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Found 16 results

  1. oilshale

    How do you prep at home?

    I would like to start a new thread: How do you prep at home? I hope there will be some interesting tricks, methods and equipment shared. Everyone is invited and encouraged to post their equipment, their experiences, their solutions to problems, and their preparation tricks here. Let me start with my equipment. We had an oil heater in the basement and an oil tank about 3000L in size. After the tubing in the boiler room burst twice in 25 years and the room was flooded with smelly diesel oil, we decided in 2016 to install a groundwater heat pump and scrap the oil heating including tank. I immediately took the opportunity, occupied the room and set up my sandblasting equipment there. I use two sandblasting units: on the right is my main DIY unit that I built a few years ago – the design instruction can be found here: On the left is the small unit that I actually rarely use. I operate the small unit with iron powder that I have sieved over 45µm. This very fine iron powder trickles somewhat badly, therefore a magnetic vibrator is installed under the blasting agent tank. In the large unit I use almost only iron powder, which I sieved over 150µm. Here, too, I have installed a vibrator, but not a magnetic vibrator, but a turbine vibrator driven by compressed air. With the large unit, I can work for longer than two hours and then I need a break anyway. Using a foot switch, a solenoid valve and a pneumatic cylinder that squeezes off the hose to the blasting nozzle, I can interrupt the blasting flow almost instantly without a lot of abrasive running down. Iron powder is more expensive than bicarbonate, but since I can recover it, it is cheaper in the long run. I got myself 25kg of iron powder in 2016 - that will still last for years. For recovery, I use the two cyclones on the left. I blow the exhaust air into the open air. I have installed strong permanent magnets in front of the intake opening of the cyclones . Since the chamber IS very large and most of the iron powder sediments beforehand, almost nothing gets into the cyclones - only rock dust. To clean the chamber from time to time, I use an electromagnet to conveniently collect the iron powder. With the electromagnet, I can also easily separate the rock dust from the iron powder. Some rock dust is carried away by the iron, but most of it remains when I switch on the electromagnet. And when I repeat the procedure with the electromagnet several times, the iron powder is almost free of rock dust. Of course, since I can recover over 95% of the iron powder, I have to sift it frequently. This was too exhausting and boring for me. I have therefore built myself an automatic sieving unit. The sieves stand on a plywood board, which is mounted on four springs and can swing freely. The board is set in motion by a turbine vibrator driven by compressed air. Within a few minutes the material is sieved. So that I do not have to watch the whole time, I have built a mono-stable trigger circuit, which automatically switches off the solenoid valve after 10 min (the grey box in the picture below). Within a few minutes, the material is sieved. So I do not have to pay attention all the time, I have built a simple circuit (mono-stable trigger circuit) for myself, which automatically switches off the solenoid valve for the turbine vibrator after about 10 min. The sieves are from China, not exactly the best quality, but quite sufficient for my purposes and available at a tolerable cost. When sandblasting, I always work under a microscope. I bought my Olympus microscope cheap from Malaysia via the internet (at that time the method of quality control was changed in the semiconductor factories and the microscopes were discontinued). To achieve a sufficient working distance, I use Barlow lenses. I have a whole set of them. With a 0.25x attachment lens I achieve a working distance of about 40 cm, but mostly Barlow lenses with a magnification factor of 0.3 or 0.4 and working distances of 18 to 35 cm are sufficient. For illumination I simply put two 50W LED lamps on the glass plate - then I don't need the ring light on the microscope. The X-ray unit on the right side I found on a scrap pile and repaired it. I have to develop the X-ray images myself, but I can still do that from times when there were no digital cameras (you can tell that I am almost a fossil myself...). The X-ray machine is operated from another room for safety reasons. For simple images, the device is still suitable - for better pictures I can go to Munich to the paleontology department there (but then I have to beg a little). The compressor was too loud for me, I installed it in another room and moved a rigid compressed air line into the former boiler room (now prep room). Nevertheless, I regularly use hearing protectors (I can always say I didn't hear my wife calling me). I make a lot of effort to produce dry air - as you can see on the pictures, I have three water separators connected in series (separators with 5µm, 1µm and 0.1µm pore size). Since then, I have had no more problems with clumped abrasive and blocked nozzles. If, exceptionally, I want to use bicarbonate as a blasting medium, I have to clean the blasting chamber completely before and afterwards. Bicarbonate attacks the iron powder and it starts to rust. This wouldn't be too bad in itself, but it reduces the flowability of the powder noticeably. Sometimes I use the box when I work with my pneumatic pens, but for that I actually built a smaller, simple preparation box (without suction). As blasting nozzles, I usually use Renfert IT nozzles with nozzle openings between 0.6 and 1.2mm. As a rule of thumb, you can use "nozzle opening should be about 8 times the grain size". So, for the 150µm iron powder, I use a 1.2mm nozzle. When blasting, I rarely work with high pressure, usually 2 or 3 bar or less is sufficient for my substrates. In the meantime, I also make the nozzles myself from tungsten carbide tubes. Complete blasting pens with a nozzle opening of 1.2mm (and only 1.2mm) can also be bought cheaply via Aliexpress.
  2. Just curious what everyone uses to carry their new found fossils while hunting.
  3. Hello Everyone, I am brand new to fossil preparation and just ordered a Zoic Paleotech Velociraptor II to get started. I have an older DeWalt portable oilless compressor that is more than capable of driving the unit. My understanding is that the Velociraptor II shipped with an inline filter, is this enough or should I be adding an air filter and dessicant? If I need an additional air filter, what micron level should I filter down too? Any recommendations on filters/dessicants? I will eventually be getting a 2 stage 80 gallon oiled compressor but not for a while. Cheers, Andrew
  4. MaritLage

