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I'm going to attempt to clean up and glue the stromatolite I posted about the other day (yes, its a stromatolite). This will be my first rock gluing adventure. I've read several threads here, and watched a bunch of youtube vids. None of them really focuses on the actual process of consolidating unbroken rocks that are starting to come apart with a network of baby cracks. Please help? I have paraloid pellets andsuperglue (liquid form). I assume one goes along the crack with a dropper or brush and the glue magically gets down into the crack by gravity or capillary action? Is there a way to tell if it was effective (without actually trying to torque the rock at the crack)? How about removing the visible "seam" ? For larger pieces with multiple hairline cracks do you treat them one by one or something else? Some of this rock's "domes" are also loose. I'll do those with gel superglue once the base is stabilized. I might decide to make a vertical cut and maybe polish a face. Is that even possible with a rock trying to break apart? Feel free to answer the unasked questions too, and bonus points if you know of a video that zeros in on consolidation of a weak but unbroken samples. Thanks!

I love the process of discovery, removal and cleaning of fossils. I enjoy just looking through my picture of them as they see daylight for the first time. So, in that thought (and since I'm stuck at work and cant be in my prep lab) I thought I would share the piece I have been working on lately. This is a rib head of Edmontosaurus as uncovered and before removal. Hell Creek fm, Butte Co, South Dakota. Below on the right you can see a main rib section just started to be uncovered. The main section was actually found first, and then the rib head was found as I began removing the covering matrix. The the rib head as best as could clean by manual methods. You can see it has large glued-matrix cracks, and the surface has a "dull" appearance caused by micro matrix and glue filling the details. You can also see the extensive pre-deposition erosion with lots of cancellous tissue exposed. This is after air-abrasion with bicarb. I had to use an air-scribe to remove tough bits of CA and matrix. The back side (not shown) had a large area (almost all of it) covered with CA. I had to use acetone on Q-tips and a dental scraper to clean most of it off. Although it seemed that after treatment, even if a layer remained, it was fairly easy to blast off with the bicarb. Although a lot more natural detail is now present, so is the extent of erosion and cracking. Before the last step, I applied a good amount of PVA consolidate to help solidify the structure. I also worked down matrix that was glued inside the large cracks. I didnt remove it, just cleaned it down so there was room for the putty. The CA-matrix mix is a good stabilizer so I didnt see the need to remove it completely, especially since I probably would have split the fossil on accident. Then I began filling the cracks and holes with PaleoSculp. Lastly I put a layer of putty inside the "overhang" that was so badly damaged. I know there is a lot of artistry in applying epoxy putty, texturing, etc. I just happy to get a solid layer without breaking off a section of that thin crown. If you compare the first 2 images with last 2, you'll see a "finger" of bone sticking off right end, to the side. Thats a bit of that "crown" ridge. I removed it and I'm cleaning and separating to bits so they can be glued back in place correctly. A tiny detail, but since I have it, I felt I should keep it intact. I gave a lot of thought to recreating the missing tubercle (a bump off the top of the curve), but they change size and shape with different rib placement. I also wanted to recreate the missing tip of the head. But in the end I opted for "less is more" and decided to leave it as found. The next prep will be the rib main section. It doesnt have the exposed inner bone, but its highly fractured so I will have to separate lots of pieces, clean the matrix out before gluing back together. I'm really worried about its structural integrity, so I will probably blast the surface clean then consolidate before I begin working the cracks.

I am looking specifically for a preference in use as a consolidant for Verts in Whiteriver formation matrix.