Welcome To " Fossil Preparation; Tools And Techniques "

[Fossildude19]

Thank You for your response. Very helpful! Just a few more questions concerning air scribe.....Can you attach them to a regular air compressor? What sort of pressure is needed?

What pressure would be too much? I will be posting my finds as soon as I get some good pics also I have a fossil or (rock) I would like to have ID, but still trying to clean it up. Again, thank you for your kind response.

Yes, they are used with regular air compressors. Usually, they operate best between 90 and 100 psi.

Looking forward to seeing your finds.

Regards,

[Roadrunner]

Can you take some pictures of your finds, and start a new thread under fossil trips to show us what you found, and maybe we can help with some ideas on how to go about things?

Regards,

Hello Fossildude19 - thank you for all of the very useful information.

Would you mind taking a look at the 2 fossils in post #57 here;

http://www.thefossilforum.com/index.php?/topic/35702-finds-today-that-i-cant-id/page-3

...and tell me how you would start?

The gastropod in particular perplexes me, because although the matrix appears to be limestone, the fossil itself appears to be shale. As you know, both are sedimentary - but in my experience shale is a lot softer than limestone and therefore, easier to destroy. I'm tenuous about both fossils, though. Keeping any detail(s) of the clam will probably be tricky, too.

Much of what I find are usually trace fossils, so when I get a 3-dimensional I find myself stalling out on any prep for fear of wrecking them - which of course, I still might do.

Thank you if you are willing to impart more of your wisdom and if not - thank you for reading this anyway!

Edited June 29, 2014 by Roadrunner

[Clanjones]

What would be a good inexpensive air eraser for a beginner prepper?

Edited July 25, 2014 by Clanjones

[Polioliolio]

Hand Scribe is a needle like tool. You can pick off excess matrix using one of these. These were designed to mark metal, tools, etc. with serial numbers or initials/names or dates.

Cold chisels, rather than wood chisels.

Cold chisels are designed and strong enough to be used for breaking rocks. Wood chisels are made of softer metals, and not designed to work against stone. Could shatter.

That could ruin your day.

Hope this helps.

Regards,

After a looong winter, and a lonelier relationship status, I'm looking to start my fossil hunting hobby again from where I left off last year.

So have the following cold chisels...

These guys

What kind of hammer is best to use with them??

Thanks guys~

Edit:

Nevermind! I've caught up on some old threads I've posted in, and it appears I've already asked such a question. Thanks fellas!

Edited March 26, 2015 by Polioliolio

[IvePieterick]

I got my stylus and bushing for my CP at http://www.paleotools.com/#!me-9100/v9yxu

[Barerootbonsai]

On 19/12/2012 at 0:03 PM, donckey said:

In archeology we make flint artefacts shine and show more details by using "NASENFETT" ( german expression).

It can be quickly done by rubbing your finger at both side next to the nosewings and then put it on the artefact.

For some fossils like trilobites and others with a smooth surface it works as well!

This is no joke.

For prepping very fine fossils like green valeyfish I use straight pointed surgical blades. They work great!

Peter

with suiseki and viewing stones this is known as patina.  oil from hands is good aswell as the nose.

[Mike Pocock]

Hi Juju,

Ken Manion will be able to sort out spare stylus, he sharpens  broken ones, i sent him one to  be sharpend and i bought a new one as well.

 

Regards

Mike

[its.just.alec]

Anyone have any tips & recommendations for some basic tools to buy for cracking open concretions? I'm heading to Mazon Creek in a week or so with a few buddies to look for some nice concretions, and I'd like to crack them open as efficiently as possible!

[Mark Kmiecik]

5 hours ago, its.just.alec said:

Anyone have any tips & recommendations for some basic tools to buy for cracking open concretions? I'm heading to Mazon Creek in a week or so with a few buddies to look for some nice concretions, and I'd like to crack them open as efficiently as possible!