    Essential Gear

    What equipment do you consider to be essential gear ? If you had to make an emergency helicopter trip to a dig site , what would you have in your rucksack ?
  5. I have been prepping for nearly 7 years and work on private contracts. I used to work in a museum where they have been using the same methods since mid-2000s so I was taught to prepare using the techniques and tools that they taught me with (and developed my own skills for micro-preparation), namely just using a pneumatic scribe (ME-9100, CP9361, MJ) and a microscope. I've been curious about chemical prep, and was wondering if someone could explain to a complete newbie some of the ins and outs of the method? Or direct me to any forum threads/good websites that explain it. I want to broaden my abilities and also find out if there are any modern developments, besides just buying a new scribe, to preparation as a whole (not just mechanical). I've also never tried sandblasting but wasn't sure if that would be useful. Basically I want to know when it's appropriate to use chemicals, pneumatic tools and sandblasting. Any insights from fellow preppers would be appreciated! Just for a bit more information I primarily work on mammal-like reptiles (therapsids) from the Permian-Triassic boundary from the Karoo area in South Africa. Disclaimer: I must admit I haven't had the chance to search the forum extensively for this information so I'm sure there must be info I just haven't found it yet
  6. Hi all, So normally, the weekend of 19-20-21 May I was gonna go with my family to Cap-Blanc-Nez (in France) with the WTKG, but unfortunately that excursion got canceled because, aside from me, only one other person applied! Luckily, as it is the place where my dad proposed to my mom (and therefore this area means a lot to them), and they would like to go back, we decided to go there next week (7-8-9 May)! We already booked a B&B in Wissant for the 3 nights. I am looking forward to it! So, as preparation for the upcoming trip, I am turning towards the most experienced fossil collectors I know: you guys on TFF! I've never hunted in Cap-Blanc-Nez before, so I am a complete amateur as to how the hunting there works. Hopefully some of you have been there already (or been to similar locations) and can give me tips. I have the following questions: What equipment/tools are needed? What are the best layers to find what fossils? What are the most effective hunting techniques? What specific beaches/areas are the most abundant fossil-wise? (Wissant is in between Cap-Blanc-Nez and the other nearby location Cap-Griz-Nez, so if you would more recommend the latter, let me know too!) What other tips do you have in general? I will, of course, make an extensive trip report here on TFF after the hunt is done Thanks in advance already! Best regards, Max
  7. Looking to buy a stereo microscope to use with an air scribe and air eraser (in a blast cabinet) on echinoids and ammonites. This one seems very reasonably priced, but I have no idea what to look for in terms of quality. Will the image be blurry? Will I not be able to find any parts for this? https://www.vevor.com/collections/stereo-microscope/products/vevor-binocular-stereo-microscope-zoom-microscope-7x-45x-dual-arm-boom-with-led (price is about $250) If needed, I'll go ahead and buy an AMScope (dual boom, trinocular, and light ring) which comes to $576.94 on their site (seems to be the same price as online for the same model)
  8. I would really like to start prepping fossils (at least sometime next year) and I need some equipment that is not very loud. I am on a 200-300 dollar budget. I don't know if you can tell me this or not but does anyone know where I can get unprepped fossils, because I don't live in an area with very many unprepped fossils. Thank you in advance.
