Recreating van der Wielen and de Groot’s (2019) thermocasted Paraloid™ B-72, with a twist.

Abstract

Conserving stained glass is very challenging – when a replacement glass piece is inserted, the lead can become distorted due to the inflexibility of the glass, resulting in more pieces dislodging. Van der Wielen and de Groot (2019) devised a method to use thermocast resin for replacement parts because of resins' greater flexibility and colour-matching capabilities. This dissertation attempts to recreate van der Wielen and de Groot's (2019) proposed new method of thermocasting Paraloid™ B-72 for use in glass conservation. The primary objective is to successfully recreate thermocasted Paraloid™ B-72 and test this new method's reproducibility. The experiments found that although this method is reproducible, a significant amount of further research must be completed to create a standard procedure for thermocasting. The results of this study will aid in furthering glass and stained-glass conservation, particularly in arid and hot climates. The reproduction of this article was not entirely successful, and it emphasises the need for more detailed research and documentation to create a standard procedure for thermocasting.