You don't hammer open Mazon Creek concretions unless you don't care about possibly destroying the find of a lifetime. A rock hammer to get them out of the ground can be had at almost any hardware store but is usually not necessary. A flathead screwdriver is the most useful tool when collecting as most of what you find will either be lying on the surface or partially exposed and can usually just be picked up. The preferred method of opening Mazon Creek concretions is the freeze/thaw method, which consists of soaking them in water for about a week until they are saturated and then freezing and thawing them until they open by themselves or a distinct crack becomes visible. At that point you let them dry out or dry them in the oven and then gently tap around the edge with a light hammer or another concretion or rock. Some of them may already be split open or ready to when you find them, but most of the time they are not. The other reason you don't want to split them in the field is that it takes up half the time you're out there and could have spent finding more concretions.

 

I know how tempting it is to hammer them -- I have over 600 specimens that I've kept in my collection out of about 25,000 concretions that I've found. Mazon Creek fossils take patience if you want to end up with specimens worth keeping. If you want something you and your friends can see right away just check the exposed limestone roadcuts in that area for crinoids and other marine fossils.

[steelhead9]

On 9/15/2012 at 9:43 PM, Rocks Anne said:

Awesome, Auspex! So far, here's what I've learned on my own:

1. Scrubbing rocks with brushes every day causes ones knuckles to swell until your hands can't open and close anymore. It does not enhance the rocks much, either.

2. Cleaning rocks with a pressure washer either causes underlying fossils to become more visible or blows away all the details of what you thought you saw until you can't see it anymore.

3. Baby oil does bring out colors and makes rocks look better. At first. Then it soaks in and all the rocks turn black.

4. Letting rocks and gravel from Murfreesboro sit in buckets of water behind the shed for a year does not seem to produce diamonds, just slimy algae and millions of mosquito larvae.

5. How the heck DO people get those beautiful shiny trilobites to appear out of an ordinary rock?

Those beautiful trilobites have to be there in the first place, which most often they are not. Then, LOTS of hard work!

[Joe Gandalf]

I found this forum while searching for information on an air scribe. A few months ago I found a CP9361 on a table at our local flea market. The guy mostly cleans out barns and sells what goodies he finds; his prices usually are rather reasonable, but this scribe cost me a whopping $4.00! So hooray! (And it is fully operational.) I had been using an old Burgess engraver to experiment with, but my tool selection just took a major jump upwards.

 

My question is: do most preparators simply use the scribe point, or is there an advantage to adding the anvil/chisel to the tool? If so, is there a preference for the round point or the flat 1/4" chisel?

 

I mostly play with thin sections and petrographic microscopes, but I have recently become very interested in fossils from the Permian and earlier. I hope to gain some degree of skill in preparing these materials.

 

Thanks to all.

[GorgonGal]

On 6/15/2019 at 5:03 AM, Joe Gandalf said:

I found this forum while searching for information on an air scribe. A few months ago I found a CP9361 on a table at our local flea market. The guy mostly cleans out barns and sells what goodies he finds; his prices usually are rather reasonable, but this scribe cost me a whopping $4.00! So hooray! (And it is fully operational.) I had been using an old Burgess engraver to experiment with, but my tool selection just took a major jump upwards.

 

My question is: do most preparators simply use the scribe point, or is there an advantage to adding the anvil/chisel to the tool? If so, is there a preference for the round point or the flat 1/4" chisel?

 

I mostly play with thin sections and petrographic microscopes, but I have recently become very interested in fossils from the Permian and earlier. I hope to gain some degree of skill in preparing these materials.

 

Thanks to all.

That's a crazy bargain!! I'm currently looking for a CP9361 myself but with the exchange rate and shipping fees it's certainly an investment (I'm in South Africa and $1 = R15 and shipping fees to SA are crazy!), so I'm looking for a secondhand one. The CP is my favourite tool and I much prefer it over the PaleoTools version ME-9100. I have been fortunate enough to work with both and been able to borrow one of each until I am able to buy one of my own. 

