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Prep intro for a beginner


Hollie Bird

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Ive always enjoyed fossil hunting in local areas however I've never done any prep. work at all to specimes I've brought home.

 

I've two practice pieces singled out to experiment with. (If it goes horribly wrong nothing lost) One a random chunk of lias clay with some bivalves and the other one a little ammonite just peaking out of another lump of jurassic lias clay. The matrix isn't particularly soft or hard with either. 

I have no appropriate tools in my possession however I'm willing to buy some basic things which are necessary.

Any advice would be appreciated.

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Well, you can start very cheap.  A basic pin-vise, set of needles and a lighted magnifying type of lamp.  Although the more money you spend, the faster and easier the prep becomes.  Although be warned, the price escalates exponentially.  If you want to move up powered tools, the cheapest way would be the magnifying lamp and an electric engraver.  Beyond that you have to start looking at large compressors, air-scribes, etc. 

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"There is no shortage of fossils. There is only a shortage of paleontologists to study them." - Larry Martin

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A reciprocating engraver (rather than a vibratory or rotary engraver) is helpful, so long as you do not use for long periods. 

Carbide tipped scribes, dental picks, pin vises, and stone working files can all be helpful.  

There are a number of topics here in the Fossil Preparation Sub-Forum to look through.

Good luck. :) 

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    Tim    -  VETERAN SHALE SPLITTER

   MOTM.png.61350469b02f439fd4d5d77c2c69da85.png      PaleoPartner.png.30c01982e09b0cc0b7d9d6a7a21f56c6.png.a600039856933851eeea617ca3f2d15f.png     Postmaster1.jpg.900efa599049929531fa81981f028e24.jpg    VFOTM.png.f1b09c78bf88298b009b0da14ef44cf0.png  VFOTM  --- APRIL - 2015  

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"In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks."

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Thanks for the advice as it can be a bit intimidating / confusing looking through the other threads for what techniques will be successful with the samples i have to work on.

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Here is a link to the pinned guide that @grandpa mentioned. Hope it helps. :) 

 

 

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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