Terry Dactyll Posted November 10, 2010 Author Share Posted November 10, 2010 fossil lover 101....Thanks, it needs more work to get the centre out then some work on the mouth, then the tool marks sanding off it and finally a clear waxing to bring the natural colour of the calcite out.... JimB88....Its around 50 - 60 lb so you would need some good fixings on your shelf... I have a lot of them displayed on the floor mainly for obvious reasons but my skills as a steelworker will come in handy sometime and I will build a bespoke fitted steel frame with ample fixings for the tonnes involved... then finally clad it all in wood to hide the steel and do a rather special display.... Cheers Steve... And Welcome if your a New Member... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrangellian Posted November 10, 2010 Share Posted November 10, 2010 Heres the little nautilus I mentioned Ive added to the collection.... It had been crushed in places and the sea had beat it up but its turned into something displayable... Wow, Is it naturally that shiny or did you polish/coat it with something? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrangellian Posted November 10, 2010 Share Posted November 10, 2010 Hey Steve, thanks for the additional photos. Always wondering how things got that way--quite fascinating! On the limpet damage, I read a discussion somewhere (my darn "i" key keeps sticking/dropping letters--UGGH!) ...anyways, apparently folks were looking into mosasaur bite damage on ammonite shells and based on some lack of radial cracks around holes thought to be caused by these predators piercing teeth there were other ways to have holes show up in ammonite shells. It was being proposed that limpets had somehow attached themselves to dead ammonites on the floor bottom and those attachments had formed holes/degraded the ammonite shells in spots and their subsequent burial/preservation resulted in complete holes in ammonite shells formerly attributed to bite marks. Not sure there was a final word on this discussion or if both scenarios do exist in current thought. If I find those docs I'll shoot you some links....Could be one of the legions of our ammonite lovers on the forum can provide a link to a full document. So many these days require subscriptions to see more than just the abstract! Enough of the ramblings from plantguy....gots to go mow the yard and do my chores! Thanks again for the extra photos! Regards, Chris Limpets wouldn't explain the ammos with neat rows of holes in the shape of a marine reptile's mouth, I would think! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Dactyll Posted November 10, 2010 Author Share Posted November 10, 2010 Wow, Is it naturally that shiny or did you polish/coat it with something? When the rock is removed from the ammonite the crystal calcite surface is scar'd with the very fine toolmarks from removing the rock... There is no separation layer whatsoever between the matrix and calcite each mm needs to be skimmed away without damaging the shell.... so to remove the toolmarks you gently sand the calcite surface with wet and dry until they slowly vanish then apply a thin coat of clear marble wax afterwards to bring out the natural colour of the calcite....the clear wax can easily be removed by simply wiping over the shell with white spirit on a cloth if need be... So before they are sanded they look like this... The Jurys still out on what caused the shape of the big Vermiceras mouth border... with no supporting chamber walls below it I would imagine it would of 'crunched' rather than parted neatly if bitten... Cheers Steve... And Welcome if your a New Member... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Dactyll Posted November 18, 2010 Author Share Posted November 18, 2010 At long last I get a nice little west of LymeRegis Arnioceras...the shells are about an inch... Cheers Steve... And Welcome if your a New Member... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fossisle Posted November 18, 2010 Share Posted November 18, 2010 At long last I get a nice little west of LymeRegis Arnioceras...the shells are about an inch... How can you work on something that small;) Cephalopods rule!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Dactyll Posted November 18, 2010 Author Share Posted November 18, 2010 How can you work on something that small;) It took some doing, as its cold my magnifying glass kept steaming up .. Cheers Steve... And Welcome if your a New Member... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coco Posted November 18, 2010 Share Posted November 18, 2010 We can see that the shell is in calcite. It is magnificent, and it is different of the biggest ammonites that you prepare. Bravo ! Coco ---------------------- OUTIL POUR MESURER VOS FOSSILES : ici Ma bibliothèque PDF 1 (Poissons et sélaciens récents & fossiles) : ici Ma bibliothèque PDF 2 (Animaux vivants - sans poissons ni sélaciens) : ici Mâchoires sélaciennes récentes : ici Hétérodontiques et sélaciens : ici Oeufs sélaciens récents : ici Otolithes de poissons récents ! ici Un Greg... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted November 18, 2010 Share Posted November 18, 2010 1/24th scale, for a doll house? It's lovely! Interesting that they share the same orientation. "There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant “Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley >Paleontology is an evolving science. >May your wonders never cease! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Dactyll Posted November 18, 2010 Author Share Posted November 18, 2010 Coco.... Thanks for your intrest... Auspex....lol.... I just noticed what your saying about the orientation... I thought you meant in the same plain but yes they are regimented with the mouth borders pointing in the same direction...very unusual.... Cheers Steve... And Welcome if your a New Member... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piranha Posted November 18, 2010 Share Posted November 18, 2010 (edited) excellent prep work - the fossils speak volumes. you certainly loaded the AMMO in these ammonites Edited November 18, 2010 by piranha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ammojoe Posted November 18, 2010 Share Posted November 18, 2010 Very nice, is that a flatstone one? Joe Kind regards, Joe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Dactyll Posted November 19, 2010 Author Share Posted November 19, 2010 piranha... Thanks Fossily99... Its just a chunk of rock off Monmouth beach where the Arnioceras have preserved 3D.... Very often the layer is observed crushed but there must be the 'odd' lens that isnt... Theres also a BlackVen Arnioceras further back in the thread.... Cheers Steve... And Welcome if your a New Member... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fossil Freak Show Posted November 20, 2010 Share Posted November 20, 2010 Heres a new addition to the old collection..... Coroniceras charlsei... 17 " Lower Jurassic... Lyme Regis Dorset Edit.... I think there are elements of origonal nacre preserved within the calcite on top of a rib and a small triangular piece.... We are SO jealous! ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Dactyll Posted November 20, 2010 Author Share Posted November 20, 2010 (edited) We are SO jealous! ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE!!!! Thanks.... I try and do the fossils I find some justice.... as a collector driven primarily with enjoyment of the fossils, how long something takes to prep is totally irrelevant and as a consequence theres no rushing or shortcuts involved that could affect the finished quality.... You will see the same amount of love and effort has gone into lots of peoples collections on this forum.... I look forward to seeing some of your material... Great name by the way.... Edited November 20, 2010 by Terry Dactyll Cheers Steve... And Welcome if your a New Member... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Dactyll Posted November 21, 2010 Author Share Posted November 21, 2010 (edited) Heres a couple of specimens you have'nt seen finished.... I tried to hollow out the mouth a bit more than usual on one... Its an hour or so's job and is something I could easily go back and do to the rest of my specimens sometime.... Something new on the bench... I spy with my little eye, I wonder what could be in here.... Edited November 21, 2010 by Terry Dactyll Cheers Steve... And Welcome if your a New Member... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ludwigia Posted November 21, 2010 Share Posted November 21, 2010 Very nice, Steve. Looking forward to the next installment. Roger Greetings from the Lake of Constance. Roger http://www.steinkern.de/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piranha Posted November 21, 2010 Share Posted November 21, 2010 Your prep is spectacular and the ammonites are breathtaking as a result. I hereby make a motion to declare you to be King of the Ammonites :bow: If I ever add a new display one GIANT UK cephalopod will be top shelf! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ludwigia Posted November 21, 2010 Share Posted November 21, 2010 I hereby make a motion to declare you to be King of the Ammonites :bow: I second the motion! Greetings from the Lake of Constance. Roger http://www.steinkern.de/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Dactyll Posted November 22, 2010 Author Share Posted November 22, 2010 ..... I just had a lucky few years collecting... Cheers Steve... And Welcome if your a New Member... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Dactyll Posted November 24, 2010 Author Share Posted November 24, 2010 My suspicions were correct I did spy an ammonite.... You can see where the sea has worn the keel away on the top which will need fixing to get it upto the standard of what I'm after, (it must of been sat eroding on the beach for many years) ...and about 10 " of the body chamber of the shell has had all the outer edge eroded away so some of that rock plus the other that I left attached with this in mind can be used to make the shell a nice stand... Its going to be a 15 1/2 incher... Cheers Steve... And Welcome if your a New Member... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Dactyll Posted December 10, 2010 Author Share Posted December 10, 2010 The snow and frozen ground has gone and the air temperature has climbed a little... I grabbed a couple of hours on me latest shell earlier.... Its warmed up no end and I found I had 3/4 of a gas bottle in my garage heater to so I took the chill off with that to...Its no fun having really cold air coming through an airpen so you have to get real and stop sometimes...Its got a lightening strike calcite vein running through the matrix from about 2 oclock and into the ammonite from the mouth and back into the matrix... I like little things like that... Cheers Steve... And Welcome if your a New Member... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fossildude19 Posted December 10, 2010 Share Posted December 10, 2010 This is shaping up to be another beauty, Steve! I love the work in progress shots! Only thing better is when they are done! Again, I salute your prep skills! Best regards, 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...
JohnJ Posted December 10, 2010 Share Posted December 10, 2010 Revealing another beauty. Steve, will the 'whiter' interior whorls be translucent calcite? The human mind has the ability to believe anything is true. - JJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ammojoe Posted December 10, 2010 Share Posted December 10, 2010 The snow and frozen ground has gone and the air temperature has climbed a little... I grabbed a couple of hours on me latest shell earlier.... Its warmed up no end and I found I had 3/4 of a gas bottle in my garage heater to so I took the chill off with that to...Its no fun having really cold air coming through an airpen so you have to get real and stop sometimes...Its got a lightening strike calcite vein running through the matrix from about 2 oclock and into the ammonite from the mouth and back into the matrix... I like little things like that... Hello Steve, Stunning prep work,once again! Little confused at how you get the finish though. How did you get the calcite to reveal on the outer whorl? Can't wait to see it finished. Joe Kind regards, Joe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now