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Beginner's first prep experience; a small Brachipod preparation!
Jaybot posted a topic in Fossil Preparation
Hello y'all, I recently got my Dremel 290, and I haven't actually prepped anything with it yet, as I have just played around with it on a scrap fossil to get a feel for it. I decided to start my first actual prep, and I figured I'd bring y'all along with me as I thought it might help others just starting out by learning from my mistakes (hopefully not too many). Well, here goes. This is a small brachipod I found, and is not very impressive, so I'm not afraid of ruining it. Then again, if this turns out the way I hope, it will be a very attractive desk display piece. Found in Kansas City area, in a roadcut that has the best mineralization I've seen yet here. Some of the shells will be black, and I have found a few that have nice blues and reds. This one is mainly grey. Before leaving town this past week, I was able to get about 30 min in. Started with leveling the matrix around the fossil a bit, then started work on removing matrix from this fossil. Hurts to scribe right through these spines, maybe someday I'll learn how to air abrasion, and be able to save the spines similarly to those spectacular trilobites we've all seen. Leveling the matrix: And getting to work on the shell: Hopefully y'all enjoyed this. I will be posting here as progress is made. Won't be able to work on it until next Monday, see y'all then! Have a great weekend. -
After rebuilding my prep station to accommodate working with my new microscope, the final part was to upgrade my air delivery with a super-sized desiccant filter. I was tired of changing out my desiccant beads 2 - 3 times a day during heavy use, so I made a DIY filter using a home water filter system. Now instead of using 4 ounces of beads, I have 4 pounds! That should finally give me a decent interval between changes.
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So, I just got a "open box" Sumake ST-909 air scribe for 70% off from one of my vendors. It's shipping container and plastic storage box were crushed in transit, and the air line was damaged, but easily replaced. Was curious if any of you are familiar with this this one. I have never heard of them and a quick gander at the Warrior Woman site shows it to be one of the less expensive models on the market. A bit of web stalking and it looks to be a China-based firm that works with Lacme out of France and Shanghai for their pneumatics and compressors. (Odd, I seem to remember Lacme making really good electric fence products...) Anyway, it is a cheapo, probably throw away tool, but I plan to use it to practice my techniques before I get around to tearing up my expensive scribes.
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High guys, I’m thinking of getting a small prep system to keep me occupied as I have some stuff to prep, however I need to keep it cheap, preferably under £200, so far this is what I have, for £99 I have a compressor with stats of 6L OIL FREE 1.2KW 1.5HP 6.5CFM 4000RMp 116PSI and an alloy steel pen needle (£40) 3800rpm Frequency 0.28CFM Air consumption: 0.08(m³/min) Working pressure: 90Psi(maximun) Pen diameter: 18mm Pen length:155mm Air inlet size: 1/4" Weight: 135g ( This has the appearance of an air scribe)if I just want to do light prep is this the right tool though, could I use it as air abrasive for fine details and aside from some dolomite and aluminium oxide, what would I need, to be honest I’ve been very confused despite doing research as up till this point I’ve just used a dremel and pin vice so I’m slightly out of my depth here, any help welcomed (btw all this stuff is brand new as I don’t want anything dangerous)
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I finished the dust collection system in my prep station this morning so I had to put the tools to use and start practicing! In a nutshell, I LOVE AIR TOOLS!! I picked out one of my random BOBs collected over the years from the South Dakota Hell Creek fm. Typical of my digs, this one had a lot of surface CA and matrix adhering to it, but it was about as clean as I could get it by hand.. I started out by cleaning half of it with just the soda blaster. You can see in the picture that it was doing a phenomenal job. I wanted to get a pic that showed the condition before I worked over the entire piece (in case I ruined it LOL). OF course there were some spots that just wouldnt budge. So I started using the air scribe. So amazing! Watching those little stubborn spots and every other bit of matrix just blow away from the tiniest touch of the stylus. I left the associated bone bit attached with its matrix just because. It looks to be from a different animal, possibly some type of theropod as those often have the hard, shiny surfaces. Trying to clean out the exposed marrow was the most challenging. Lots of tiny flakes of it came off during cleaning, but to just look at the fossil you wouldnt know. One thing I did notice was that the media blaster can eat though a lot of soda in a short time! I finished out the piece by conserving it with a coat of PVA.
