Four Free Fossils For Beginner Prep

[tmaier]

Greetings,

I have a lot of uncleaned fossils and I think they would be good for beginner collectors and people who want to try fossil prep for the first time.

These aren't valuable enough to auction off for the forum, but they are nice. The fossils are free and I will ship them free in the USA. Don't ask me to ship overseas, because it's a pain and costs a lot.

Here are the rules:

1.) You must be a beginner at collecting or fossil prep.

2.) Claim the fossil by number by posting here first, and then send me your address by private message through the forum. First come, first serve.

These fossils are from the Ocala Formation in Florida and are upper Eocene. The "limestone" matrix they are embedded in is some of most soft and pure in the world. This makes them some of the easiest fossils to prep, also.

Fossil #1
Eupatagus antillarum
This one is the easiest of the group. It could probably just be cleaned up with vinegar and toothbrush, no tools needed.



Fossil #2
Eupatagus antillarum
30% matrix attached. Small crack in fossil.

Fossil #3
Oligopygus wetherbyi
40% matrix attached. Very tiny crack.

Fossil #4
Oligopygus wetherbyi
60% matrix coverage. No cracks seen.



The images show the worst side of these fossils.

After you clean them up, the Eupatagus antillarum will look like this
http://www.paleoportal.org/index.php?globalnav=fossil_gallery&sectionnav=detail&submission_id=1713&taxon_id=15&state_id=&period_id=8&assemblage_id=&last_section=search


and the Oligopygus wetherbyi will look like this
http://www.paleoportal.org/index.php?globalnav=fossil_gallery&sectionnav=detail&submission_id=1714&taxon_id=15&state_id=&period_id=8&assemblage_id=&last_section=search

[tmaier]

Oh, yeah... ONLY ONE PER "CUSTOMER"!

I'm trying to encourage new fossil hounds.

[hashemdbouk]

Can I have fossil #1 ?

I would love the chance to practice fossil cleaning, as I am always nervous about trying to clean ones I've found as I don't want to ruin them!

Thanks in advance!

Edited August 6, 2014 by hashemdbouk

[tmaier]

OK, first sale of the day. Fossil #1 goes to hashemdbouk. It will be in the mail by tomorrow. I might be using a bulk rate shipping or something cheap, so expect it by early next week.

On this fossil #1, just put it in a cup of vinegar, pull it out every 2 minutes and brush it lightly with a soft tooth brush. Repeat until you see the fine features of the fossil surface. The vinegar loosens the limestone and brush is just to wipe the limestone away. DON'T try to use a brush to SCRAPE off the limestone, of you will ruin the fine features of the surface of the fossil. Also, it isn't a good idea to leave the fossil in the vinegar for a long time, because the vinegar will seep into the inside of the echnoid and attack it from the inside (I will post a cross section of one of these fossils, to show you what is inside). The outer surface of the fossil is very solidly fossilized, but if you left the fossil in vinegar for a very long time and used a very stiff brush, you could smooth out the fine surface features. Any stubborn particles that adhere to the fossil surface can be picked away with an exacto knife or a dental pick.

After the vinegar cleaning, flush out the remaining vinegar by washing under a faucet for a minute, then put it in a cup of clean tap water for an hour, and shake it a bit every five minutes. That leaches out the remaining vinegar from the fossil into the water. Any remaining vinegar will be neutralized by the limestone itself.

Oh yeah, use plastic cups, not glass or ceramic. Plastic won't scratch the fossil surface.

Edited August 6, 2014 by tmaier

[hashemdbouk]

Fantastic!

Thanks for the info! I greatly appreciate it! After i clean this one, I will probably use your tips on some of the fossils I have recently found!

Much appreciated!

[lissa318]

It is nice of you to do this and echinoids are the only fossil I've ever prepped. Some of the ones I did soaked up the vinegar through crevices and a member on here told me it helps to soak them in water for a little while before the vinegar. Helps keep too much vinegar from seeping inside! I do think it helped with mine. I hope the members that receive these post after pictures!!! What great gesture for beginners on here. If I hadn't prepped these before I'd jump on your offer! Echinoids are wonderful fossils.

[tmaier]

On the remaining fossils, you can't just use the method I described above. You need to remove the matix material with mechanical means.

You can use a knife, a vibro-pick, air scribe, small screw driver, dremel tools, etc. The trick is to mevhanically remove the matrix and try not to come any closer than a couple millimeters from the fossil surface. That is why it is important to have a good idea what the anatomy of your fossil is, so you don't dig into the fossil itself. Once you mechanically reduce the matrix down close as possible, then you start with the vinegar soak methods I descibe above.

Any more takers? These are cool looking when cleaned and they are 35 million years old, with lots of detail.

[tmaier]

helps to soak them in water for a little while before the vinegar. Helps keep too much vinegar from seeping inside!

Oooo! I forgot to mention that trick... yes, that does help. I will be posting a cross section view of one of these fossils to show why interior seepage of the vinegar is so bad.

Thanks.

[hashemdbouk]

I hope the members that receive these post after pictures!!! What great gesture for beginners on here

I will definitely be posting "before and after" pictures of the fossil echinoid! I'm really excited about this, and I agree with Lisa, I think it's a great gesture from you towards newbies like myself!