  9. So I’m on the verge of moving to a new house where I’ll be fortunate enough to have my own space for a fossil prep lab (and display room, but that’s for another discussion). This space is a completely hollowed out husk, doesn’t even have lighting installed at the moment. To those of you with fossil prep labs of your own, knowing what you know now, if you were making a lab from the ground up, what things would you suggest? Not just big stuff, but little things. What kind of overhead lighting? Floor padding you found useful? At the moment I have an air compressor and a wall mounted dust collector, my goal is to at least get an air abrasion cabinet going. Am I better off putting something together from a bunch of different pieces of equipment or just spending the money on an all in one cabinet? I’m down to DIY stuff that’s not crazy technical when it makes sense, but also understand some things are better to spend a little more on. I’ve been primarily dealing with softer shale material, but occasionally deal with limestone as well. It’s a large question I know, but any help or piece of individual wisdom from those who do these things at home would be greatly appreciated.
  10. hokietech96

    Double Decker Sifter

    Hi. This double decker sifter was inspired after spending the day with @Searcher78 looking for teeth at Flag Point and also seeing all is cool small teeth from Douglas Point. I have made you normal size 1/4 inch sifter and a made a smaller 1/4 sifter 12x11. I decided to add another sifter underneath the 1/4 inch to catch the smaller teeth. Because I am limited for time with 3 hour drives from NJ to MD I can empty the tray in the bucket and take it home to search or pick through there. Just thinking out loud. Haha. Anyway the theory is there. Hope it works.
  11. Hey everyone, I've seen this question asked before, but I am looking for something specifically for shark tooth hunting in shallow creeks. As for the knee pads, they will be getting soaking wet. So my concern is that the velcro might not hold. Does anyone have experience with kneeling in a creek with knee pads? Also, I was thinking about some 1.5mm or so neoprene diving gloves, but I absolutely need something that leaves my finger dexterity intact. I'm not getting the gloves for cold water, per se (I live in Florida). It's mainly so I don't cut myself on shards of glass or other sharp objects while I am sifting. I'd like to be able to pick out a small shark tooth from the sifter without having to remove my gloves every time. Thanks in advance!! Sam
  12. Sagebrush Steve

    Field Equipment Checklist

    I'm getting ready to head out on a field trip to Nevada and Utah in a few weeks and thought I should get organized and plan out the fossil collecting equipment I should remember to bring. So I put together a list of items, and I'd appreciate any feedback. I've created categories to cover things for "Fossil Extraction," "Preparation/Packing," "Inspection/Documentation," and "Personal Protection." First thing you might say is "boy, that's a long list." Don't worry, I've already got most of what's on it, and I want this to be the list I work from for future trips as well. I won't take everything on every trip, but I'd like to make sure I'm not missing anything. I want to keep it to mainstream-type items, so I've left off things like rifles, pistols, flamethrowers, etc. And one more thing, I will primarily be hunting for invertebrates, with an occasional trip for Green River fish or similar. This isn't meant to be the list I would use if I was going to hunt for Hell Creek dinosaurs (unlikely!). Here's my current list, tell me what you think: Fossil Hunting Equipment List.pdf
  13. degrbi

