Wall Displaying??

[arrowheadscout]

What are the best options for displaying arrowheads on a wall. A display case /shadowbox with adhesives or with foam? I see some collections that appear to have some kind of adhesive. Will the adhesive come off the arrowhead?

Thanks for your help,
Arrowheadscout

[tomclark]

I know it can be done but I won't do it. I used regular caseboxes with foam and that is a good way to go if mounting vertical (LOL!)

Wife was dusting the frame on the wall (at least 30 pound anchor). It "fell off" and slid to the floor. Only one point was damaged, but all were knocked to the bottom of the frame. Glass broke. Was a triangle frame. Point damaged was one of my absolute best and it was only the very last 1/32 of the needle tip that broke off. Still have that tiny piece, it's too small to glue that's how small. But hurt bad. You can see how tore up I am. LOL.
Just make sure they are as sturdily attached everywhere it has attachments and put in a place where no one can bunk into them and remember to dust gently.
I don't have anything hanging on the wall, just too easy if someone did break in. All is secure except for recent finds. Someone I know took pictures of his points and put them on the wall, hahahahahaha Looks pretty good and it's his stuff!@

[DesertWalker]

Hey Tom, a lesson to be learnt. Don't let the wife dust yer stuff...Teets

[tomclark]

LOL, she doesn't touch any of my stuff and it really shows!! Got me bottled up in a dusty corner.

[Steve Valentine]

I've had these trays up on the wall in my artifact room for over 15 years and have never had any problems with them falling off.

[arrowheadscout]

Originally Posted by Steve Valentine

I've had these trays up on the wall in my artifact room for over 15 years and have never had any problems with them falling off.

WoW!! Very nice collection and display, can I have them!!! Lol.

I think I'll have to take tomclark's advice. I have a wife that likes to dust "and" I have 3 young children. Oh! Wait! What I mean is, I have a wife that "dislikes" dusting but does from time to time "and" I have 3 energetic young children.

[manoman]

Okay, I have the same issue: how do you keep the points from sliding down the glass and backing? Are they held by some adhesive or is it just pressure? I have tried hanging brand new riker mounts with what I thought were pretty tightly pinched points, but they either slide all the way down, or move enough to ruin the effect. I am really afraid to push them too hard into a foam base--feels like they will snap at any time! What is the secret, you masters of illussions?

[arrowheadscout]

Well, hopefully someone saves us Manoman.

This is my best guess.

Riker style cases I think you are referring to are the cheap black cardboard cases with the white very loose cotton looking foam which doesn't create enough support. The thin back wall also will bow under pressure and not giving adequate support behind the foam to hold the arrowheads. (I have one like this and I dislike it).

The lockable wood cases that you see commonly they have a soft polyurethane foam in there with very little room, if any between the foam and the glass. The upward pressure from soft foam contours the artifact and the glass pressure holds them securely in place.

If I'm correct what different kinds of foam can you use? Which is the best choice?

But the other way I'm not sure of. The displays cases that you see that have no foam and the arrowheads seem to be hot glued to the back wall, or they might have some kind of anti-gravity mechanism, or mayby it is an old Indian trick.

Is it hot glue or other means?

Thanks

[silverback]

I've altered some cases by cutting a groove about 1/8" width x 1/4" deep around the inside of the frame about 3/4"or slightly less from the glass. I cut a piece of black or grey felt slightly larger than the glass, then add underneath some poly stuffing about 1/2" thick, then a very stiff pice of hard cardboard to fit inside the frame. Cut 4 pieces of wood about 4" long, about 1/8" thick with the ends cut at a 45 degree angle.
Place the points on the felt with the backing & the hard cardboard beneath it, then place the frame with the glass attached over it. Press the individual stikcks at a 45 degree angle into the 4 corners by feel & compressing it so that the sticks hold the hard carboard & the points to the glass.
Presto!

[Aboman]

Riker cases can be fixed to hold points in a vertical wall display, but they are just not as attractive as the hardwood frames. Take a piece of cardboard (or 2) and cut it the size of the riker box bottom, then put it beneath the poly stuff. That will stiffen up the cardboard case enough to hold most points. I screw a hanger on the back then hot glue the inside of the screws so they won't come out.
Hardwood cases are not all the same. Good ones will have the 1" or 2" foam tight against the glass, so if you use a thin color sheet (I use color fabric) points will stay where you put them. However, cheaper made hardwood cases sometimes use a too thin plywood for the back, which will bow out in the center over time. 1/4" ply or thicker is best. Even then, if you mix thicker points with thin points in a frame, the thinner ones may eventually slide (a piece of double-stick tape helps). In a good hardwood case, you can put thick relics and they will stay when hung up. Just make sure the hangers are well fastened and the screws are into something other than drywall- lol!