Joshdale Posted September 10, 2012 Share Posted September 10, 2012 Hi which tools would I need to start fossil hunting and where would be a good site to find the tools needed to start? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarheel59 Posted September 10, 2012 Share Posted September 10, 2012 In the search window at top of screen type in tools and search forums, also may want to do saftey as well. Here is one link I copied for you it has some tools.. Depending on what types of areas you hunt tools will vary... You can get second hand tools at flea markets or yard sales... I know its mentioned in a thread somewheres...http://www.thefossilforum.com/index.php/topic/28720-what-tools-do-i-need/page__hl__tools#entry317099 Hope this helps Jeff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vordigern Posted September 10, 2012 Share Posted September 10, 2012 for hunting streams I have a metal sifter and a couple small hand tools that can fit in my pack, for splitting shale or busting siltstone your going to need more heavy duty tools like prybars, sledges... It all depends where youre collecting and the matrix the fossils are in. Tarheel is right about checking out yardsales, it doesnt really matter if your sledge is shiny and new or has a little oxidation and the price difference between new and yardsale tools is considerable.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Herb Posted September 11, 2012 Share Posted September 11, 2012 One of the links at the top of the Foram page has tools reasonably priced. I like having a couple hammers a 16 oz chisel tip for light work and a 24 oz for harder work. Estwing makes a nice heavy masons hammer that works well. 5 lb sledge hammer. A couple chisels, maybe 1",2" and 3" for splitting shale. Light knit gloves to protect your hands for general work and leather gloves for heavy hammering. Garden trowel. A colander will do in a pinch for light duty stream sifting. Make one out of door screen and 1"x2"s about 2: square if you are doing a lit of sifting. A leather/nylon tool belt with pockets and a hammer loop is very handy. Plastic bags and aluminum foil \ newspapers to hold and wrap specimens, maybe some small vials for delicate specimens. If you are collecting plants clear hair spray will help hold them together. A good back pack to haul all this junk around. A first aid kit. . Water. Energy bars. Camera, notebook for field notes. Boots or shoes with rugged soles for rough areas.Old tennies for wading. Rain gear. I keep this stuff in a 50 quart tote to make it easy to load and unload into the car. I think this will cover most collecting that doesn't include overnight stays. Good luck collecting! "Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence"_ Carl Sagen No trees were killed in this posting......however, many innocent electrons were diverted from where they originally intended to go. " I think, therefore I collect fossils." _ Me "When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth."__S. Holmes "can't we all just get along?" Jack Nicholson from Mars Attacks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted September 11, 2012 Share Posted September 11, 2012 It all kinda' depends on whether you're gonna' be picking up loose stuff, sieving gravel, splitting shale, beatin' on boulders... You can start with little more than pockets & a K-Bar, and any equipment deficiency for the site, and your style, will become evident pretty quickly. "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...
Herb Posted September 11, 2012 Share Posted September 11, 2012 It all kinda' depends on whether you're gonna' be picking up loose stuff, sieving gravel, splitting shale, beatin' on boulders... You can start with little more than pockets & a K-Bar, and any equipment deficiency for the site, and your style, will become evident pretty quickly. I tried to cover most common collecting situations. A paper bag and newspaper will work in some situations. ;-) "Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence"_ Carl Sagen No trees were killed in this posting......however, many innocent electrons were diverted from where they originally intended to go. " I think, therefore I collect fossils." _ Me "When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth."__S. Holmes "can't we all just get along?" Jack Nicholson from Mars Attacks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted September 11, 2012 Share Posted September 11, 2012 Back when I was haunting Virginia's Calvert exposures, a nail apron and a shrub rake was as geared up as I needed to get "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 September 11, 2012 Share Posted September 11, 2012 Go to the site you intend collecting and do a rough assessment of what you might need....That way your more likely to get tools you will actually use... Cheers Steve... And Welcome if your a New Member... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trevor Posted September 11, 2012 Share Posted September 11, 2012 I strongly agree with Terry Dactyll, you need to make an assessment of what your up against(materials) before you can buy any tools, because if that is not known they you may be getting tools at random kind of. : ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fossildude19 Posted September 11, 2012 Share Posted September 11, 2012 And for what it's worth, local hardware stores, and flea markets are great places to get your first tools. In my opinion, there is no need to shell out tons of cash for tools for use in a hobby you may or may not be totally into. Easier to give it a try with inexpensive tools, or hwatever you have readily available, before moving on to the cadillac solutions. But that's me - on a budget. You're always able to get better, or more quality tools as you learn what you really need. 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...
