Huntonia's Amateur Prep Work

[Kane]

Paraloid could work here to stabilize it (particularly the kind of vuggy quality of DSR / Cole Hill material). Now, are you sure that Eldredgeops is complete? 

[Huntonia]

6 hours ago, Kane said:

Paraloid could work here to stabilize it (particularly the kind of vuggy quality of DSR / Cole Hill material). Now, are you sure that Eldredgeops is complete? 

Not sure the Eldredgeops is complete. but it looks to be a good candidate. The trilobite continues into the matrix on both sides. 

[Huntonia]

Prep work for the Eldredgeops will continue slowly and with a great deal of paraloid 

Received another project today which is proving to be easier than I expected. A Nileus armadillo from Kinnekule that should be mostly complete. Here's a before picture (I neglected to take one so this is the seller's)

Here is it after I spent a little time doing bulk matrix removal tonight.

And from behind you can see a few segments and the pygidium. I don't think I'll be able to expose the trilo entirely but I'm hoping to uncover what I can of those segments and the pygidium

[jeannie55]

If you were to remove it from the matrix,  would you chip the bottom matrix manually or use a chemical or mechanical tool?

[Huntonia]

4 minutes ago, jeannie55 said:

If you were to remove it from the matrix,  would you chip the bottom matrix manually or use a chemical or mechanical tool?

I don't plan on removing this piece from the matrix. I'm currently using an electric engraver for removing larger chunks of matrix but for the delicate work close to the trilobite I'm using an air abrasive. In most cases chemical methods are too harsh for quality prep. Hope this helps, are you working on a similar piece? 

[jeannie55]

I haven’t really started it yet but I think I have found two crabs. One has a partial head and claw out and the other I found when I was scraping away some of the matrix, trying to get closer to the claw. I’m not really sure how to even start prepping. I’m going to post it today and get some advice. 

[Huntonia]

I've made some progress on the Nileus, here's how it stands currently:

I'll do a bit more of this rough work and move onto the abrasive fairly soon. I'd do more on the lower end of the thorax but I have one segment unaccounted for. Likely it's tucked under the cephalon but I'm going to take my time on that area just in case.

A neat bonus, this turns out to be an association piece, I discovered this tiny spiral gastrapod (2mm).

[Top Trilo]

Looking great, the trilobite looks difficult yet you make it look easy.

That's a nice little gastropod you found but looking back at earlier posts you could see it back then,

[Huntonia]

4 hours ago, Top Trilo said:

Looking great, the trilobite looks difficult yet you make it look easy.

Thank you sir, this one is proving to be quite a bit easier than I expected, if I had a proper airscribe I'd probably be done with it by now!

4 hours ago, Top Trilo said:

That's a nice little gastropod you found but looking back at earlier posts you could see it back then,

Indeed, unfortunately my vision is not the best, I only saw this when I took the time to examine the piece under a strong light. For me, hindsight is the only thing that's 20/20 

[Huntonia]

I (finally) got my microscope set up yesterday and started prepping right away. I have to say, I knew the microscope would be a big upgrade but I didn't realize just how much of an improvement it would be!

I started with an Elrathia molt, also from Connor. As usual I forgot to take a before pic, so here's halfway through prep

As you can see there's a few dings in the axial lobe, without thinking I started prep using my 10% dolomite mixture 

I quickly switched over to pure baking soda and finished cleaning.

Turned out decent, nothing incredible, but I really enjoyed this prep and hope to do more wheeler shale bugs in the future. 

[Kane]

Looks good!

Prep is filled with the occasional oops. Thankfully you caught it in time before you started in with the dolomite. Still, the 10% dolomite wouldn't have hurt it too much if you were careful. At least you weren't using a wire brush, which was a common way to prep these. 

 

[Top Trilo]

14 hours ago, Huntonia said:

Turned out decent,

I think it turned out better than decent, its a great elrathia molt and you prepped it so well, you can see all the different sections.

