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Found 13 results

  1. hadrosauridae

    DIY compressed air dryer

    My last post about the setup of my fossil workshops for a while.... In this video I show how I constructed a MONSTER, DIY air dryer for the compressed air system in my fossil prep workshop. Just as a caveat, don't do this yourself, its a terrible idea, don't try this at home, your mileage my vary.
  2. I decided that I had put it off for long enough, so recently I torn apart my work and rebuilt it at a proper working height. I also built a test blast box out of cardboard in order to better evaluate the usage with a boom-arm microscope. And lastly, my new Swift S7 microscope arrived!
  3. hadrosauridae

    prep box build

    OK prep gurus, I come with a question. What is (or is there) a preferred height for the table top a blast-box sits on? My HF sandblasting cabinet has served me well for my micro abrasion preps, but the time has come that I need a single work station I can both scribe and blast in. I'm going to have to tear down my current work bench anyway to do this, and I think it is a little too high. So do you have a preference for the height?
  4. Thomas.Dodson

    DIY Dust Collection System

    I've received a couple requests for more information/instructions on how my DIY dust collection system works so I decided to write this guide. First, a crude diagram to help understand how it works. The idea is for water to act as a filter before dust even gets to the shop vac filter. It keeps the filter almost entirely clean and prevents dust from prematurely killing the motor. It's also a lot easier to clean up as you just dump the dirty water. The setup is simple and as long as the general process goes like this it is fine but I'll walk through how I built my current system. I use a two bucket system because the added height and volume allows for the operation of more powerful vacuums without sucking up the filter water. There are also similar systems available on sites like Youtube but the basic premise is the same. I remember seeing a clear one which was cool but I had the buckets I used for mine lying around already. You can build your own on the cheap with the following stuff. Required Materials 1x Bucket with sealing lid (Ideally a twist-lock lid) 1x Bucket without lid 1x PVC Elbow slip female to threaded male (1-1/4”) 1x PVC Pipe (1-1/4”) length varies but a 32" section gives you plenty. 1x Filter Pad (optional) Required Tools Drill with 1 1/4” hole drill bit Strong epoxy such as Gorilla Glue Step 1. Gather your 2 buckets. I like the rigid twist lock tops since it doesn't bend the pipe hole when you remove the lid like those other sealing lids on buckets do. I used an old chlorine tablet bucket I had around for the bucket with lid. Any ordinary 5 gallon bucket works for the top. Step 2. 2 holes are drilled into the bottom of the bucket without the lid. This will be the intake and outtake of the dust collection system. Step 3. Multiple holes are drilled into the lid of the bucket to accommodate air flow. One of these holes needs to line up with a hole on the bucket without the lid because the intake pipe will be threaded through them both. The multiple holes are under the filter pad (see Step 4.) Step 4 (optional). I like to silicone a disposable filter pad I cut into a circle over the other holes. This is just an added precaution against water leaving the dust collection system. The idea is air will flow through while a random splash of water will mostly be deflected or find it more difficult to make it to the top bucket. Step 5. Combine the buckets. Use a strong epoxy to combine the lidless bucket with the lid of the twist-lock bucket. I used gorilla glue epoxy. Mind the alignment of the intake pipe holes so you can thread the pipe in later. Allow the epoxy to properly cure and dry. The end result of this step is the lid of the bottom bucket and the top bucket as one piece. Step 6. Attach the elbow to one end of the PVC pipe length. PVC glue can be used but isn't really necessary. Cut the length of PVC pipe to the height of both buckets so the intake pipe rests an inch or two off the bottom of the bottom bucket and thread it through the holes. I like to allow this gap at the bottom so larger chunks of rock don't get stuck between the pipe and the bottom. Sometimes I vacuum chunks of matrix directly into the dust collector for disposal. I put a silicone ring around where the elbow sits on top but depending on suction power and how tightly fitting the pipe is this usually isn't necessary. It doesn't hurt though. The system is now complete. The vacuum hose has the regular attachment pushed firmly into the outtake hole. A separate hose connects the intake pipe elbow to the blast cabinet through a slip fit vacuum attachment. The top assembly comes off with the twist-lock and the dirty water is dumped at replaced when necessary. Here's a picture of dirty water after preparation. Operating notes: The working water level varies by vacuum power but you want the water level high enough to cover the bottom of the intake pipe by an inch or 2. If your water level is too high you'll find the vacuum will suck some water up until it gets to a stable water level. As long as the intake pipe is still below the water level this is fine. Hopefully this clears some things up. If anything is still unclear or there are any questions I'll do my best to respond.
  5. My fossil prep has so far been limited to hand tools - brushes, needles in pin vises, sharp blades, and a rotary Dremel for sanding and polishing. I’ve been using the Dremel outside with an N95 mask and eye protection. I’d like to be able to work inside on rainy days and in the winter (I live in Iowa, so it gets pretty cold). Right now, to move inside, I would need some sort of cabinet to handle the dust I kick up from the Dremel. But thinking ahead, I’d like the cabinet to be able to handle air abrasives also. I’m deciding between making my own cabinet and buying one. I like the look of the Vaniman Problast cabinet, but it seems to handle only media 25 microns and up. I think this precludes using baking soda, unless it’s possible to mod the cabinet. The Vaniman cabinet also seems to recycle the media, which wouldn’t be what I want for getting rid of dust from my Dremel work. So, I guess my questions are: Do I need to decide between a cabinet that recycles media and one that clears it all away? If I do decide to build my own cabinet, does anyone have a recommendation for how to do this? what questions am I not asking that I should be? Thanks much.
  6. Dinobot

