AIC 53rd Annual Meeting

For decades the Dahlia Sprayer has become one of the most used pieces of equipment in the paper conservation lab.  The Dahlia Sprayer is a trusted tool for treatment work, such as washing, humidifying, and other applications.  Being constructed from chrome plated brass, the sprayer is also known for its durability and reliability.  A conservator may run thousands of gallons of liquid through a heavily used Dahlia Sprayer over the course of the sprayer’s life.  But as ubiquitous as the Dahlia Sprayer is in our work, it also has drawbacks and problems.  After years of consistent use,  this expensive sprayer can stop working or fail to operate at optimal performance.  This can happen for many reasons, from hard water buildup to degraded O-rings, resulting in leaking, poor misting, or malfunctioning.  Fortunately, many of these issues can be addressed and aren’t difficult to fix.  Parts are easily available, and maintenance isn’t complicated.  This short tip talk will discuss the most common maintenance challenges with the Dahlia Sprayer, how to prevent these issues from happening and how to repair the Dahlia Sprayer when they do occur.