[Auspex]

What a good and generous thing to do! Thank you

[tmaier]

Here is that cross section I mentioned. It is a cracked open Eupatagus antillarum. Notice the fossil is a thin shell that is filled with soft limestone inside. The soft limestone inside acts as a support and holds the fossil together, even when it is cracked slightly on the outside. If vinegar get seriously into the inside, like on an overnight soak, then it weakens the support and you have a very fragile egg shell.

People who clean these Ocala formation fossils get the false impression that "limestone is easy". I've dealt with other limestone that is extremely hard and pretty insoluable with plain vinegar, so after doing these easy ones, you need to not assume all other fossils will be so easy. A dab with vinger and wipe with a brush normally gives you a good idea how difficult the job will be.

Some of these Ocala deposits are so soft you can crumble the "limestone" away with your fingers and thumbnail. These are a bit more compact than that.

When you go fossil hunting and find a good piece that needs cleaning, pick up some other "scrap" pieces of the same formation for test and practive subjects, before working on your prize fossil.

Edited August 6, 2014 by tmaier

[tmaier]

Another couple of tips...

Use distilled white vinegar, because it is the purest you are likely to find. Don't use flavored or wine vinegar, unless you are going for good taste.

Allow the echnoid to dry out for a couple weeks before boxing it up, especially if you use polypropelene boxes, like I do. You don't want to seal in that moisture or you are asking for an algae attack.

I've tried 90% isopropyl alcohol as the final bath to pick up water out of the fossil, and that seems to work pretty good. The alcohol evaporates out faster than the water. Water by it self also works, but takes much longer to dry through and through.

[Harry Pristis]

Hey, tmaier, how about showing us a good close-up image of your best, acid-prepared echinoids so that we have some standard toward which to aspire. I've never used acid, so I'd like to see your results.

[tmaier]

Those links to Berkeley Museum (paleoportal) in my first post are my fossils. (see my name below the picture?) How do you like them?

That attachment in your post above is a real beauty. Did you do that one, and if so, what method?

[Harry Pristis]

Calcite and acid are not good together . . . so destructive.

I use a micro-blaster with 25-micron glass beads to prep my echinoids, such as the one in my image. Without the relatively-expensive blaster, I would use a wire brush on a rotary tool.

[tmaier]

Well, some people like to grind 'em, and some don't.

It's a matter of preference and what the fossil wants. When there is observable surface texture, I don't want to lose it. I've run a vibro needle right down onto the surface of some fossils that seem strong enough to take it. My personal preference is to never touch the fossil with a mechanical tool, unless I know it will not cause damage. I don't want tool marks to be part of the fossil surface.

[tmaier]

Here's a zoom on an Oligopygus wetherbyi that was cleaned with vinegar.

Is it OK?

[Mattalic]

I'm still diving into preperation and would love a crack at one if you would allow me. I'd probably choose the one with the most matrix attached (Fossil #4) as a means to practice. I would probably take the tedious-uber-long time method and do it manually with a pick/acid.

[tmaier]

I'm not telling people how they HAVE to clean their fossils.

It would be interesting to hear other people's methods. I am NOT a professional at this. I'm just trying to encourage more hobbiests.

OK, Number four is spoken for. Send me your address by private message and I'll get it in the mail tomorrow.

There is a trick you can use when using just a pick or a knife, and I call it "pedestaling". You carve a groove into the matrix and then pop large sections of the matrix off by twisting a screwdriver in the goove slot. The groove slot can also be made with a dremel tool (safety goggles, folks!).

Edited August 7, 2014 by tmaier

[tmaier]

Oh yeah, one more tip...

If you put the fossil in the vinegar and it really foams, that is not good. The bubbles roling off the bottom seem to cause an abrasion of the fossil surface and if that goes on too long (20 minutes), then you can end up with some erosion of the fossil surface. It seems hard to believe, but rolling bubbles are abrasive.

Add water to the vinegar to calm it down and rotate the fossil frequently. When the vinegar gets really cloudy with sediment, change to fresh vinegar. I think the sediment rolling against the fossil surface carried by the bubbles causes this abrasion.

I haven't done this for about eight years, so it's coming back to me slowly.

Still got two fossils left, numbers two and three.

[DeepTimeIsotopes]

May I claim number 3?

[tmaier]

OK, number three is claimed by utahfossilhunter.

One left, and that is number 2.

[snolly50]

I find prepping the most enjoyable part of my fossil interest. I think your offer of this material is a wonderful effort to share that experience. I hope all the recipients of your generosity have fun and kindle their interest.

[tmaier]

Amateur paleontology has many rewards. I hope more people take this up.

You get to go for interesting walks outdoors.

When you get the fossils home, you get to play detective.

You learn about geology, botany, zoology, paleoclimatology, evolution, minerology, chemistry, and anatomy.

You end up with a fancinating museum in your own home.

You excercise your mind and body.

It is something to be encouraged.

[tmaier]

Oh yeah...

I tried to get my son interested in this, but he just rolls his eyes and makes faces.

I don't know what attracts people to stuff like this, but I don't believe that it is good to push an interest onto kids. You do the best presentation you can, and if they pick it up and run with it, then that is good. Else, present something else to them. Hopefuly some topic will click with them.

Edited August 9, 2014 by tmaier