17 replies to this topic

[Darwin Ahoy]

So...my collection is starting to look a little lazy, just lying there, on those stupid little display holders (you know the ones! the ones used to display plates and such!). While some of these pieces look nice enough like this, I would like to construct some simple (read: easy!) armature for some of my vertebrate pieces...especially elongated ones like my Einiosaurus rib and Hybodus spine.

So, anyone else dabble with this? What materials worked best for you? How did you shape them?

Right now, I'm thinking a simple wood base, and use 1/8" copper to form the armature. It should be relatively easy to shape with a bit of practice. For larger specimens, I'm thinking of using a wood back to it as well, to help support the weight. Anyone have any other suggestions?

[siteseer]

A friend taught himself welding with help from his dad and has made his own stands (metal supports on a wood base he shapes himself and stains with a color that looks good with whatever the color of the fossil). Some dealers hire pro welders for special specimens like skulls.

Darwin Ahoy, on 07 September 2010 - 11:31 PM, said:

So...my collection is starting to look a little lazy, just lying there, on those stupid little display holders (you know the ones! the ones used to display plates and such!). While some of these pieces look nice enough like this, I would like to construct some simple (read: easy!) armature for some of my vertebrate pieces...especially elongated ones like my Einiosaurus rib and Hybodus spine.

So, anyone else dabble with this? What materials worked best for you? How did you shape them?

Right now, I'm thinking a simple wood base, and use 1/8" copper to form the armature. It should be relatively easy to shape with a bit of practice. For larger specimens, I'm thinking of using a wood back to it as well, to help support the weight. Anyone have any other suggestions?

[tracer]

i would either use a metal that was completely non-reactive, or coat it with a completely non-reactive coating so as not to damage the fossil with getting a green/blue oxide on it, etc.

[Darwin Ahoy]

Nothing I have is heavy, so do you think a simple soldering will hold? I definitely do not have the space or equipment for welding!

And tracer, good point. Hadn't thought of that. Is aluminum an option, perhaps? I'd prefer something that can be shaped more easily by hand than steel.

Edited by Darwin Ahoy, 08 September 2010 - 12:26 AM.

[jpc]

A simple way to make a nice stand for some biggish vert stuff is with expandable foam. I don't have time to tell you all about it now, but maybe tomorrow... or the next day. Got some sleeping to do, and a root cananl to sit through tomorrow.

[tracer]

Darwin Ahoy, on 08 September 2010 - 12:23 AM, said:

Nothing I have is heavy, so do you think a simple soldering will hold? I definitely do not have the space or equipment for welding!

And tracer, good point. Hadn't thought of that. Is aluminum an option, perhaps? I'd prefer something that can be shaped more easily by hand than steel.

aluminum oxidizes white, so it wouldn't be quite as much of an issue. if it has the strength you need. i'd probably try to use steel and silver solder it with a hand torch if you don't have access to welding equipment, and then put some finish on it like krylon or something.

[Darwin Ahoy]

I know what foam you're talking about, I think, as I use it extensively in making terrariums. I'm interested to hear how you use it to make fossil stands, though.

Is steel easily shaped by hand? I was thinking perhaps it's a bit too hard to shape without heating. I'm extremely limited on space, so something that doesn't take much to bend would be best.

[Auspex]

Darwin Ahoy, on 08 September 2010 - 12:31 PM, said:

Is steel easily shaped by hand? I was thinking perhaps it's a bit too hard to shape without heating. I'm extremely limited on space, so something that doesn't take much to bend would be best.

Steel can be annealed by heating it red hot, and letting it cool very slowly; this will leave it ductile. You can then heat the finished armature to red hot and quench it quickly in water; this hardens it so as to support a much greater weight.

Copper is just the opposite; slow-cool hardens, quick-quench softens.

[Harry Pristis]

Welding rods are readily bent, oxidation-resistant, and come in slender sizes. If you are going to solder joints, silver solder is much stronger than lead solder.

[Darwin Ahoy]

Harry Pristis, on 08 September 2010 - 03:33 PM, said:

Welding rods are readily bent, oxidation-resistant, and come in slender sizes. If you are going to solder joints, silver solder is much stronger than lead solder.

Ah! That sounds excellent. I happened across some 1/8" steel rod at Home Depot while I was picking up some parts for my Dremel, so I grabbed that, too. If that doesn't work out, I'll check out the welding rods next.

[jpc]

Darwin Ahoy, on 08 September 2010 - 12:31 PM, said:

I know what foam you're talking about, I think, as I use it extensively in making terrariums. I'm interested to hear how you use it to make fossil stands, though.