 

With regards to your question: I have never found the need to work with the anvil/chisel point on moderate sized specimens. I have only ever used the scribe point on the CP tool. Through experience though the original stylus supplied with the CP is very short and we have had to have our own styluses made that are much longer. That way it can get into small spaces much easier. I have used the Paleo Tools Mighty Jack (the really big one) and that has a chisel point, but that was to remove large pieces of very hard matrix from a large specimen (from the Permian) which was certainly interesting as it jumps around like a jack hammer! The chisel doesn't really allow for precision preparation though. All the specimens I work with are from the Late Permian to Early Triassic so slightly after the ones you are interested in ;-) 

 

I'm happy to share more information from my experience from preparing fossils. I have been preparing for nearly 4 years and I used to work at the Natural History Museum in Cape Town, but have recently started my own private preparation company. My specialty is micro-vertebrate specimens though, but have prepared all various types and sizes and happy to share any information! 

[Bobo Greybeard]

On 7/10/2019 at 7:12 AM, tvanzyl89 said:

That's a crazy bargain!! I'm currently looking for a CP9361 myself but with the exchange rate and shipping fees it's certainly an investment (I'm in South Africa and $1 = R15 and shipping fees to SA are crazy!), so I'm looking for a secondhand one. The CP is my favourite tool and I much prefer it over the PaleoTools version ME-9100. I have been fortunate enough to work with both and been able to borrow one of each until I am able to buy one of my own. 

 

With regards to your question: I have never found the need to work with the anvil/chisel point on moderate sized specimens. I have only ever used the scribe point on the CP tool. Through experience though the original stylus supplied with the CP is very short and we have had to have our own styluses made that are much longer. That way it can get into small spaces much easier. I have used the Paleo Tools Mighty Jack (the really big one) and that has a chisel point, but that was to remove large pieces of very hard matrix from a large specimen (from the Permian) which was certainly interesting as it jumps around like a jack hammer! The chisel doesn't really allow for precision preparation though. All the specimens I work with are from the Late Permian to Early Triassic so slightly after the ones you are interested in ;-) 

 

I'm happy to share more information from my experience from preparing fossils. I have been preparing for nearly 4 years and I used to work at the Natural History Museum in Cape Town, but have recently started my own private preparation company. My specialty is micro-vertebrate specimens though, but have prepared all various types and sizes and happy to share any information! 

 I know that I am not the original poster of this question or any of the questions for that matter in this thread.  I would like to say Thank you for everyone that has answered the questions and added helpful post over the last two pages of fantastic info for a beginner.  As a very mild collector for about 12 years and someone who has not decided to start looking for and finding their own fossils instead of buying everything.  I just wanted to drop a line and tell everyone here how thankful I am for their generous help with this subject and all others in this thread.  T

 

Thanks,

Bobo 

[The Rock Guy]

I am keen to start prepping Yorkshire Ammonite nodules that I've been collecting for the last 10 years, beyond the 'split with a chisel and hope for the best '.

 

I've never used an airpen before and would like advice on purchase and use.
IS there a good first time guide or advice to follow for purchasing the right kit?

 

I'm also keen to explore the prep of pyrite nodule cannonballs from Yorkshire.
Is this just a case of wet dry sandpaper and a lot of elbow grease?

once the pyrite polish is achieved, do they stay shiny, or will they oxidise over time?

Is there a way to avoid oxidation via a chemical addition or layer of varnish, etc.

 

All help very much appreciated!

Steve

[Fossildude19]

For any of our readers who would like to get started with Manual Preparation (Hand tools only) have a look at this great topic,  authored by our very own Fossilnerd. 

[grg1109]

On 1/9/2014 at 11:37 AM, ZiggieCie said:

What is the opinion on the Chicago CP710, as a first scribe for Ord, Sil, Devonian Brachs, Croinides, etc. I do have an air abradier (Harbor freight) but need a scribe first.

