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Crustacean Prep


Planko

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Hi Everyone,

 

Found this at the NSR last weekend. I would really like to remove some of the grey matrix but that is beyond my skill set. Do not wan to ruin any of it. So, how would I go about stabilizing it? I use clear Elmers glue for the bones and some ammonites but not sure about soaking this in that mixture. 

 

Any help is appreciated. 

 

 

20210425_141451.jpg

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Don't use Elmer's on fossils. It is an abomination. :P You'll regret it in the future when it starts to break down and yellow. Instead, go online and order some Paraloid B72. It is cheap and a pound of it will last the typical collector for years. I prep almost nonstop and I only go through around a pound every year. Dissolve it in acetone and soak your fossils to your heart's content. It will never go pear shaped on you.

 

You could attempt to clean the grey residual matrix with a toothbrush. That sometimes does it.

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2 hours ago, Ptychodus04 said:

Don't use Elmer's on fossils. It is an abomination. :P You'll regret it in the future when it starts to break down and yellow. Instead, go online and order some Paraloid B72. It is cheap and a pound of it will last the typical collector for years. I prep almost nonstop and I only go through around a pound every year. Dissolve it in acetone and soak your fossils to your heart's content. It will never go pear shaped on you.

 

You could attempt to clean the grey residual matrix with a toothbrush. That sometimes does it.

I agree with Ptych...

 

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If you must go cheap and easy, Quickcrete acrylic fortifier mixed at 3:1...however if you overapply/ fail to blot it will turn magenta!

 

however, that can be rectified with UVC treatment in the 30 watt range...which is not available to consumers...

 

note this method requires complete drying, stable specimen pH, access to vacuum, and practice 

Edited by LabRatKing
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14 hours ago, LabRatKing said:

If you must go cheap and easy, Quickcrete acrylic fortifier mixed at 3:1...however if you overapply/ fail to blot it will turn magenta!

 

however, that can be rectified with UVC treatment in the 30 watt range...which is not available to consumers...

 

note this method requires complete drying, stable specimen pH, access to vacuum, and practice 

I’m kind of slow at times so, this post may have been tongue in cheek. If so, please disregard the below...

 

 

This is barely cheaper at $7.25/quart and is far more prone to problems than buying a pound of Paraloid for $18 and a gallon of acetone for $17 and then mixing and applying to a dry specimen.

 

If one has problems with over applying or inappropriately applying the Paraloid, the remedy is remove it with acetone. It doesn’t require special equipment and it has a known chemical makeup. Commercial products used for other purposes can have detrimental side effects when applied as a conservation material.

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