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Hello again! I have done my first experiment with Butvar 76 after drying my Green River fish fossils for 15 days. For this first experiment I selected a thin partially complete Diplomystus from the lower quality end of my haul last month. I gently blew compressed air over the fossil which had been picked lightly with a dental tool, then applied my mix of Butvar-76 and acetone. I found different recommendations for the ratio, and probably used to much powder in my solution because as you can see, upon returning from work I found that small bubbles were trapped inside. I assume the surface tension was too high to allow them to escape as a result of using too thick Butvar. For my next experiment I will thin it out, and brush on thin coats and apply them one at a time instead of thickly applying it. I also noticed that some of the stone dust washed into the solution above the fossils midsection in the depressions between the thin bones. Feel free to critique my first attempt and give any advice.

I am a complete novice to everything fossil-related. My family found an awesome fossilized asterotrygon on a huge beautiful slab with a couple of knightia. (That's my research talking.} I see that the overwhelming majority recommend butvar in a solvent, so that is my plan. It seems that all the posts refer to brushing it on. It seems, to me, like this would displace the tiny bones. ? I was assuming that spraying it on would be better. Could someone give me some advice on that? Also, I don't want the slab to split (it certainly has several splits on the edges.) Do I just apply the butvar to the fossils or also to the sandstone to stabilize and seal it? I included a photo to show the size of the sandstone slab.