Which item at Harbor Freight are you using?

Thanks

Greg

[ZiggieCie]

grg1109,  the Harbor Frt air eraser is a waste of money. Get one of these and you will be much happier. Make sure your medium is very dry and attach a blunt needle to the pen and a very good dust system. You will find those hints on other pages here. The most important part of the system to do this is the dust collection system you set-up or buy, as you do not want to blow this fine-abrasive dust into your house or lungs. I am sure others will agree with that and how important that is. Good luck.

https://www.toucheairbrush.com/product/943747/paasche-model-aecr-remote-feed-air-eraser/?origin=google_product_ads&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Shopping%3A FM&utm_term=4580909047474543&utm_content=PLA FM%3A Shopping group - computers  

[ZiggieCie]

Greg, I was just looking online and saw insane prices on these. They should only be in the $100 range, less is better.

 

3 hours ago, grg1109 said:

Which item at Harbor Freight are you using?

Thanks

Greg

[grg1109]

"attach a blunt needle to the pen"...I don't know what this means.

 

Thanks for the input!!  I appreciate it.

Greg

[ZiggieCie]

34 minutes ago, grg1109 said:

"attach a blunt needle to the pen"...I don't know what this means.

 

Thanks for the input!!  I appreciate it.

Greg

 

They sell blunt Hypodermic needles and apx. size of 18, and for precision work a size 10, but don't have to worry about that yet just an FYI on that. and I attach mine to the tip of my abrader pen with Hot melt glue. It allows you more precise control when using it. This makes it a very precise sandblaster for the detail work on your fossils.

 

[grg1109]

OH!  LOL...I thought you meant like a sewing pin.

Thanks for the clarification

Greg

[DanJeavs]

On 11/12/2019 at 9:44 AM, The Rock Guy said:

I am keen to start prepping Yorkshire Ammonite nodules that I've been collecting for the last 10 years, beyond the 'split with a chisel and hope for the best '.

 

I've never used an airpen before and would like advice on purchase and use.
IS there a good first time guide or advice to follow for purchasing the right kit?

 

I'm also keen to explore the prep of pyrite nodule cannonballs from Yorkshire.
Is this just a case of wet dry sandpaper and a lot of elbow grease?

once the pyrite polish is achieved, do they stay shiny, or will they oxidise over time?

Is there a way to avoid oxidation via a chemical addition or layer of varnish, etc.

 

All help very much appreciated!

Steve

Hi steve. For pen advice i’d recommend getting in touch with the guys st zoicpaeleotech. Their customer service is second to none and can guide you through it all. As for the cannonballs, while yes, it’s pretty much wet and dry and elbow grease, there is definitely more to it, but unfortunately know professional will give up their secrets. Mainly due to how much they end up being worth and don’t want over collecting of them, especially now they’re becoming harder to find. They can dull, but all depends how they are found. If they’ve been find along the shore line and exposed to sea water, they will dull over time and succumb to pyrite rot one way or another. Hope this helps.

Dan

 

[Jimmy From Holland]

On 11/12/2019 at 4:44 PM, The Rock Guy said:

I am keen to start prepping Yorkshire Ammonite nodules that I've been collecting for the last 10 years, beyond the 'split with a chisel and hope for the best '.

 

I've never used an airpen before and would like advice on purchase and use.
IS there a good first time guide or advice to follow for purchasing the right kit?

 

I'm also keen to explore the prep of pyrite nodule cannonballs from Yorkshire.
Is this just a case of wet dry sandpaper and a lot of elbow grease?

once the pyrite polish is achieved, do they stay shiny, or will they oxidise over time?

Is there a way to avoid oxidation via a chemical addition or layer of varnish, etc.

 

All help very much appreciated!

Steve

I clean pyrite with sulfuric acid. if it is shiny it stays shiny but if there is slate or something in between it will be eaten. a quick dip does a good job. I don't put a coat of varnish over it anymore.