Sunday Prep Work

[Rockaholic]

I had a long exhausting week of work so I decided to do some prep work to unwind. Had a bucket of nodules thawing so I thought I’d let them bake in the sun before attempting to split them with a hammer.(First Photo)

This is a nodule with a Macroneuropteris partially exposed.(Second Photo) The matrix that is covering this fossil is too thin for the freeze thaw method to be effective so I exposed this specimen with repeated cycles of hydrogen peroxide baths followed by scraping with a dental pick.The third photo is the end result. Not sure if the spots are pyrite crystals or Excipulites, but they made cleaning with the dental pick more challenging.

The last photo is a larger Macroneuropteris that was also exposed using this method.Approximatly ¾ of it was covered with matrix.

Edited July 20, 2014 by Rockaholic

[Mattalic]

Out of curiosity - what does the peroxide bath do?

Absolutely gorgeous piece there.

Edited July 21, 2014 by Mattalic

[Rockaholic]

Out of curiosity - what does the peroxide bath do?

Absolutely gorgeous piece there.

Not sure exactly what chemical reaction is occurring, but the hydrogen peroxide softens the matrix overlying the fossil making the matrix easy to remove with the dental pick. Each cycle a layer of softened matrix is removed until you notice that soft pressure scraping with the dental pick is no longer removing any material. Then the piece is soaked in hydrogen peroxide again and the cycle is repeated. I’ve experimented with this technique with a fern fossil nodule were the venation was highlighted with kaolinite and it seemed to remove small remnants of the matrix overlying the fossil without breaking down the kaolinite.I hope this process doesn’t have any long-term effects on the fossils. Hope this answered your question.

[Mattalic]

Not sure exactly what chemical reaction is occurring, but the hydrogen peroxide softens the matrix overlying the fossil making the matrix easy to remove with the dental pick. Each cycle a layer of softened matrix is removed until you notice that soft pressure scraping with the dental pick is no longer removing any material. Then the piece is soaked in hydrogen peroxide again and the cycle is repeated. I’ve experimented with this technique with a fern fossil nodule were the venation was highlighted with kaolinite and it seemed to remove small remnants of the matrix overlying the fossil without breaking down the kaolinite.I hope this process doesn’t have any long-term effects on the fossils. Hope this answered your question.

It does - and that was my concern - the impact on the fossils. If it's breaking down the matrix slowly, surely some must hit the fossil.

Again, tremendous piece, I love the detail.

[Xiphactinus]

Detail is fantastic!

[digit]

I had to snicker when I saw the plastic shoebox you are using for the freeze/that processing on your nodules as it is the very same type I've got sitting in my freezer at the moment with a load of Mazon Creek nodules.

Cheers.

-Ken

[Stocksdale]

Looks like good results with that technique. I might try it on some of mine that are covered with a thin layer like that one.

Regarding Ken's comment about the shoe box..... What I found to be really good containers for freeze/thaw are these containers from Ikea.

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/categories/series/19027/

Good size and the plastic is really durable. They've survived a year of pretty constant freeze/thaws in great shape.

Edited July 21, 2014 by Stocksdale

[Rockaholic]

My plastic shoe box is wife approved and seems to be doing the job but I'll keep Ikea in mind if I need to replace the containers that I'm currently using.Here's a photo of the nodules that split from the first photo.This was the second freeze/thaw cycle for this group.

[digit]

Those are some really nice looking fern bits. Some of my nodules are still shedding 'egg shell' layers of shale coatings while working their way down to the nodule proper. I did get one little nodule (about the size of the last segment of my little finger--the third distal phalanx for those who like to get anatomical). It has a really small segment of a fern frond in it and a lot of calcium build-up. I'm going to have a closer look at it now that it is dried and decide if a bath in a little vinegar might do it some good.

Hoping for some botanical pieces as pretty as those in your picture above sometime soon.

Cheers.

-Ken

[Rockaholic]

Those are some really nice looking fern bits. Some of my nodules are still shedding 'egg shell' layers of shale coatings while working their way down to the nodule proper. I did get one little nodule (about the size of the last segment of my little finger--the third distal phalanx for those who like to get anatomical). It has a really small segment of a fern frond in it and a lot of calcium build-up. I'm going to have a closer look at it now that it is dried and decide if a bath in a little vinegar might do it some good.

Hoping for some botanical pieces as pretty as those in your picture above sometime soon.

Cheers.

-Ken

Thanks. Not sure if any of them are first round photo quality but with my limited knowledge I'm probably storing pieces that have greater significance then the ones I’m choosing to photograph first. Saw your fern on another post. Nice find. I’ll send you some Mango recipes so that you can make room in your freezer.

[digit]

I’ll send you some Mango recipes so that you can make room in your freezer.

Mango recipes always welcome. My favorite is to take some of my frozen mango and dice it up roughly before tossing it into a blender. Mix with approximately equal parts (give or take) of vanilla yogurt and blend till thick and creamy. One of my all time favorite (non-alcoholic) drinks. When I'm being lazy and don't feel like breaking down and cleaning the blender I cheat and simply dice the frozen mango a bit finer and mix with the vanilla yogurt in a bowl (sometimes topped with my wife's homemade granola for a bit of crunchy texture). By storing the frozen mango in one quart (sandwich size) ziptop bags in the freezer the resultant mango packets are thin flat squares which are easily diced up.

We have a friend's recipe for mango salsa and occasionally make a mango bread but we try to keep the vanilla yogurt industry solvent by enjoying some with frozen mango with regularity.

Cheers.

-Ken

[Stocksdale]

My plastic shoe box is wife approved and seems to be doing the job but I'll keep Ikea in mind if I need to replace the containers that I'm currently using.Here's a photo of the nodules that split from the first photo.This was the second freeze/thaw cycle for this group.

Nice botanical representation. I'm going to see if I fail or pass the paleobotany 101 test.......

Clockwise from 11:00: Pecopteris, Cyperites, Another Pecopterid, Macroneuropteris, Allethopteris, and Neuropteris ovata??

Edited July 22, 2014 by Stocksdale

[Rockaholic]

Nice botanical representation. I'm going to see if I fail or pass the paleobotany 101 test.......

Clockwise from 11:00: Pecopteris, Cyperites, Another Pecopterid, Macroneuropteris, Allethopteris, and Neuropteris ovata??

Entry level paleobotony courses only require that the genus be identified therefore you’ve passed with flying colors. I’m not sure if the Neuropteris is ovata, unfortunately I don’t possess the answer key.

[Rockaholic]

Entry level paleobotony courses only require that the genus be identified therefore you’ve passed with flying colors. I’m not sure if the Neuropteris is ovata, unfortunately I don’t possess the answer key.

I just took a photo of of the "Neuropteris" and after taking a closer look I'm not so sure now that it's a Neuropteris.I'm going to try to figure this one out on my own but may end up needing some help.