I want to prep fossils what equipment should I get?

[hadrosauridae]

You dont need to buy a cabinet, you can build one that fits your location from plywood and plexiglass.    If you are just starting out, I highly recommend starting with STRONG LIGHTING, GOOD MAGNIFICATION, PIN-VISE.  

 

Even if (later down the road) you start preps with mechanical means, you will still end with manual ones so build your skill in that, you will always use it.   ITs like putting in golf.  It doesnt matter how well you drive a ball down the fairway if you have no shortgame.

 

You also dont need to worry about dust masks, blast boxes, air filtration, vacuums, mechanical tools,  noise, noise, noise etc.  All of that can come later when youre ready (and ready to spend a lot of $$$) and in a location where the noise isnt an issue.

[fossilhunter21]

Thank you @hadrosauridae for your information but I still plan on at least using a dust mask and goggles.

[fossilhunter21]

I have been wondering if this would work but maybe I could use a foot pump with a 5 gallon air tank and air pen, see images below.

[Kane]

Not very likely. You would need an actual compressor that can keep up with the scribe that operates best between 90-110 PSI. You'll likely tire your leg out trying to pump continuous air into the small tank. To do any proper scribe or abrasion work using air tools, you will need an actual compressor (the higher the capacity and CFM, the better). 

[fossilhunter21]

2 hours ago, Kane said:

Not very likely. You would need an actual compressor that can keep up with the scribe that operates best between 90-110 PSI. You'll likely tire your leg out trying to pump continuous air into the small tank. To do any proper scribe or abrasion work using air tools, you will need an actual compressor (the higher the capacity and CFM, the better). 

Yeah that's what I thought, Thanks for the info.    

[hadrosauridae]

2 hours ago, Kane said:

Not very likely. You would need an actual compressor that can keep up with the scribe that operates best between 90-110 PSI. You'll likely tire your leg out trying to pump continuous air into the small tank. To do any proper scribe or abrasion work using air tools, you will need an actual compressor (the higher the capacity and CFM, the better). 

 

And ton expand further, you need something a lot better than those small compressors made for airing up car tires.  You will burn those out very fast.  Air tools require air pressure and volume.  The more the better.  

 

This is the compressor and tank I use and to be honest its barely big enough to handle a small air scribe or soda blaster.  

 

 

Along with the compressor you also need air driers, because compressors push water and if you dont have a system to handle it, you start getting water in your tools, and through your tools onto the prep specimen.  And you will really want to build a vacuum system to handle the large amounts of dust.

 

The next step up from hand tools is a large financial leap, even for the bare-minimum of equipment. Expect that level to cost 1 - 1.5K.  If you want to move from bare minimum air tools into quality tools, you need a LOT more money.  The compressor will be hundreds (and can easily be $1k or more), hundreds more for the stepped-up line driers. Want a quality media blaster?  Be ready to spend thousands.

 

I'm not trying to discourage you, prepping a lot of fun and highly rewarding.  I dont give a second thought to the money I spent to have very own prep station.  I just want you to look at it with all the info. 

[Kane]

Absolutely, and key advice @hadrosauridae 

 

There can be a major sticker shock in trying to set up the perfect lab. It can be a long process of gradually building up the tools you'll need over several years unless you have 10-20k to burn in one go, and then maybe a budget of 500-1,000 a year for maintenance, blasting media, new and different stylii for different jobs, new shop vacs (the motors do wear out the more you prep, even with Hepa filters, bags, and cyclone setups), etc., etc. Costs can add up very quickly. 

 

If you want to have an ok starter prep setup that might handle things that are not too complicated, and can still achieve halfway decent results, you might think of this as a shopping list:

 

* Air compressor (20 gallon, at minimum) ~$300 for an off-brand model

* Shop vac $100+

* Basic all-round scribe ($100-300)

* Water filter (30-50)

* Basic air abrader, such as a Paasche AECR (100)

* Baking soda (5)

* Dolomite (40 micron, pottery supply stores) 25 for 50lb bag

* Blast box (DIY, so materials about 50ish)

* Microscope (with boom arm and lenses to increase working distance) 100 (used if you're lucky) - 1,000

 

That is fairly entry level, so expect to shell out at least $810, but more likely 1-1.5k as stated above. 

