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Surpises Prepping Fish


old dead things

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Every year when I return from the quarry I have fish plates that are labeled with question marks, or marked partial or cripple and those pieces get stored in the "someday" space in the fossil barn. "Someday" is usually a cold winter day when there is little else to do, but it was a hot summer day this time when I searched through the "someday" pile.

I chose several pieces and will show one of them on this post. The first is what I will call a splayed diplomystus. 99% of the fish in the Green River formation land horizontally, but some land vertically and thusly fossilize differently. Usually at first glance the fish take on the appearance of something rare as in this case. The diplomystus body landed horizontally, but for some unknown reason the head twisted vertically. The head takes on a catfish appearance.

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Jim

Old Dead Things

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Ma Nature has a sense of humor sometimes, and this head-scratcher proves it.

"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!

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Part two is what is referred to as a cripple. Usually these fish are in two pieces and it is unknown if they can be glued back together. Usually on an edge. In this case it is a phareodus. As I recall I found the first half and the second half was still in the wall. I marked the spot in the wall and several days later removed the second piece.

Most times the edges don't match as in this case. In the final picture the little piece of shale in the middle does fit in that spot and will be split and glued into place. I'll crush some limestone and fill in the remaining crack, then (sorry, for you purists ) I'll use a brownish paint to make it all the same color.............yes, if I sell it, I will tell the buyer that it is painted and repaired. It is what we call a "B cripple" and doesn't command the same price as an "A" fish. There is still plenty of prep work to do on this specimen, probably on a cold winter day.

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Jim

Old Dead Things

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Great post, going "fossil fishing" is definitely on my bucket list of things to do...........

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hey Jim, very interesting. Can I ask you what type of glue you use when you crush some limestone to fill in the crack?

RB

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Good question RB. We use a very thin vinac. The nice thing about vinac is when you mix it you can determine the thickness. We use the thin because it soaks into crack (s) deeper. We make a paste of vinac and fine crushed limestone that goes into the crack, then use a wood clamp. After tightening it we liberally put that thin vinac all through the crack. Highly suggest the use of latex gloves as the vinac is nasty if you get it on your skin. Also when we lay down the fish we put it on wax paper, no sense in gluing it to the work bench.

Jim

Old Dead Things

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Thanks Jim.

One of my best surprizes was when I was going through some of my slabs and picking out some easy preps I picked out this rock thinkin it was a knightia but turned out to be a very nice little Phareodus!

RB

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