    Display stands

    Hi after seeing a few posts on here for display stands @snolly50, I figured i would try my hand at it I went more steam punk industrial if thats a thing haha. Used a couple pieces of wood I found in the garage (spruce) stained it with a jacobean stain. Bought 1/4 round steel bar and bought a pipe bender of Amazon. For the bear paw I used a bit of metal wire aswell and furniture felt pads for the base :)....its not perfect but I'm happy with the result. I know the femur is off center im waiting for my wife's cricut machine to come it so I can make a label for it!
  7. I am making some wooden framed sifters with a diameter of about 16x14"- and am trying to decide if I want to mount handles to them. Do you like handles on your fossil sifters (for creek use)?
  8. MrBones

    Pringle can container

    Hello, I am not completely sure if this is the right thread to post this in, but some of you might find this helpful. Eat too many Pringles? Well why not reuse the cans? 1. Find a can, then cut it so that it is a few milimeters deeper than you want the container to be (about 0.5 cm deeper).
  9. Does anyone here use a trolling motor with their kayak while fossil-hunting? If so, how did you mount the motor to your yak? I have a "Lifetime" brand kayak with a flat back on it. They sell a metal bracket to mount a small motor that straps on to the back of the yak. Unfortunately, the bracket is almost $200 - about double the cost of the trolling motor I am considering. While I might be able to convince the wife that a $99 trolling motor (plus $50 battery) is necessary, I doubt I can push my luck and drop another $200 on a bracket that is basically $10 worth of stamped steel and a couple of $2 straps. Honestly, even if I had the cash, I wouldn't drop it on something that probably costs $20 to make. I'm more of a DIY guy. So, how did you mount your motor?
  10. Found this video on Youtube, and thought it was pretty ingenious. I like the DIY blaster box idea, as well. Thought it might be an option for those of us who cannot break the bank to do our own fossil prep. This has given me some ideas to try out. Hope this helps someone out. Good luck!
  11. Hi, I've just struck up a new interest in fossils (thanks Thermopolis, WY!) and I want to share it with my nephews (6 of them!). I know the fossil sorting kits you buy don't have the most exciting of specimens (Ammonite, brachiopod, clam, coprolite, coral, crinoid stem, crinoid star, dinosaur bone, gastropod, orthoceras, petrified wood, sea urchin, shark teeth, stingray teeth, and fish vertebrae), but I thought it would be a fun start if I bought a pack of them to make some DIY dig kits. The recipe I found for it is 1 part plaster of paris, 1 part water, 2 parts sand, though I'm open to other suggestions if someone knows a better mix! http://longlivelearning.com/2012/11/homemade-geology-dig-kit/#comment-164564 A few questions: Will the plaster mix damage the fossils? What is the best way to clean off the excess plaster once the kids dig them out? I've heard vinegar, is that safe/will it work? Can you recommend some other inexpensive but interesting fossil types that I could buy to mix in? Anyone have fossil/dinosaur/prehistoric life book recommendations for ages 4 - 9?
  12. KimTexan

