Freeze & Rapid Thaw Works!

[Bev]

http://www.thefossilforum.com/index.php?/topic/40175-nuking-and-boiling-fossils-in-water/

Here is a link to the entire experiment!

Limestone Matrix

Soaked in water for 12 hours.

Froze for 12 hours.

Dropped into boiling water for 20 minutes.

Hot!

Use a hot pad and take outside or in the garage.

Wear Safety Glasses!

Tape the fossil to protect it, and if it fractures to keep all of the pieces.

Rap with a hammer sharply on the matrix.

Out pops the fossil!

Oh Yeah!

[lmacfadden]

Thanks Bev - I can see where this method will be very helpful to me with some of the embedded fossils I have saved over time! Can't wait to see what I can extract.

Edited August 27, 2013 by lmacfadden

[Auspex]

The technique certainly works for these fossils in these rocks, but I would like to caution (for the benefit of less experienced readers) that most fossils in other rocks can come to a bad end when subjected to sudden and extreme changes in temperature.

[Bev]

I am from Minnesota. And these are Minnesota rocks and fossils.

Right now, the heat index is around 105 degrees, hence, I am inside the house in the air conditioning.

By December, it could be -80 degrees with wind chill.

180 degree variance in temperature - that's extreme, even for rocks. We won't mention living creatures.

But in the spring there will be a new crop of fossils to collect! :-D

[Beach Boy]

Good post Bev, roll on spring.

Dave

[Ludwigia]

The technique certainly works for these fossils in these rocks, but I would like to caution (for the benefit of less experienced readers) that most fossils in other rocks can come to a bad end when subjected to sudden and extreme changes in temperature.

Great work, Bev! But I'd like to support Chas here in also mentioning that one should study the fossil closely beforehand for any cracks or crevices that may cause it to pop into sections after such a treatment.

[Bev]

Great work, Bev! But I'd like to support Chas here in also mentioning that one should study the fossil closely beforehand for any cracks or crevices that may cause it to pop into sections after such a treatment.

Thanks Ludwigia! It's fun experimenting! :-D

[Wrangellian]

I think the danger comes with rapid change of temp... When you dunk a frozen rock into boiling water for instance, the outside is heated first while the inside remains frozen for a bit longer, and this creates stresses which can make it shatter. Over the year you get gradual changes in temp., and it's the frost action inside the minute cracks in rock that cause new stuff to be exposed. (that and weak acid action dissolving limestone, etc)