Lucid_Bot Posted May 26, 2022 Share Posted May 26, 2022 Hi! I'm looking for advice. I found this fossil yesterday and like so many others I find it's on an unstable piece and has a major crack through it. I'd hate to coat it with anything as I prefer to keep things natural. Yet I'm also worried that it might just fall apart on its own or from handling. What's my best course of action? Any advice/help is appreciated. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minnbuckeye Posted May 26, 2022 Share Posted May 26, 2022 From my beginners perspective, I have done this a few times on ferns that flaked for me. Make a dilute solution of a consolidant. Then tip the plate and drip it into the upper left corner where the crack begins.. The solution should wick into the deeper loosened areas. Can try it on the opposite side too. After finished, clean up any liquid visible with acetone. Press firmly together while it dries. Then add multiple layers of a consolidant to the BACK of the piece, if it is thin and unstable to provide even little more strength. Good luck! 5 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kane Posted May 26, 2022 Share Posted May 26, 2022 If it were mine, I would be wicking a very thin cyanoacrylate on the edges of the crack (ensuring all areas were absolutely clean first). With superglue, less is more, so I would be applying very sparingly. For added support, I might consider using a consolidant like paraloid to be applied on the back of the piece to lend it additional support. EDIT: Looks like Mike beat me to it! 3 4 ...How to Philosophize with a Hammer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pachy-pleuro-whatnot-odon Posted May 27, 2022 Share Posted May 27, 2022 (edited) Exactly the same thing I'd do, and have done with success on various occasions Edited May 27, 2022 by pachy-pleuro-whatnot-odon 'There's nothing like millions of years of really frustrating trial and error to give a species moral fibre and, in some cases, backbone' -- Terry Pratchett Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Troodon Posted May 27, 2022 Share Posted May 27, 2022 I agree but would add that a backing board like 1/4" MDF /Plywood (if available in Pluto) would support it going forward. Easy to cut.. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pachy-pleuro-whatnot-odon Posted May 27, 2022 Share Posted May 27, 2022 2 hours ago, Troodon said: I agree but would add that a backing board like 1/4" MDF /Plywood (if available in Pluto) would support it going forward. Easy to cut.. Fiber glass is supposedly another frequently used material, which I've seen used (a lot more unobtrusive than wood backing), but never worked with myself... 1 'There's nothing like millions of years of really frustrating trial and error to give a species moral fibre and, in some cases, backbone' -- Terry Pratchett Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucid_Bot Posted May 27, 2022 Author Share Posted May 27, 2022 3 hours ago, Troodon said: I agree but would add that a backing board like 1/4" MDF /Plywood (if available in Pluto) would support it going forward. Easy to cut.. We import it. (No trees here.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fossildude19 Posted May 28, 2022 Share Posted May 28, 2022 Can't say more than the others, but, what a beautiful fossil! 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 May 28, 2022 Share Posted May 28, 2022 I’m with @Kane 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...
Lucid_Bot Posted May 29, 2022 Author Share Posted May 29, 2022 21 hours ago, Fossildude19 said: Can't say more than the others, but, what a beautiful fossil! Thanks. I was blown away when I split it. It's one of my "bushiest" fern leaves. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlaskaNick Posted July 10, 2022 Share Posted July 10, 2022 On 5/26/2022 at 3:44 AM, Lucid_Bot said: Hi! I'm looking for advice. I found this fossil yesterday and like so many others I find it's on an unstable piece and has a major crack through it. I'd hate to coat it with anything as I prefer to keep things natural. Yet I'm also worried that it might just fall apart on its own or from handling. What's my best course of action? Any advice/help is appreciated. I'm a beginner but I started laminating a few of my green river slabs before prepping them and it's helped a lot with cracking or breakage. Epoxy the two broken pieces together and then epoxy an exact cut out of 1/4-1/2 good plywood to the backside of the fossil plate. I haven't perfected this technique, a few of my more uneven slabs have ended up laminating well but they became pretty heavy from epoxy filling the gaps! All natural is the best of course, but some slabs are just so fragile and it's a heartbreaker when they crack. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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