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Hey guys, Gunna try and do some scribing practice at work but out compressors are set to 100psi. Will this be ok for this tool? Cheers, Troy
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Hi, we stopped at a thrift store and bought a as new Paasche H # and H S# airbrush. It has the side reservoir and two sizes of glass jars and air hose. $3.50. I can use it for my art work. Any one know if this will work with baking soda as a micro abrader for fossil prep? Bicarbonate of soda if there is a difference. Before I try it. Will be more likely to do 2-3 inch fossil hash plates with Crinoids to start. Thanks, Bob
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Hi, I'm looking to purchase an Air Abrasive Tool, preferable online (or in a store that would sell them) I have been looking online but seem to get offers for tire maintenance and electronic cigarettes with dinosaurs on them when I look for "Air Abrasive Tool" on amazon / online So I have a few question for those who are experts to help out someone who has no idea about the tool at all. Any info would be helpful 1. Where can I get my hands on one? Can I go to a hardware store? Or can I buy one online? 2. If I buy one, I will want to use different PSI levels (if I even know what I'm talking about) so I don't damage the fossil when doing minor touch ups. How is the psi level adjusted? 3. Are there any rocks that it will not work on? Particularly the fossils I find are on mud stone and shale. 4. Can I use other abrasive powders such as baking soda which is less dangerous to breathe than aluminum oxide? (of course this would be outside with a mask on anyways) 5. What is the general price range for one that simply gets the job done (not looking for professional work, just trying to lightly expose my fossils from the matrix better)? 6. My girlfriend thinks fossils are utterly boring but would be very interested in using the air pen to touch them up (not sure why) is it possible you could hurt yourself if you accidently slipped and the tool touched you while on? 7. Will I need to buy compressed air cartridges, If so where should I buy them and what brand will fit? if not, how does it become pressurized? 8. Are there any things aside from the air tool that I will need to buy that is not included (other than a mask or fume hood) Anyone who can help point me in the right direction would be very appreciated. Thanks - John
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I have been working on making my own air abrasive unit but the pen section I created it not precise enough being made of plumbing parts. I am curious if any of you have found a somewhat affordable pen. I have only seen tip replacements and pens with the abrasive feeder. Thanks
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Scientific Study on use of Air Abrasion for Fossil Prep
DeepTimeIsotopes posted a topic in Fossil Preparation
I just found this paper on air abrasion for those of us that would like to increase our knowledge and maybe adjust our techniques while using air abrasives. EDIT: SEPARATE LINK TO SOURCE https://palaeo-electronica.org/content/2018/2279-air-abrasive-fossil-preparation -
Christmas came today in the form of a free compressed air filter and desiccant rig. I just need to mount it and replace the desiccant insert. Woohoo! No more clumpy abrasives.
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A few weeks ago I realized it had been a few years since I fired up my little prep lab. I went through a career change and I've been super busy. Decided it's now time to take a little time for myself. So I bought a few unprepped fossils on that auction site and today I finally got to work. I started on this little gal from the Weeks formation and, of course, my air compressor decides it didn't want to come out of retirement and crapped out on me. Now I have to wait until I can get a new one, just as the fever was striking again. Oh well. Here's some pics. I forgot to take a before pic, so I had to screen shot the auction listing. It's the one on the far right. The seller listed it as Modocia whiteleyi.
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Not sure how many folks out there doing their prep in colder parts of the world, but I am looking to get an air drier for my media blaster. I get waaaaaay too much water in my pipes. any sugestions or help is greatly appreciated. Thanks RB
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I could use some help in getting a new air abrasion setup. I ordered a MicronBlaster only to find out that they have closed. Their web page works nothing else does. I now have to jump thru hoops to get my money back. I tried the HF etcher and had no luck getting it to work. Looking for something of better quality without going broke.
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I found this in an air pocket in a limestone slab. Had to chip and cut to attain. Anyone else come across similar finds? If you look at it humorusly it looks like a fish sticking its tongue out and sticking one fin in the air. Anyway thought it was worth posting.
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I am considering adding a second airscibe. I have a chicago right now, but was wondering what a good option would be for detail work?
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I have basic tools for preparation. I tried the Harbor Freight Air Eraser with no luck and I have the Dremel Engraver with assorted points. Right now everything is on hold till I get thru information overload. I have saved enough to purchase one good piece of equipment. I have looked at a lot of stuff and now I need a push. Do I go all out and get a MicronBlaster or is there something everyone likes better?
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