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Assembling An Archival Marking Kit For Paleontological Specimens


xonenine

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That is a good paper. I used it to put together my kit for marking my fossils.

A fossil hunter needs sharp eyes and a keen search image, a mental template that subconsciously evaluates everything he sees in his search for telltale clues. -Richard E. Leakey

http://prehistoricalberta.lefora.com

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When I marked specimens at the Dayton MNH, we used india ink and crow quill pens.

"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

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  • 2 years later...

A very important message from this helpful resource is DO NOT USE WHITE OUT! Just get some acrylic white paint (1-2$) and an archival pen (1-2$).

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On ‎1‎/‎1‎/‎2014 at 2:25 PM, Herb said:

When I marked specimens at the Dayton MNH, we used india ink and crow quill pens.

 

Were you also a signer of the Declaration of Independence?! 

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verily, it was so.

seriously the crow quill pens (made of metal, not crow) are extremely fine tipped and will mark on almost anything. And the ink won't fade

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"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

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  • 3 months later...

Another source for this information, as well as a bunch of other lectures on prep topics by leading pros:

 

 

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  • 2 years later...
On 11/15/2016 at 7:32 PM, Herb said:

verily, it was so.

seriously the crow quill pens (made of metal, not crow) are extremely fine tipped and will mark on almost anything. And the ink won't fade

Do you by chance have a link where I can find and order these pens?

 

Thanks,

Bobo

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you can get the pens at Hobby Lobby

"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

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  • 4 weeks later...

I know this is an old thread, but many thanks to contributors... I've been doing the white out thing, and still have a pretty small collection.  Very glad to have learned about this better way early on!

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  • 11 months later...

Just to reiterate the NO WHITE OUT and also NO SHARPIES...  These are still partially readable but many others just turned into gray smears.  White or clear enamel and then an archival (non-acid) ink such as india ink as herb said is best.

 

I also try and be redundant writing the specimen number on both the specimen(when possible) as well as the bin or cantainer.

 

 

DSCN5180.JPG

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  • 2 months later...
On 8/20/2021 at 1:34 PM, erose said:

Just to reiterate the NO WHITE OUT and also NO SHARPIES...  These are still partially readable but many others just turned into gray smears.  White or clear enamel and then an archival (non-acid) ink such as india ink as herb said is best.

 

I also try and be redundant writing the specimen number on both the specimen(when possible) as well as the bin or cantainer.

 

 

DSCN5180.JPG

 

 

Does acetone remove enamel?

 

Cheers

~ Isaac; www.isaactfm.com 

 

"Don't move! He can't see us if we don't move!" - Alan Grant

 

Come to the spring that is The Fossil Forum, where the stream of warmth and knowledge never runs dry.

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2 hours ago, IsaacTheFossilMan said:

 

 

Does acetone remove enamel?

 

Cheers

not that I know of. 

 

I assume you mean enamel paint not the enamel on teeth.  

 

I use acrylic paint rather than enamel. 

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18 hours ago, jpc said:

not that I know of. 

 

I assume you mean enamel paint not the enamel on teeth.  

 

I use acrylic paint rather than enamel. 

 

 

Of course, um... Definitely not the teeth!

 

Thanks for the information :)

~ Isaac; www.isaactfm.com 

 

"Don't move! He can't see us if we don't move!" - Alan Grant

 

Come to the spring that is The Fossil Forum, where the stream of warmth and knowledge never runs dry.

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Has anyone had any experience with putting label-machine tags directly onto fossils?

~ Isaac; www.isaactfm.com 

 

"Don't move! He can't see us if we don't move!" - Alan Grant

 

Come to the spring that is The Fossil Forum, where the stream of warmth and knowledge never runs dry.

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22 minutes ago, IsaacTheFossilMan said:

Has anyone had any experience with putting label-machine tags directly onto fossils?

Not very long ago, there was a topic about this. It described the use of a label-maker for bigger outdoor-fossils.

Franz Bernhard

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50 minutes ago, FranzBernhard said:

Not very long ago, there was a topic about this. It described the use of a label-maker for bigger outdoor-fossils.

Franz Bernhard

Interesting, I'll try to find it.

~ Isaac; www.isaactfm.com 

 

"Don't move! He can't see us if we don't move!" - Alan Grant

 

Come to the spring that is The Fossil Forum, where the stream of warmth and knowledge never runs dry.

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1 hour ago, IsaacTheFossilMan said:

Has anyone had any experience with putting label-machine tags directly onto fossils?

I would think it really would depend on type of fossil/ matrix and label type. The glue and flexibility of label would be a big factor. Since most fossils aren't perfectly flat the label would have to be very flexible to adjust to the shape and stay. Also, life of label and printing would be of interest.

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1 minute ago, Sjfriend said:

I would think it really would depend on type of fossil/ matrix and label type. The glue and flexibility of label would be a big factor. Since most fossils aren't perfectly flat the label would have to be very flexible to adjust to the shape and stay. Also, life of label and printing would be of interest.

 

The printer I would be thinking of using is the Dymo LetraTag, which I have had for several years. @Bobby Rico showed it off here: 

 

In fact, do you have any experience with direct application, Mr Rico?

 

~ Isaac; www.isaactfm.com 

 

"Don't move! He can't see us if we don't move!" - Alan Grant

 

Come to the spring that is The Fossil Forum, where the stream of warmth and knowledge never runs dry.

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  • 4 months later...
  • 3 weeks later...
On 11/9/2019 at 9:11 AM, SteveE said:

I know this is an old thread, but many thanks to contributors... I've been doing the white out thing, and still have a pretty small collection.  Very glad to have learned about this better way early on!

 

And I'm new so please understand late to the party replies? Hey do they still make White Out?

 

Bigger surprise for me is at the museum in the late 80s we used White Out and ink pens. I mean real pigment ink, not markers. Good reading.

 

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