Acorn Meadow Designs
445 Grange Road North Smithfield, RI 02896
Toll Free: 866-765-3833
Tel: 401-765-3833 (Fax 401-633-6142)
PROJECT SUMMARY
Museum Whale Skeleton Support
GOAL:
Design a
support for an 1800 pound whale skull that
would visually blend with the museum’s display of the
complete skeleton.
STARTING POINT:
The specimen was hanging from a mobile gantry crane in the museum hall in the position the supervising biologist determined was anatomically correct. The display design consultant created a full size 1-dimensional cut out of the proposed support pedestal.
SCOPE OF WORK:
Working with chain falls and slings the center of gravity for the skull and the two 300 pound mandibles were found independently. The location for the assembled skull’s center of gravity was calculated and measurements were taken for a form fitting steel cradle to connect the skull to the pedestal. The pedestal was modeled using 3-D CAD software for the designer to review. Detail drawings were then created for steel fabrication by a local shop of the pedestal and the support cradle.
FEATURES:
· After mounting, the skull assembly balanced ideally on the pedestal with a slight intentional bias towards the nose to prevent pressure on the vertebrae.
· Pedestal fabricated from 3/16 steel sheet easily conformed to flowing design.
· Pedestal base sized to securely support display and still fit into only available elevator.
· Hollow pedestal delivered by one man on a hand truck.
TIMING