erose Posted September 11, 2012 Share Posted September 11, 2012 Maybe more than anything a variety of containers to put them in. Zip lock bags of various sizes, small boxes, divided plastic boxes, pill bottles or film cans, etc. Newspaper or bubble wrap for protecting stuff. A rucksack to carry all of that. And paper and pen for labeling everything with location info. Beyond that, as everyone stated above, it depends on location. Some sites require rock pick, chisel, safety goggles, etc. while others you just pick everything up loose and knee pads might be the best thing. Some of the best east coast sites are collected with a wire mesh sifter and you would have no use for a hammer at all and old sneakers and shorts are the uniform. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joshdale Posted September 12, 2012 Author Share Posted September 12, 2012 Ty ty, I will look around. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eero59 Posted September 12, 2012 Share Posted September 12, 2012 Herb's is a great comprehensive list; if you collect a lot of different sites eventually you will need all those things. Amen to flea markets as a source of inexpensive 'experienced' tools. Thrift stores, garage sales too. Look for plastic divided boxes, etc. You will need storage. At most fossil sites I usually always have at least: backback, baggies, water, notebook/pen, labels, boots. Depending on the site, I might also need: maps/gps, wetsuit, floating screen and shovel; or hammers & chisels. Do the research on the site and you will know what to bring, as others have said. I fly to areas I collect so I'm often limited to what tools I take with me and amount of samples I take out. Sometimes I plan to take hand samples only, sometimes I buy tools locally; buckets, sieves, hammers and leave them. I've shipped tools and fossils. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Herb Posted September 13, 2012 Share Posted September 13, 2012 Herb's is a great comprehensive list; if you collect a lot of different sites eventually you will need all those things. Amen to flea markets as a source of inexpensive 'experienced' tools. Thrift stores, garage sales too. Look for plastic divided boxes, etc. You will need storage. At most fossil sites I usually always have at least: backback, baggies, water, notebook/pen, labels, boots. Depending on the site, I might also need: maps/gps, wetsuit, floating screen and shovel; or hammers & chisels. Do the research on the site and you will know what to bring, as others have said. I fly to areas I collect so I'm often limited to what tools I take with me and amount of samples I take out. Sometimes I plan to take hand samples only, sometimes I buy tools locally; buckets, sieves, hammers and leave them. I've shipped tools and fossils. I do collect in many different ages,rocks and streams, that's why the list was so inclusive. Your collecting needs may be less. That being said, it's better to have it and not need it (at the time) than need it and not have it. "Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence"_ Carl Sagen No trees were killed in this posting......however, many innocent electrons were diverted from where they originally intended to go. " I think, therefore I collect fossils." _ Me "When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth."__S. Holmes "can't we all just get along?" Jack Nicholson from Mars Attacks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jocky Posted September 13, 2012 Share Posted September 13, 2012 The vast majority of my finds are on the surface so walking boots, floppy hat and sun block just about covers it. Go out with someone who knows the area as many times as you can to get to know an area. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cvi huang Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 my "tools" two/ three plastic bags, enough in gravel (maybe fossil puncture the bags, so not one) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malcolmt Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 I think the most interesting tool I use is a gas leaf blower it is absolutely great for clearing overburden at the eurypterid quarry or places like Penn Dixie where you are in one spot splitting rock. A quick blow every half hour or so and you are not kneeling in rock chips. I only use the blower at fixed locations that I can basically drive into . It is a permanant resident of my car trunk. After this past Saturday my next investment is going to be in a 6 foot long pry bar with chisel tip. Dave and I were using one we borrowed for part of the day and it was much better than the smaller ones that I own. I may also get a slightly larger mini sledge. My current blue eastwing mini sledge was a bit light for such a large pry bar. A big bar might even come in handy at the eurypterid quarry to break through those really stuborn layers. Also you can never have too many flat boxes in your car when you are hunting eurypterids. Placeing one eurypterid per box lets you keeps all the pieces together till you can get them home to glue them. The norm is that they do not come out in one piece. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raistlin Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 Wow malcolmt that is a great idea for clearing even leaves and such from the more wooded areas I have searched. Imagine all the stuff I miss due to leaves. I plan to look for a cheap fuel leaf blower now. Until then maybe I should pick up a small cheap rake to remove leaf litter. Thanks for the idea. RobertSoutheast, MO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pleecan Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 Just be careful with a 6' pry bar when transporting.... had one poked a hole in the car... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pleecan Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 Other neat tools are gas powered angle grinder with a diamond blade..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Herb Posted September 19, 2012 Share Posted September 19, 2012 You can't beat a good pneumatic jack hammer!! "Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence"_ Carl Sagen No trees were killed in this posting......however, many innocent electrons were diverted from where they originally intended to go. " I think, therefore I collect fossils." _ Me "When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth."__S. Holmes "can't we all just get along?" Jack Nicholson from Mars Attacks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
revasius Posted September 20, 2012 Share Posted September 20, 2012 Long ago I asked my dentist for some of his used / damaged tools. Work very for prepping. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cvi huang Posted September 20, 2012 Share Posted September 20, 2012 use knife example here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Herb Posted September 21, 2012 Share Posted September 21, 2012 use knife example here Nice. I want to dig there!! You can also get a nice set of "dental" picks for $ 4-5 at a place like Harbor Freight, actually I find a lot of cool tools there for fossil hunting. ( ps, no I don't work there or own stock ) "Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence"_ Carl Sagen No trees were killed in this posting......however, many innocent electrons were diverted from where they originally intended to go. " I think, therefore I collect fossils." _ Me "When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth."__S. Holmes "can't we all just get along?" Jack Nicholson from Mars Attacks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raistlin Posted September 21, 2012 Share Posted September 21, 2012 A putty knife is good to have as well. RobertSoutheast, MO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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