Here's the quick and short of it. Spray a somewhat even layer of the least expanding foam they have at the local hardware store. Let it set overnight. Clean the nozzle of the can by dropping a few drops of acetone in it. If you use the stuff quickly enough (within weeks), you can re-use it, but I have never been able to re-use it with the straw they give you, even when I clean the straw with acetone. Wrap your fossil in saran wrap with masking tape holding any lose ends and seal all holes... don't want to get foam on your fossil. That would be a bummer. The next day, when the foam is set, place the fossil on the foam. Now you are basically going to fill the gaps between the fossil and the foam with more foam. Put your finger on the nozzle and push. It'll hurt your finger... this is why they give you the straw that you can only use once. You should be able to get a small stream of foam to come out. It probably won't be as puffy as last night. Do not cover the fossil, cuz you want the foam to be below the fossil, and anticipate which way it will expand. This is why you get the least expanding. Let it all set. The next night use a Sharp blade to cut the excess foam away from the fossil. Careful... don't knick the fossil with said sharp blade. Did Imention it should be wicked sharp? Make it so that the stand supports the fossil, but also allows maximum viewing. The last step is to cover the foam in a nice scrap of cloth. You can use pins to tuck corners in and keep the cloth from undoing itself. Oh, and I forgot, I do this on a piece of tough corrugated cardboard. That gives the whole thing rigidity. I have done this for an ichthyosaur rib that is almost three feet long (measured along the curve), for a hadrosaur vert with a foot long neural spine (without it the fossil rested on the tip of the spine and that seemedlke a break just waiting to happen) and a delicate 16 inch long alligator jaw. It is a nice way to stand fossils up, like vertebrae that just want to roll over, or evenammonites (I've never tried it on amm's).

I've also done it upside down (the fossil is upside down, not me) instead of doing the first foam layer. Put the fossil upside down in a sand box, then cover all that with saran wrap, and spary away.

I hope this helps. Maybe next time I do this I'll post pix.

[Auspex]

jpc, on 09 September 2010 - 04:51 AM, said:

Maybe next time I do this I'll post pix.

Yes please
I'd especially like to see one of the finished display.

[Harry Pristis]

What 'jpc' has described is sometimes called a "pillow stand" or "pillow mount." You can make these stands out of materials other than polyurethane foam. I've used Bondo and I've used Sculpta-Mold (plaster with fiber) to make durable stands for fossils big and small.

I've only used the polyurethane foam for caulking. It is messy, and it is difficult to work. It can be very difficult to remove if you make a mistake with it. It deteriorates with time (probably from UV exposure, but it may oxidize as well).

Bondo and craft materials all have some down-side, too. But, they are durable, easy to work, and it's easy to clean up after the project. Using these materials, you can make the stand using one application (mix).

[Harry Pristis]

Here's a pillow stand for an otter jaw. The Stand is made of SculptaMold (plaster based), and was sanded lightly. It has been painted with an acrylic paint.

[Darwin Ahoy]

Finished Round 1. For this, I used my Hybodus fin spine. It's relatively small, it's hollow at the base, and I got an awesome deal on it, in case something went terribly wrong! The metal came out a little more scarred than I wanted it to...I'll have to pad the pliers next time. The soldering is okay, but REALLY did not want to grab onto the metal rounds, so I may re-do it some other time. The wood base also has to be stained, and I want to put rubber caps on the two ends of the armature holding to fossil. All-in-all, I'm pretty happy with it being my first attempt.

So, any suggestions? My main priority, above all, is that the fossil be removed with no harm, and relatively easily. This causes it to be rather loose on the armature. What do you think of mineral tack to help hold it in place? A bit to the support that comes up under the spine would be out of sight, and should hold it in place well enough.

My only other thing is that it may be too high up. I may have to chop the vertical a bit. But the more I look at it, the more I like the height.

Edited by Darwin Ahoy, 09 September 2010 - 09:22 PM.

[Auspex]

Dang! That came out purdy nice

[tracer]

a display stand is very subjective - you just gotta please your own eye with it.

you should be able to find some great videos on youtube of how to silver solder. if everything is done right, it should produce very strong joints. you can use coated pliers to bend the wire to avoid some of the scarring of the metal. i've also got round jawed pliers that i use, and i've ground off and polished the edges of the jaws on regular pliers before too to keep from scarring metal i was bending. if all else fails a strip of leather around the wire should protect it somewhat from the jaws. have fun with your projects...

[jpc]

Hey, that stand came out nice, but in my stupid opinion, I think you are right... it is a bit too high. Great job for a first time.