    DIY Sifting Screen

    I need to go back out to the bison site and sift for the feet bones and fragments and whatever else I may find. I looked on Amazon to see what they had, but they were ridiculously priced. This was one of the cheaper ones. It is 22 x 11 inches. Mine is 22 x 15 inches. I asked around about people who might have a screen. I determined I could build one for the cost of gas to go get it. I don’t watch DIY TV shows. I don’t watch TV unless it’s with my kids. Granted, it may not be fancy or pretty, but it will be functional. This is a really simple project if you have the tools, material and time. My sifter is for sifting for bones and bone fragments. But if you’re sifting for stuff in rivers or for shark teeth, this would work, but you’d need a smaller size mesh. I went to Home Depot to get a piece of lumber. I chose a 2.5” x 3/4” x 8’ piece. I paid $1.88 I think. I have a Toyota Camry - not exactly the lumber carrying car, but the back seats fold forward so I folded one forward and slid the piece in the trunk. The end reached up to my gear shift by the console. Tools and Materials Electric drill 1/8” drill bit Jig saw and blade 1.5” wood screws 1” nails 19 gauge wire mesh 1/2 inch, 24” x 15” Tin snippers Hammer Pliers 2.5” x 3/4” x 8’ piece of wood Ruler or measuring tape pen or pencil I had everything, but the right size wood. So the screen basically cost me $1.88 since I had all the other stuff on hand. Plus about 45-60 minutes of time, most of which was messing with the screen. The screen I had was 24 inches wide. I wanted to fold the wire edges up on the inside of the frame so the edges wouldn’t snag, scrape, cut or gouge me, my car or clothes. So I determined I wanted my frame to be 22” long x 15” wide so it would be able to fit in my large backpack. I laid the wood out on the floor and measured 22” and drew a line across the width of the wood. I repeated that and then measured 15” and drew lines for that times 2. I’d needed to make 4 cuts. I took my jig saw outside to my patio and laid the lumber across the arms of a patio chair to make a makeshift sawhorse. I cut along each of the 4 lines I’d drawn. I came inside and drilled two holes in each end of the 15” pieces. I pre-drilled so that I didn’t end up splitting the wood since it is a bit narrow. I removed the drill bit to put in a Phillips screwdriver bit. I put the screws in and drove the tips out the other side, just barely poking out, maybe 2-3 mm. I lined up one end of the 15” pieces with the end of a 24” piece. I took my hammer and gave the end of the 15” piece with screws in it a tap to make the screws leave an indentation on the end of the 24” piece so I’d know where to drill. I did this for all 4 ends keeping straight which end would match up with which piece. The piece I used to hammer had to be the end I would screw in so the holes would align perfectly with the screws. I swapped out the Phillips tip for the drill bit. I drilled the 8 holes. I then switched back to the Phillips tip and screwed in the 8 screws. In maybe 20 minutes I had my frame made. Making the 16 drill holes is what took the longest for the frame building. My drill is cordless and the battery was running a little low so it wasn’t super powerful. Here is the frame. I am bad about doing these projects indoors and on my rugs. I don't want to damage the wood floors and it was below freezing outside. So, I have sawdust on the rug. I got my roll of 19 gauge wire and measured out 15”. Since the wire is like a grid it made it easy to follow the lines and cut the wire. The wire mesh is unwieldy though. The tin snippers are pretty powerful so cutting through the wire wasn't hard at all. It was the trying to bend it out of the way as I cut it so that I didn't gouge myself with the sharp ends of the wire. Here are the tin snippers cutting the wires. They worked really well. After I cut the wire then I cut the edges so that I could fold them in to fit inside the box. You can see the cut 2 squares in. I folded the screen up to a 90 degree angle 3 squares on the end and 1 square on the side. I tried bending the wire a few different ways. I tried laying under the edge of the frame and pulling it at a 90 degree angle. That kind of worked, but didn't get the 90 degree angle I wanted. I ended up using a pair of vice grips to bend it to the 90 degree angle. I worked quite well and was easy to bend. Like this: Once I got all the edges bent to a 90 degree angle more or less I pushed the screen into the frame. Then to fix it in place I nailed in 1 inch nails maybe 1/3 to 1/2 of the way and then hammered over at a 90 degree angle to pin the wire in place. A staple gun would have been so much easier, but I don't have one of those. You can see my nails holding the wire in place, folded over. I think the screen part took me maybe 30 minutes, longer than cutting the wood and drilling holes to building the frame. This is my finished screen. Nothing fancy, but sturdy and hopefully functional. I might add some little metal handles on the ends. I hope to make it out to the bison site tomorrow. My daddy is not on TFF, but I'd still like to thank him for teaching me how to do so many things. Being able to build or repair stuff seems to be becoming more of a lost art. People don't seem to know how to do things anymore. Bless my dad for taking the time to teach me and insist I sit and watch him fix or build things. I did not always want to, but I am so thankful he insisted. It has benefited me enormously throughout my life and as a home owner. He also made me go fix stuff too. I didn't have to know how to do it before starting. I just had to learn and do it. He had me rebuild a carburetor once when I was maybe a sophomore in high school. I'd never seen it or done anything like it before, but he had taught me enough for me to wing it. I did it and it worked great after I rebuilt it.
  13. I was wondering if anyone here has made any modifications to their kayaks with the purpose of fossil-hunting in mind? Having just received a new tandem kayak, I find it lacking in attachment points for gear. It has a good amount of cargo space, but most of it is inside the hull and only accessible through two, 6-inch ports. So, you can only put small-diameter objects into the hull storage. During my previous hunting trips on a single kayak, I always found myself a little short here or there on storage space for my gear : backpack, shovel, screen, probe/walking stick, machete, loot bag, drinks/consumables, and the usual keys/wallet/phone/etc. The result is always a kayak that resembles something out of the Beverly Hillbillies : stuff awkwardly strapped to every surface and poking out in all directions. So, after looking all over the web at various websites about kayaks, building kayaks, fishing with kayaks, etc, I have yet to see anything closely related to fossil hunting. Some of the modifications made for fishing could prove useful, but I am curious if my fellow fossil-hunters here have done anything to their own boats with an eye towards improving the fossil hunting experience.
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