Hanging Fossil Fish and Other Stuff

[RJB]

  I did not know where to put this post so if the mods want to move it, fine with me.  Anyways, Ive got lots of fossil fish slabs I will be adding to my office walls this summer.  I  realized a couple of months ago that I needed more French Cleat material to do that.  Like always I wasted a bunch of time trying to find exactly what I wanted on the common shopping sites.  I did find one that could do the job but the 48 inch cleat material I  found was waaaaaaaaaay too exspensive so I went surfing the net.  I found the perfect cleat material I wanted and if I bought 10  45 inch pieces, (you can cut them to any lengh you want), I got an even better price.  My son wanted 5 so 10 isn't that many really.  In fact, I'm sure I will run out this summer.  Since i dont think I can post the store I  got these from here on the forum, anyone can PM me and I will be glad to send you the link.  Believe me, this is a super deal!!!  Im not talking about saving 5 or 10%, I'm talking about saving 60% from the last ones I bought!!!  Absolutely perfect for hanging my heavier fossil fish slabs.   I know one can make a french cleat out of wood but im too lazy for that, plus the profile with these metal ones is very very low compaired to a wooden homemade one.

 

RB

 

I used a french cleat to hang this huge slab.  Im guessing it weighs around 150 to 175 lbs!

[Ptychodus04]

I’m drooling over the ammonite...

[Top Trilo]

I think the fish is spectacular! Up to 175 pounds! Love that corner filled with all kinds of fish although I'm sure its not just that one corner with fish. The ammonite and leaf are also great

[hadrosauridae]

Can you post a pic of how the slabs are physically supported?  I've been trying to figure out how I could hang and display some of my slabs once the preps are complete.  I've thought about gluing the slabs to wood backer and hanging by the backer, but I'm really worried the stone could peel off and if that happened, the result would probably become unrepairable trash.

 

Soak the entire slab in consolidate first?  I coat the fish and surface anyway.   

[Harry Pristis]

For my biggest fish, I used a metal frame with locking hangers screwed to the wall studs.

 

 

 

For smaller pieces, I made a "plate hanger" of welding rod secured to a sheet of plywood which is locked into a metal frame.  The frame is secured to the wall like the biggest fish frame.

 

Here's how I did the irregular slab:
 

I used an appropriate sized piece of plywood for a backing.  I mitred some wood trim around the edges of the plywood.  I covered the plywood and trim with burlap (from a fabric store) soaked in dilute white glue. 

I bent two lengths of welding rod (3.2mm, but I don't remember the guage) into a "W" configuration.  I bent the two ends of each "W" into hooks that fit the slab in appropriate spots. (It's easier to bend the welding rod if you wait to trim any excess length until after the bending.  In any event, you'll need pliers.)
 
With the two W's formed and fitted and trimmed, I bound the two W's together securely with picture hanger wire.  These W's don't have to be perfect, but you can make yourself a wire-bending jig with three large nails in a piece of 2X6 wood.  As Chas described it, this is a plate hanger on steroids.
 
When the burlap was dry, I drilled a hole where I wanted the center high point of the top "W" to be, then inserted a short "J" bolt through that hole.  The hook slips under the springy welding rod "W".  The hook and the slab is tightened down using a washer and nut.  (This is a heavy-duty installation, and other hanger devices can be mounted to the plywood.) 

I like the metal frames because they come with hardware to mount to wall studs, yet they hold the frame flush to the wall.  These frames also have locks which require a special key to release them from their hanging position.

[RJB]

21 hours ago, Ptychodus04 said:

I’m drooling over the ammonite...

Funny, I didnt even see it when I posted that picture.  A lot better in person.

 

 

 

19 hours ago, hadrosauridae said:

Can you post a pic of how the slabs are physically supported?

Ive actually got all kinds of different types of hangers but for the french cleats I do it two different ways.

 

Here is a cleat glued directly onto the rock.

 

 

 

Here is a much bigger slab where I glued the slab onto a piece of 'Dura Rock' and then glued and screwed the cleat onto that. 

 

The Notogonius and the Mio just below it in this picture are the two fish in the  above pictures.  The big Phareodus is the one that @Ptychodus04 did for me and that was a very thick slab that I glued onto Dura Rock and then glued and screwed the cleat to it. 

16 hours ago, Harry Pristis said:

For my biggest fish, I used a metal frame with locking hangers screwed to the wall studs.

 

 

[RJB]

16 hours ago, Harry Pristis said:

For my biggest fish, I used a metal frame with locking hangers screwed to the wall studs.

Hi Harry, I think your the one who showed me this and several of these fish on my wall are done this way.  Thanks

[Ptychodus04]

2 hours ago, RJB said:

A lot better in person

I bet it is. Photos can capture the beauty of the colors well.

 

nice fish wall!!!

[Harry Pristis]

 

5 hours ago, RJB said:

Hi Harry, I think your the one who showed me this and several of these fish on my wall are done this way.  Thanks

 

Thanks for the feedback, RJB.  That's a very impressive wall!

[piranha]

9 hours ago, RJB said:

 

Not too many have gotten away from you!  The RB Museum of Crabs and Fishes ... Congrats!