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Showing results for tags 'soft rock'.
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Not sure what to make of this, came from mix of Cretaceous and QAL, breaks very easily. Thinking it's sedimentary but then wouldn't it be harder?
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- north texas
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As part of my fossil preparation process I have the need to reduce the size of the background rock on some specimens collected in the field. My preferred tool is a 300mm slab saw I acquired a while back made for lapidary work as this has very little vibration. Normally if I use it to cut agate or similar rock I use the cheap home brand baby oil, works a treat, good for the hands and no smell after. On the test piece I did with the softer stone the oil permeated into the rock base and the fossil and cleaning in detergent straight after only got the surface clean. I doubt the baby oil will harm the fossils but suspect it will prevent permanent gluing of damaged material and leaves and oil stain that I do not want. I tried a second piece and painted the surface with paraloid to seal, but the cut edges still stain. So currently I drain the coolant from the saws sump and replace with water cut the fossils and then drain the water from the sump as the water will cause the diamond blade to rust. The question - does anyone know of a coolant that can be used that will not seep into the softer fossils / rock and will not rust the diamond blade? Mike D'Arcy