FMF - Friends of Minerals Forum, discussion and message board

[Scott LaBorde]

I know this topic has been discussed ( https://www.mineral-forum.com/message-board/viewtopic.php?p=8174#8174 ) but I wanted some opinions, caveats, experiences with it.

I recently saw a nice collection mounted with the clear variety hot glue onto nice acrylic bases. I thought it looked really sharp considering how little glue was needed to be used and how it seemed almost invisible because it was clear glue. The other benefit is that even the larger heavy specimens could be held up straight with a little glue and they wouldn't begin to tilt over as with putty. I've just always thought putty was ugly because of the finger print impressions, dust, and dirt that would naturally get into it. Also for larger specimens you have to use a lot more to keep the specimen angled the way you want it.

I have read that hot glue residue can be removed with various solvents should I need to. It's important to know that I will be working almost entirely with quartz specimens which obviously shouldn't be negatively affected by the heat or the glue.

So, I kind of want to get opinions of what people thought considering aesthetic quality and experience with it. Perhaps it may look very ugly to dealers or collectors and I am just an exception? Perhaps it devalues my collection somehow because they are now glued to acrylic bases = work for purchaser to have to remove the glue. Although, I do not plan on selling these mounted specimens. I'm just looking for the most aesthetic way to display them without lessoning them somehow or getting too gaudy. I guess there's trade off in there somewhere. Yes, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but I'm interested in what is in the eye of everyone. ;)

[VRigatti]

Personally i like hot glue for all the reasons you mention plus with exposure to warm water it will become ductile and can be easily removed with no damage to the mineral, provided it is not overly brittle. For my higher end pieces I usually have acrylic bases made, but for "home mounting" i like hot glue over putty.

[Edelmin]

Hi Scott,

I also use hot glue for mounting all my display specimens on labeled acrylic bases (may be around 1200-1500 specimens) and, like you, I think this is the best, cleanest, aesthetic and elegant way to display minerals, at least in my experience.

It is very easy to remove the specimen if necessary, Just a few drops of alcohol and a gentle pressure on the glue and the specimen will detach in a few seconds without problem. Quartz may be even easier to detach as it seems that hot glue is not as effective with it (as well as with some fluorites) and sometimes it tends to became loose by itself or with minor effort.

Best regards,

Felix Garcia

[Jordi Fabre]

[Carles Millan]

Hi!

Do not assume hot melt glue is 100% safe! And never expect your specimens will be fixed forever either. Sooner or later the piece will get loose, especially when its center of gravity falls out of the attachment point.

It's true that quartz is the least reliable of all the species to be glued, so be careful with the center of gravity.

[Carles Millan]

A couple of examples

[Scott LaBorde]

Thanks for the quick and informative responses. I am now much more comfortable with the idea of using a hot glue gun and have already begun doing so. I'm pleased with the results. I will now take in consideration that center of gravity and heat from the environment will eventually loosen and break the bond of the glue. I'll try to post a picture or two of some quartz specimens I've mounted later this evening.

[vic rzonca]

This is off topic re. hot glue mounting. I have used polyester resin to good effect in mounting pieces in prefab bases. John White has an example, posted, of a quartz, mounted by this process. Its a little crafty and lends it self to larger specimens, but I have used on smaller items, there is no real bonding, it all counts on center of gravity and base geometry.

[vic rzonca]

Here is one shot of the process. I did a batch for a friend of mine, a few pieces that needed to stand up, nothing rare or profound, but made more interesting by the mounting them proud. Mostly bigger stuff.

[Scott LaBorde]

vic rzonca, very nice crystals there. I like the mounts you created. And yes, they are very good for large specimens.

Here is a picture of three specimens I used hot glue for mounting. I'm proud of these pieces because there is no damage that can be found even through a 10X loupe on these crystals excluding the bases.

[vic rzonca]

Nicely done Scott, the recovery and the mounting. Those acrylic bases, I gather, are commercially available. The very small amount of glue used does not distract visually at all, and for smaller pieces, it is a good method. I'm torn between the modern look of the poly, and the classic look of a moulded wood base, I always take pleasure in seeing how the pioneers of the field displayed their chosen specimens.

[vic rzonca]

PS. Thats not the actual price on it.

[Scott LaBorde]

Vic, your displays are very nice. I believe I would probably be doing it your way if I had access to the nice machine shop it appears you have. So in fact I do order my acrylic bases online. I used a simple label maker with the clear variety tape for the label on the bases. A very cost effective (cheap) method, but I was very satisfied with the results.

[John S. White]

No that is not the actual price, but after Vic's mounting job I would have gladly paid that much.

[vic rzonca]

Thanks guys. Here's one I don't trust, I pushed it a little far outside the comfort zone.

[Scott LaBorde]

Well actually I like that one a lot. It looks like its a tree sprouting up out of the base. It's just enough to hold the specimen up and display the specimen and not the base. Good job on that one.

[growcrystal]

Does anybody else use magnifying glasses while mounting?