A Stop On The Road

[sharko69]

Took a break at a construction pile on my way back from Austin the other day around Salado and made some fun unexpected finds. Lots of shells so just as I was about to leave I found a piece of a large echinoid and a couple feet from the first I found the second. Would love to know if it is worth my while to do any prep. It is interesting how it is.

[sharko69]

The partial...

[sharko69]

Would love to know what this might be?????

[sharko69]

Ammonite. Any suggestions on how to prep this?

[rejd]

Ammonite. Any suggestions on how to prep this?

Yes, send it to me and I will take care of it!

[sharko69]

The shells that kept me looking.

[Ludwigia]

Ammonite. Any suggestions on how to prep this?

Nice finds! Supposing you don't have an air engraver, you'd have to work with hammer and chisels. You know the ammonite has a spiral form, so set the chisels in place accordingly and don't be afraid to hit hard at first. Just make sure the block sits on a sandsack or something similar in order to catch the concussions. I'd start on the side that's visible in the photo. If there's a good separation layer, then the matrix may pop away directly from the fossil. If not then you'll need more patience, smaller chisels, a steel brush and maybe some chemicals, depending on the substance.

[RyanNREMTP]

That area is limestone so yeah chisels to start with.

[JohnJ]

Would love to know what this might be?????

Other views might be useful. Could be a drilling core...?

The urchins are nice like they are. I would just use a denture brush and water or hydrogen peroxide.

[sharko69]

I bet it is a drilling core. Looked too perfect to be a fossil. I will try the denture brush and peroxide. How big do Echinoidea get? These are the size of a softball. Very big.

[RyanNREMTP]

I can see it being a drill core especially with all the construction that is done on I-35.