[ScottBlooded]

So I’ve found myself in a similar position re: being fortunate enough to have time on my hands during the pandemic and was likewise looking to set up an air abrasive unit. I’ve already got a suitable air compressor, I think I’ve found a reasonable air abrasive unit, and the link posted earlier for a reasonably priced air filtration unit was very helpful. As far as the actual box goes, if I could buy one at a reasonable price I’d almost prefer it to going to the trouble of making a box but will definitely do that if it’s necessary. The searching I’ve done has turned up stuff that is either very expensive, not quite what I need or both. I’ve also read a number of people talk about an inline air drier to use between the compressor and air abrasive unit. Any recommendations there? Basically I’m fairly ignorant with any tools involving an air compressor and am trying to visualize how everything goes together/everything I need

[Huntonia]

@ScottBlooded, I'm using a cheap water trap between the compressor and the abrasive hose; to help keep moisture out of the medium you can put in the oven for a bit, sift it, then place in a sealed box.

 

Not sure you'll be able to purchase a box, but it doesn't take too long to build something functional. You'll definitely want an outflow, something professional would be ideal, but you can use a shop vac instead. @jpc posted about this on the previous page of this thread.

I would also highly recommend a microscope. 10 power seems to be a good level of magnification. You may also want to look into getting a 0.75x or 0.5x Barlow lense to extend the focal range (or if you're short like me you can get away without it )

 

Hope this helps, welcome to the world of prep! The costs add up quickly but it is extremely rewarding! 

[Huntonia]

Haven't posted on here in a while. Some actual woodworking in my wood shop prevented me from prepping. (Who'd of thought? ) 

 

Anyways I started on a lovely batch of Wheeler Shale bugs from @Paleome. Here's a nice elrathia I cleaned up tonight. Was surprised to find both genal spines fully complete! 

Aside from a few spots of accidental over-abrasion (I was appalled to find I'd damaged the right genal spine ), I don't think I did half bad.

 

This little guy is going straight into the display case!

[Sjfriend]

6 hours ago, Huntonia said:

Haven't posted on here in a while. Some actual woodworking in my wood shop prevented me from prepping. (Who'd of thought? ) 

 

Anyways I started on a lovely batch of Wheeler Shale bugs from @Paleome. Here's a nice elrathia I cleaned up tonight. Was surprised to find both genal spines fully complete! 

  

Aside from a few spots of accidental over-abrasion (I was appalled to find I'd damaged the right genal spine ), I don't think I did half bad.

 

This little guy is going straight into the display case!

Great work  I have a few of those to clean up myself, hope I can do as well!

[Huntonia]

48 minutes ago, Sjfriend said:

Great work  I have a few of those to clean up myself, hope I can do as well!

I look forward to seeing it! Of the small selection of formations I've worked with I think wheeler shale is the most enjoyable to prep. 

[Kane]

Great work! Head and shoulders above the wire-wheel prep of those that are so commonly out there. 

[Top Trilo]

8 hours ago, Huntonia said:

This little guy is going straight into the display case!

You did a great job, A good prep can make a trilobite as common as elrathia look spectacular

[Huntonia]

Thanks for the kind word guys! I do love the rich dark colors on these. I managed to get in a couple of prep sessions today and finished two more excellent specimens.

 

First off is an inch long E. kingii 

[Huntonia]

And next is one of the pieces I was most hopeful for, and I was not disappointed! A good sized itagnostus and a beautiful juvenile (I think?) E. kingii

I've also been playing around with trying to make time lapses of my prep, so far that endeavor has been a failure; my framing work leaves much to be desired, not to mention I forget to focus the camera half the time!  But I'll get it one of these times.

[Top Trilo]

Great preps, I do love the association of the second one.

On the first one are you going to prep the trilobit next to it or leave the complete one the main focus? Both are great.

[Misha]

Wow!

Your preps are getting better and better.

I really like that meraspid!

 

[Huntonia]

4 hours ago, Top Trilo said:

Great preps, I do love the association of the second one.

On the first one are you going to prep the trilobit next to it or leave the complete one the main focus? Both are great.

Thanks, I had considered prepping that partial asaphiscus but with most of the shell material missing I decided against it.

3 hours ago, Misha said:

Wow!

Your preps are getting better and better.

I really like that meraspid!

 

Thanks! It's been great to see myself improving. I still have much to learn, but each day I get a little closer. 

[Huntonia]

Hope you all aren't too tired of Elrathia, this is the last one, I promise  

Next I'll be working on an asaphiscus and an Alokistocare.

 

Took on a real tiny bug. As opposed to the 1cm of the meraspid, this little guy comes in right about 6mm in length. Took me about 8 minutes to prep. A fair bit which was spent making minuscule adjustments to the powder flow.