 

Also, be prepared for noise. Compressors are seriously loud (the quieter ones are not that much quieter, and cost way more), and if you're also running the shop vac, the decibels increase (unless you have the compressor with long enough hose in another room, or in the garage). You might then want to throw shooting muffs or some kind of ear protection on your shopping list (I use good earmuff-sized noise-cancelling headphones so I can listen to tunes  ). But if noise is a concern where you live, air tools might not be an option at all. An average compressor is about 60-85 decibels, as is a shop vac, so combined you are looking at the equivalent of a jackhammer or sitting in the front row at a rock concert. 

[Fossildude19]

On 4/20/2021 at 1:31 PM, fossilhunter21 said:

has anyone bought the U-Dig 40lbs of trilobite shale, if you have I would aprecciate it if you could give me some info on your results. Thanks for your help everyone

 

I received a box as a gift one time - very easy to prep and split. Some nice trilobites were found, as well. 

[Thomas.Dodson]

A lot of good advice already. Here's some more information. Some of it others have mentioned but I'll add it again.

 

Blast boxes and dust collectors:

Hadrosauridae mentioned homemade blast boxes/cabinets and I'll add that these are easy and work quite well. I fashioned one out of an old cooler and cut a glass window. It looks like junk but is super easy and comfortable to work in. Note that plexiglass has an inherent static charge so I prefer glass as I have to clean the dust off less. It scratches less as well so requires less replacement. I run a tube outlet cut into the cooler to a homemade water filter/dust collector out of tiered buckets and have 100% containment, including when doing micro abrasion. The kicker; shop-vacs are loud. I purchased one known for being more quiet and it is still louder than my air compressor. On the other hand, good quiet dust collectors cost a fortune. Like Kane I use noise-cancelling headphones to listen to music. I'd go insane otherwise, prepping takes lots of patience. On that note, frequent breaks are good not just for reducing vibration to hands but also to cool off, so to speak. If I prep too long I sometimes get hasty and haste makes for bad preparation.

 

Air Compressor:

As others have mentioned you need at least a 30 gallon tank or else the compressor won't keep up and burn out. I have a 30-something gallon tank on a nice Husky I bought several years ago that I have been super pleased with. I put the money down to begin with (it was over 500$) but you get what you pay for and it runs quiet for a compressor and keeps up with all tools, even when I'm occasionally using pneumatic hammers to split super hard concretions (NOT a normal prep tool). Air driers are a must as stated and I use reusable silica gel through large steel piping as well as coalescing filters. I basement prep but moisture is not an issue when dried properly. Keep in mind all this equipment does end up taking a lot of space, even when organized well.

 

Tools:

There are multiple forum discussions on scribes and abraders but I'll add some food for thought. First, I've never been a fan of the Paasche. I know a lot of people have good results with it but mine has always frustrated me. I regret not upgrading to a Vaniman dental sandblasting unit sooner. This is only my experience but the theme is not unusual in fossil preparation; if you're serious about preparation it is usually better to wait until you can afford a better model than to cheap out on less expensive equipment since you'll end up getting it to replace the cheap stuff later. That said, I've had good results with cheapish Aro-clones for detail work. For my overall scribing I typically use my Ken Mannion Model TT these days. If you're strapped for cash and can only start with one, whether you choose an Aro type or a CP type model depends mostly on what you plan to be working with. Most people will get more use out of the Aro type.

 

PS,

I tried some scribe tips from Dnsons tools before and the experience was so bad I'd recommend you avoid their stuff entirely. I've heard decent stuff about the Fossil Shack air scribe but don't have personal experience. On the cheaper end I still use an Aro-clone I got from Pacific Pneumatic and they also sell extra long tips now which is nice for some work. I'm sure there are multiple other Aro-clones on the cheap end that have decent construction as well.

 

I'm not an expert preparator but I'd say a prep lab is never complete. I'm always upgrading, looking to add new scribes and tools, learning new techniques, and replacing equipment as well. It's a bottomless pit you throw your money down but it is rewarding. I like Kane's shopping list as a start (except for maybe the Paasche).

[fossilhunter21]

Thanks guys I appreciate your help.   

[jpc]

On 4/20/2021 at 11:31 AM, fossilhunter21 said:

has anyone bought the U-Dig 40lbs of trilobite shale, if you have I would aprecciate it if you could give me some info on your results. Thanks for your help everyone

yes... lots of trilobites in there.  We had numerous bags .  We had kids split the rock and everone found numerous trilobites.  And they are a very good to start prepping on.  

[fossilhunter21]

I found a 500 dollar air compressor that is rated at 51 dBA, I was woundering if it would be worth it to buy it so I can prep fossils now with pnmautic tools or wait a few years until I don't have to worry about noise?   