    Newbie Prepper

    Hello. I am setting up to finally prepare some of the fossils that have been languishing in my collection in desperate need of exposure. I live within a few miles of one of the premier Devonian formations in the northeast USA, (Hamilton Group) of Penn Dixie fame, and I have always lamented my inability to pull out the best from my finds. I have begun to accumulate equipment. I will list what I have so far, and I am open to suggestions as far as what direction to go from here. Already have: A room, far from the rest of the household, where the noise from the equipment won't ###### everyone off. A garage based compressor, with a line running to said room. A micro dremel, (electric, which was much quieter than the pneumatic one) with numerous bits. A respirator Small shop vac, with various small attachments. An air-line bridge, with three attachment points, one with an adjustable gauge. A good sturdy drafting table, (got lucky on that one) A micro nozzle duster, self-constructed A CP9160 Air Scribe, with 2" and 2.5" sharp needles, as well as the stock needle. (Apparently, very similar to the ARO) Various artist brushes. Okay, here's where I need some help: I need a magnifier with light, and there's absolutely a gajillion of them out there. Suggestion? 5X 10X 20X? LED, Green vs. White glass, etc. I also know I should be looking into a pen type sand blaster, but I don't have the resources to sink into the system, the air handler, and the glove box etc, but would be willing to take suggestions for when I can afford it. Thank you for your help, Derek
  14. Therizinosaurus

    best sifter to use?

    I have only been on one fossil hunting trip before and i used other peoples equipment. I was wondering if there's a preferred brand or type of sifter to use? I am mainly going after sharks teeth and shells if that is important. I will be searching on a sandy beach.
  15. DevonianDigger

    S. S. White 6500 Rebuild

    I figured this might be a good thread in case it comes up for anyone else in the future. I recently purchased a used S. S. White 6500 model micro sandblaster unit for my workshop, which from here on out, I will likely refer to as a lab, as it now contains a higher dollar value of equipment than my media production office. Upon arrival, I discovered that it was not only pretty well used, but very poorly maintained, and was in fact, not functional. Since I got it for an absolute steal on the auction site, it's still worth every penny. After disassembling the unit, which I didn't have the foresight to photograph, I was fortunate enough to get on the phone with Joel, the president of Airbrasives, the subsidiary of S. S. White that manufactures these units. Joel was extremely nice, very talkative, and exceptionally helpful. We spent more than 90 minutes on the phone discussing the specific model, the parts that tend to wear out first, and what to look out for in terms of repairs and potential future pitfalls of maintenance. I figured that since I have had this experience and will be rebuilding this seized unit over the next few months, it might be a good project to share in case anyone else is able to get a similar bargain.
  16. I am an architecture student from India and my research dissertation and thesis are based at the Raiyoli site in Gujarat, India, known for its vast nesting grounds and several sauropod egg specimens discovered through the early eighties. It was also here that the Rajasaurus Narmedensis was first discovered. My design aims to create a new system including a live dig site, preparation labs, casting/moulding labs and also serving as a fossil repository for the secure storage of the fossils excavated at the site since no such facilities are present throughout the country. I would like to know the appropriate methods for categorization of specimens at such a site where a vast number of specimens, primarily eggs, petrified wood and a few bones have been found. Is there an existing method of categorization based on the size of the specimens and the equipment/tools required for the same? P.S.- My knowledge in palaeontology is limited to the questions relating to the spatial requirements for such facilities.
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