adhesion is "etter to a non-dusttextile(

Wa!ing on a Vacuum " Suction Ta#$%

8/11/2019 The Use of the Vacuum or Suction Table

2/4

*f used in $om"ination 'ith a 'ater trap or a 'et va$uum $leaner it is possi"le to usethe su$tion ta"le to 'ash ver fra!ile flat textiles or painted textiles e(!( "anners 'herethere is a risk of paint $ra$kin! or loss& or even paint dissolvin! 'ith +normal,'ashin! methods(5hen 'ashin! on a su$tion ta"le the textile $an "e 'ashed in se$tions& thus preventin!

moisture from penetratin! into the painted areas& and avoidin! the paint loss that seemsto "e normal durin! the 'ashin! of "anners 16ates& 789(*f painted& printed or multi$olour textiles have $olours 'hi$h are not 700. 'atersta"le& the verti$al su$tion minimises the risk of $olour-"leedin! durin! 'ashin! anddrin!(%er fra!ile textiles 'ith man splits or those 'here lar!e areas of the 'arp or 'eft aremissin! $an "e held se$urel in pla$e " the su$tion durin! $leanin!(

T!% &r%'aration (or Vacuum " Suction Ta#$% Wa!ing

#"sor"ent "lotters are pla$ed on the area to "e $overed " the textile& to help move the

moisture a'a from the textile( # polester non-'oven fa"ri$ is pla$ed on top& as a dr"arrier "et'een the 'et "lotter and the textile( The su$tion ta"le is $overed 'ithMelinex 1polesterfilm( The outline of the textile is marked and the Melinex 'ithin themarked outline is $ut a'a( The Melinex is fastened to the ta"le 'ith adhesive tape( #

pie$e of Melinex a "it "i!!er than the $ut out hole is pla$ed on it leavin! a small areaof the fi"er$loth visi"le( The textile is put on top and the su$tion is s'it$hed on&resultin! in su$tion onl on the small area( B !entl pullin! the lose pie$e of Melinexunder the textile it is possi"le to enlar!e the area& and " $overin! 'ith another pie$eof Melinex on top of the textile one $an 'ash the textile "it " "it& and keep the airflo'more or less $onstant(

The 'ashin! solution $an "e applied " damp)'et spon!in! "ut "etter results areo"tained " sprain!& and the most effe$tive is a $onstant fine mist of 'ashin!solution and rinsin! 'ater(*t is important that the speed of applin! the solution or 'ater mat$hes the rate ofremoval(There must "e a parallel flo' of air a$ross the under surfa$e of the su$tion ta"lesurfa$e for drin! the li:uid from the "lotter& or the evaporation 'ill onl take pla$efrom the textile surfa$e(

S'ort R%mo)a$

# similar te$hni:ue $an "e used for removin! spots from textiles& 'hi$h $annot or manot "e'ashed(The su$tion ta"le is prepared as des$ri"ed a"ove 'ith "lotters& non-'oven polesterand Melinex( # hole the si;e of the stain or spot is $ut out& and the textile is pla$ed'ith the spot dire$tl over the hole in the Melinex( The prepared $leanin! solution isspraed on& da""ed on 'ith a $otton s'a" or slo'l dripped from a pipette& as are therinsin! solutions(#!ain it is important that the speed of applin! the solution mat$hes the removal rateor the stain 'ill spread out'ards leavin! a tide -mark( 5hile 'orkin! one $an pull theMelinex and the textile to!ether so that the hole is over a fresh dr pie$e of the "lotter(

8/11/2019 The Use of the Vacuum or Suction Table

3/4

8/11/2019 The Use of the Vacuum or Suction Table

4/4

Lennard& (& 78( The Conservation of the nited Tin =late 5orkers o$iet Bannerof 7827( *n The Conservator num"er 7A(Maes& 6(& 7@( Die