Biotalker Posted August 30, 2021 Share Posted August 30, 2021 After my first glimpse of The Lost World of Fossil Lake by Lance Grande (if you don’t have it, get it at any price!), I was hooked on Green River fossils. Here is the first one I prepared myself. I bought it directly from one of several “storied” Wyoming quarries. It is from the 18-inch layer and is not found by splitting the fish but by detecting the raised surface of the skull and vertebrae. Then one must somehow scrape away the relatively soft matrix to expose the fossil below (perhaps 1 to 5mm deep). The tools I used are pine vises that held sewing needles. If I could safely scrape away layers, I used an eyeglass screwdriver in the pin vise, but pins work for precise work. I visualized the fossil as I worked with a stereoscopic microscope on a boom so it can hover over the fossil without touching it. Here is the progression of pictures I took back in 2017. This is a 4.75 inch Cockerellites liops. I am told in the quarry they are called “footballs”, are beautiful fish armed with strong spines to prevent predator attack from behind. It took me about two months on and off- it is seriously laborious but somewhat calming or maybe even meditative. After months with a fossil like this, you become attached to it. Before starting If anyone knows how to do this more quickly with the same or better quality, please comment. 12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hadrosauridae Posted August 30, 2021 Share Posted August 30, 2021 Great job on the prep! You did that with no soda blasting? Very impressive. I'm also jealous of your scope! "There is no shortage of fossils. There is only a shortage of paleontologists to study them." - Larry Martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biotalker Posted August 30, 2021 Author Share Posted August 30, 2021 1 minute ago, hadrosauridae said: Very impressive. I'm also jealous of your scope! Thanks for compliment. As for scope, I kept an eye on it for at least 6 months when it went on sale for half price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fossildude19 Posted August 30, 2021 Share Posted August 30, 2021 What a fantastic fossil, and wonderful prep job! Thanks for sharing this with us! Tim - VETERAN SHALE SPLITTER VFOTM --- APRIL - 2015 __________________________________________________ "In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks." John Muir ~ ~ ~ ~ ><))))( *> About Me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biotalker Posted August 30, 2021 Author Share Posted August 30, 2021 Just now, Fossildude19 said: What a fantastic fossil Yes, lucky that this one had nice relatively intact cranial bones Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ludwigia Posted August 30, 2021 Share Posted August 30, 2021 Well done! Greetings from the Lake of Constance. Roger http://www.steinkern.de/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snolly50 Posted August 30, 2021 Share Posted August 30, 2021 Looks great. The work on that spiny fellow looks as good as ole chili-eattin', kilt-wearin' @Ptychodus04 could do! Check it out Kris. Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, also are remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so. - Douglas Adams, Last Chance to See Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeffrey P Posted August 30, 2021 Share Posted August 30, 2021 Wow! Wonderful prep job of an excellent fossil and without power tools. Great!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fossilhunter21 Posted August 30, 2021 Share Posted August 30, 2021 Nice prep! Thanks for sharing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FossilDAWG Posted August 31, 2021 Share Posted August 31, 2021 That's a beautiful specimen, and all the more impressive as you prepped it yourself with mechanical tools and no air abrasion. I have a lot of trouble getting the vertebrae clear of matrix, so I'm amazed at the job you were able to do. BTW this species has been reassigned to the genus Cockerellites, so the currently correct name is Cockerellites liops. Don 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ptychodus04 Posted August 31, 2021 Share Posted August 31, 2021 4 hours ago, snolly50 said: Looks great. The work on that spiny fellow looks as good as ole chili-eattin', kilt-wearin' @Ptychodus04 could do! Check it out Kris. That’s an awesome prep @Biotalker John is right, that’s about as good as one can do. Scribes and micro-abrasives only speed the process. Regards, Kris Global Paleo Services, LLC https://globalpaleoservices.com http://instagram.com/globalpaleoservices http://instagram.com/kris.howe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malcolmt Posted August 31, 2021 Share Posted August 31, 2021 Very nice work.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biotalker Posted August 31, 2021 Author Share Posted August 31, 2021 20 hours ago, FossilDAWG said: Cockerellites liops Thank you, FossilDAWG for correcting my carelessness. To make up for it, here is one I have almost finished- a seven inch Diplomystus dentatus with a superb open mouth and overall skeleton. The two small diplos were fossilized with their heads hopelessly mushed together. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJB Posted September 1, 2021 Share Posted September 1, 2021 You are absolutely correct in saying that mouth on that diplo is "SUPERB"! Back in the day when I had no moneys I would get used chainsaw files from chainsaw stores before they threw them away and sharpen one end to a fine point for prepping out these fish. Nowadays its scribing and media blasting. RB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fossildude19 Posted September 1, 2021 Share Posted September 1, 2021 21 hours ago, Biotalker said: Thank you, FossilDAWG for correcting my carelessness. To make up for it, here is one I have almost finished- a seven inch Diplomystus dentatus with a superb open mouth and overall skeleton. The two small diplos were fossilized with their heads hopelessly mushed together. That is spectacular! Haven't seen one that good in a while! Thanks for posting it! Cheers! Tim - VETERAN SHALE SPLITTER VFOTM --- APRIL - 2015 __________________________________________________ "In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks." John Muir ~ ~ ~ ~ ><))))( *> About Me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ptychodus04 Posted September 5, 2021 Share Posted September 5, 2021 On 8/31/2021 at 4:56 PM, Biotalker said: To make up for it, here is one I have almost finished- a seven inch Diplomystus dentatus with a superb open mouth and overall skeleton. Your hand prepping is outstanding! You really have a talent. Keep it up. Regards, Kris Global Paleo Services, LLC https://globalpaleoservices.com http://instagram.com/globalpaleoservices http://instagram.com/kris.howe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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