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My first bone prep...


Scribbler

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Hey,

 

Others viewing this section regularly will see my current project is a mosasaur skull, I have however been splitting my time between this and finishing my last (first real) prep project which has been dragging a little; this fibula.

 

I bought this off a top chap (Ryan at Hell Creek Dinosaurs) who discovered it on one of his trips last summer, but decided it wasn't one for his collection.  It was covered in a horrible chalk/clay coating which (as Ryan predicted) was the stuff of nightmares to get off.  That said, with dark nights and miserable weather in the UK, time was something I have had on my side recently, so three months later, here's the finished item.  In reality, it's been finished for a while, but I only got round to making the display stand yesterday and wanted to show the finished project.

 

It's about 50cm long and comes from the Hell Creek formation.  Ryan suggested it could be a Triceratops or a Hardosaur (Edmontosaurus one assumes) and although I'm erring on the latter, will admit I'm not 100% sure, so please let me know if you have a clearer opinion!  :zzzzscratchchin:

 

Given this is my first 'real' prep job, would love to know thoughts and/or improvements I could make - It came in six sections, they were cleaned using a variety of tools (engraver, Dremel, dentist pics and various other hand tools/abrasives).  End of each section stabilised and strengthened with CA, glued together with epoxy and finally coated in PVB to protect.

 

Showing pics from find (Ryan very kindly agreed I could use. Sir, if you're a member of this forum and happen to see this, thanks again!) all the way through to now (as at yesterday in fact)


Cheers

Dave

 

 

Hadrosaur Fibula find 1.jpg

Hadrosaur Fibula find 4.jpg

Hadrosaur Fibula 9.jpg

Hadrosaur Fibula 5.jpg

Hadrosaur Fibula 4.jpg

Hadrosaur Fibula 3.jpg

Hadrosaur Fibula 2.jpg

Hadrosaur Fibula 1.jpg

Hadrosaur Fibula 8.jpg

Hadrosaur Fibula 7.jpg

Hadrosaur Fibula 6.jpg

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I’m not a “bone guy” so I can’t give you much advice on prep techniques, but I can say that your after pictures look a lot better than your before pictures. Looks like a good job to me. The stand is awesome as well! :) 

The good thing about science is that it's true whether or not you believe in it.  -Neil deGrasse Tyson

 

Everyone you will ever meet knows something you don't. -Bill Nye (The Science Guy)

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Everything you did looks smashing ( no offense to the shattered bone! ).

I like the layout if you den as well. Can you post a pic of the bones final resting place in your house?

 

 

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Very nicely done prep job (and stand) :) 

Opalised fossils are the best: a wonderful mix between paleontology and mineralogy!

 

Q. Where do dinosaurs study?

A. At Khaan Academy!...

 

My ResearchGate profile

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Thanks for the comments guys, much appreciated.  Clearly I should have posted in the "Display Stands" section, instead of prep  :heartylaugh:

 

Would definitely still love to hear from someone with has a view on what type of beastie would have had this in its leg 70-odd million years ago... 

 

CD - Will take some more pics when I get home later.  It's probably not in the ideal place now, but is at least out the way of kids' destructive little paws!

 

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Caldigger - Here's where the final item is currently resting.  Not ideal (bit cluttered/obstructed by TV), but the alcove does appear to be made for it  :rolleyes:

 

 

Hadrosaur Fibula location 1.jpg

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My preference is here, but it is perilously exposed to snotty kids and their wandering fingers...

 

 

Hadrosaur Fibula location 2.jpg

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20 hours ago, Scribbler said:

Would definitely still love to hear from someone with has a view on what type of beastie would have had this in its leg 70-odd million years ago... 

It may be wise to post another thread in the Fossil ID section if you specifically want comments regarding ID. ;) 
 

The piece does fit in the alcove rather well, but I agree it would look really nice on the table with the skull on the wall. You could also add more fossils, as you get them, for a nice group display. 
 

I understand you all too well about snotty kids and wandering fingers. All of mine are locked in glass display cases for just this reason, but I would prefer they be on open shelves or table tops. 

The good thing about science is that it's true whether or not you believe in it.  -Neil deGrasse Tyson

 

Everyone you will ever meet knows something you don't. -Bill Nye (The Science Guy)

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I think you've found the perfect place to display it without unintentional damage ruining all your work.  It looks wonderful! 

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31 minutes ago, FossilNerd said:

I understand you all too well about snotty kids and wandering fingers. All of mine are locked in glass display cases for just this reason

Your kids are all locked in display cases!?  :fear:  It's not a bad idea though, hadn't thought of solving the problem that way round...  ;)

 

Good advice on the ID point.  I'm still fairly new to this and think I saw somewhere that posts should be placed in multiple forums.  Will try not to duplicate too much and only include info necessary for ID-ing.

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