[Kane]

Depends on what your priority is, so I would think that would be a question only you can answer. 

 

Also keep in mind that if you will be doing air abrasion, you will need a shop vac, which will increase the noise level considerably.

[fossilhunter21]

16 minutes ago, Kane said:

Also keep in mind that if you will be doing air abrasion, you will need a shop vac, which will increase the noise level considerably.

Thanks @Kane, I just found a way to make it a lot quieter (hopefully at least). 

[Malcolmt]

As a very experienced compressor user and shop vac user there is no way to make them appreciably quieter. Any enclosure you build will trap in heat and they will burn out quicker. My large compressor is in the garage (on a amazon wireless smartplug) with the air line running into the prep lab in the basement. So noise is not an issue. Many many years ago I had the compressor in the prep lab area and built an elaborate sound absorbing baffle box with acoustical tile and sound absorbing foam. It maybe reduced the noise by 10% which overall was not really worth it. It also caused the compressor and later the shop vac I put in it to over heat. Of the affordable compressor the quietest is probably made by California air tools. It really is still not quiet. And as Kane indicated your shopvac or equivalent is just as load as the compressor. When I prep I wear noise cancelling headphones listening to music or a podcast. They totally eliminate the noise of the shopvac. Unfortunately when wearing them I cannot hear the phone to the bane of the few people who actually call me.... (correct Kane)

[fossilhunter21]

 

22 minutes ago, Malcolmt said:

As a very experienced compressor user and shop vac user there is no way to make them appreciably quieter. Any enclosure you build will trap in heat and they will burn out quicker. My large compressor is in the garage (on a amazon wireless smartplug) with the air line running into the prep lab in the basement. So noise is not an issue. Many many years ago I had the compressor in the prep lab area and built an elaborate sound absorbing baffle box with acoustical tile and sound absorbing foam. It maybe reduced the noise by 10% which overall was not really worth it. It also caused the compressor and later the shop vac I put in it to over heat. Of the affordable compressor the quietest is probably made by California air tools. It really is still not quiet. And as Kane indicated your shopvac or equivalent is just as load as the compressor. When I prep I wear noise cancelling headphones listening to music or a podcast. They totally eliminate the noise of the shopvac. Unfortunately when wearing them I cannot hear the phone to the bane of the few people who actually call me.... (correct Kane)

Thanks!

[hadrosauridae]

4 hours ago, fossilhunter21 said:

I found a 500 dollar air compressor that is rated at 51 dBA, I was woundering if it would be worth it to buy it so I can prep fossils now with pnmautic tools or wait a few years until I don't have to worry about noise?   

 

Dont buy any compressor based on its reported decibel level.  Buy it solely for its ability to function to the level you need.

[Coco]

Hi,

 

8 hours ago, Malcolmt said:

Unfortunately when wearing them I cannot hear the phone to the bane of the few people who actually call me.... (correct Kane)

Put your phone in your pocket, vibrate !

 

Coco

[Malcolmt]

20 minutes ago, Coco said:

Hi,

 

Put your phone in your pocket, vibrate !

 

Coco

Funny... its called a land line... I'm an old geezer we still use those things

[fossilhunter21]

Has anyone used the Fossil Shack Air scribe? I'm thinking about getting one and thought maybe someone On  TFF has tried one out. 

[Kane]

A quick Forum search revealed this topic:

 

 

[fossilhunter21]

I am really thinking about getting an air scribe, the only place I could work in though is in my basement.

So I was wondering how could I build a space in my basement so I don't get a mess every where ? And how loud would it be if you were upstairs and the compressor was running? And could I see some air scribe setups?

Edited June 8, 2021 by fossilhunter21

[Kane]

4 minutes ago, fossilhunter21 said:

So I was wondering how could I build a space in my basement so I don't get a mess every where ? 

Section off an area of your basement (separate room or drywall an area), use a blast box with an attachment for a shop vac.

5 minutes ago, fossilhunter21 said:

And how loud would it be if you were upstairs and the compressor was running? 

Run two of your loudest vacuums simultaneously in the basement and close the door. Go upstairs and give it a listen. 

[fossilhunter21]

Thanks for your answer Kane.  

 

I have another question: How many gallons should the shop vac hold at the least?

Edited June 8, 2021 by fossilhunter21

[Kane]

For the shop vac? I just use the standard-sized model. The operative thing is you really want to limit the dust that gets into the shop vac and kills the motor (unless you want to replace the shop vac annually!). I recommend also building a dust collector system. One of our members has a great blueprint for that: