Kalo Posted August 29, 2014 Share Posted August 29, 2014 Hello, what I can use to reach wet-looking effect on these fossils: "In the beginning God..." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raggedy Man Posted August 29, 2014 Share Posted August 29, 2014 As a rockhound for over twenty years, I have seen people use many types of clear coats to obtain the desired effect you seek. The only way I will use this effect is through polishing...and polishing alone. Please please please please do not introduce those chemicals to these wonderful specimens. My old geophysics professor refers to this process as bastardization... At first it will look impressive if done correctly, but it always oxidizes and turns the piece into rubbish. In the end, it's your piece to do with as you wish, but protection and proper respect should always come first. One a side note...have a wonderful weekend as I will with my wife in the hopes she finds her first bug this weekend. Keeping my fingers crossed!! ...I'm back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted August 29, 2014 Share Posted August 29, 2014 A thinned coat of 'Pledge Multi Surface Wax with Klear' should give you a low-luster, slightly-darkening effect. Please do not make the long term mistake of spraying them with an aerosol acrylic coat, which cannot be removed. "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! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry Pristis Posted August 29, 2014 Share Posted August 29, 2014 A much better material for bone is a polyvinyl butyral plastic such as Butvar B-76, but that material may be hard to find in small quantities. I have used this plastic, dissolved in acetone, for many types of fossils. (I have used it successfully on Silurian-age shales with brachiopods, for example.) It penetrates well, and in the proper dilution it produces a "damp-looking" finish with no gloss. http://pristis.wix.com/the-demijohn-page What seest thou else In the dark backward and abysm of time? ---Shakespeare, The Tempest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobWill Posted August 29, 2014 Share Posted August 29, 2014 On the other hand if you really want a high gloss and if the specimen is such a common fossil as to be useless for research and if you don't mind a possible change in color eventually I see no reason why you shouldn't use anything a stone worker might use for that effect. That's a lot of "if's" to consider, just don't forget that most materials cannot be removed like the wax and the Butvar can. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ramo Posted August 29, 2014 Share Posted August 29, 2014 I have heard that some screwdrivers with clear handles are made from the same plastic that Harry talks about. You would want to confirm this before trying, but it might be a good way to get a small sample of "Butvar" to coat your fossil with. Ramo (Don't we have any chemists on here?) For one species to mourn the death of another is a new thing under the sun. -Aldo Leopold Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Opisthotriton Posted August 29, 2014 Share Posted August 29, 2014 I strongly doubt that the screwdriver handles are actually made of Butvar. There are some similarities in the plastic, enough that both dissolve in acetone, which is why you need to be careful what sort of container you use to store a butvar-acetone mixture. The clear plastic screwdriver handles will "melt" (technically partially dissolve) if your butvar mixture spills on them, making a nasty sticky mess. If someone does want to experiment with intentionally melting/dissolving screwdriver handles and painting some rocks with the resulting goo, I'm frankly quite curious to see the results. Just please don't try it on a fossil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kalo Posted August 29, 2014 Author Share Posted August 29, 2014 Thank YOU all for your advices ! I would like to keep them as natural as possible with a little bit wet effect. If this post will still be here, I will upload few pictures... Wish you Blessed weekend! "In the beginning God..." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sacha Posted August 30, 2014 Share Posted August 30, 2014 A thinned coat of 'Pledge Multi Surface Wax with Klear' should give you a low-luster, slightly-darkening effect. Please do not make the long term mistake of spraying them with an aerosol acrylic coat, which cannot be removed. Thinned with what fluid Auspex? And is the resulting surface dry to the touch or is it a dust collector? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted August 30, 2014 Share Posted August 30, 2014 Thinned with what fluid Auspex? And is the resulting surface dry to the touch or is it a dust collector? This product is water-based, and dries without tackiness. "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! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ludwigia Posted August 30, 2014 Share Posted August 30, 2014 I find that a beeswax based laquer always does a nice job. It can be polished up and also is easily removed with acetone if you decide you want the natural effect back. I use a product called Rember which is made in Spain. Greetings from the Lake of Constance. Roger http://www.steinkern.de/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caldigger Posted August 31, 2014 Share Posted August 31, 2014 I'm going to ride the coat tails of this post and ask what the best (cheap) way to highlight the plant features on Mazon creek nodules. I have quite a few I am selling, but the actual plant just doesn't "POP" the way I would like it to. Any suggestions for someone on a zero budget? Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted August 31, 2014 Share Posted August 31, 2014 Member Fiddlehead has recommended thinned white glue and a fine brush, painting just the fossil. "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! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caldigger Posted August 31, 2014 Share Posted August 31, 2014 Thanks Chas and Fiddlehead, I'll give it a shot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Herb Posted September 5, 2014 Share Posted September 5, 2014 clear Pledge floor wax works well also. "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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ramo Posted September 5, 2014 Share Posted September 5, 2014 I've had good luck with thinned white glue on Dakota Sandstone leaves. Try it on a little piece, and if you don't like it you can wash it off with water I would guess. Ramo For one species to mourn the death of another is a new thing under the sun. -Aldo Leopold Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry Pristis Posted September 5, 2014 Share Posted September 5, 2014 Some of us believe that, because it is water-soluble when wet, white glue must be removable with water after it cures. Here's what Thomas ("oilshale") told us some time ago: ... I am a polymer chemist and my job is to develop white glues and other latices....): I would never use a white glue unless the fossil is wet, crumbly and the substrate is porous and can't be dried before consolidation!"There is no way to remove this white glue once dried (not even with solvent). It will form a dense polymer layer on the surface without penetrating much into the substrate (white glue are tiny polymer particles dispersed in water with a particle size of around 1µm, so the penetration depth won't be much). . . . 2 http://pristis.wix.com/the-demijohn-page What seest thou else In the dark backward and abysm of time? ---Shakespeare, The Tempest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ramo Posted September 6, 2014 Share Posted September 6, 2014 Well, I'll be.... I figured it would wash off with water. I guess it won't. That being said I have white glue on some Dakota sandstone leaves and they look great. If you have something that may need studied by a museum I guess you shouldn't use it, but if it is for your own viewing pleasure, and to show others I'd still give it a try. Ramo For one species to mourn the death of another is a new thing under the sun. -Aldo Leopold Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sacha Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 clear Pledge floor wax works well also. I feel like I'm out of touch with home maintenance, but since all our houses have had tile or carpet, I can't say I'm experienced with floor waxes. I've looked for "Pledge Floor Wax" and "Pledge multi surface wax with Klear" and can't find anything like it at Publix or Walmart. There are lots of cleaners and protectors, oil soaps and spray and wipes of endless flavors and/or scents. There is not a single "floor wax" on the shelves. Any suggestions? I really want to try this on coral geodes since previous efforts have been partially successful, but not reversible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted September 10, 2014 Share Posted September 10, 2014 I feel like I'm out of touch with home maintenance, but since all our houses have had tile or carpet, I can't say I'm experienced with floor waxes. I've looked for "Pledge Floor Wax" and "Pledge multi surface wax with Klear" and can't find anything like it at Publix or Walmart. There are lots of cleaners and protectors, oil soaps and spray and wipes of endless flavors and/or scents. There is not a single "floor wax" on the shelves. Any suggestions? I really want to try this on coral geodes since previous efforts have been partially successful, but not reversible. LINK It looks like the product is distributed mostly in the UK. "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! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tmaier Posted September 11, 2014 Share Posted September 11, 2014 First off, I've never coated any of my fossil... I like them au naturale. But, for my antiquarian book restoration hobby, I have been using two new products from Krylon. One is a varnish that is for use as a coating on oil paintings. It is gloss, so you should get a wet-look. It is supposedly reversible, but I've never needed to try reversing it. It is supposedly "museum quality", anti-UV, non-acid, and non-yellowing with age. I find that this varnish has a bit of a tacky feel to it when applied on very smooth surfaces. http://www.krylon.com/products/uv-archival-varnish/ The other Krylon product is a matte finish coating for charcoal and water colors. It provides the same "museum quality", anti-UV, non-acid, and non-yellowing with age. But, no gloss effect. The original purpose of this coating is to prevent smearing and moisture damage to the art. A charcoal drawing is very dusty, so this coating adheres the charcoal particles to the paper without causing any shine effects, so it doesn't change the drawing. Again, they advertise this as reversible. This coating does not have a tacky feeling on my book covers, but I haven't tried it on some extremely non-porous, like a marble surface. http://www.amazon.com/Krylon-1306-Workable-Fixatif-11-Ounce/dp/B00023JE7U Both of these products might be in your local Walmart, in the krafts department. Anyway, I use it on 100+ year old book covers to protect and/or enhance them. They sound safe to try on fossils. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sacha Posted September 11, 2014 Share Posted September 11, 2014 First off, I've never coated any of my fossil... I like them au naturale. But, for my antiquarian book restoration hobby, I have been using two new products from Krylon. One is a varnish that is for use as a coating on oil paintings. It is gloss, so you should get a wet-look. It is supposedly reversible, but I've never needed to try reversing it. It is supposedly "museum quality", anti-UV, non-acid, and non-yellowing with age. I find that this varnish has a bit of a tacky feel to it when applied on very smooth surfaces. http://www.krylon.com/products/uv-archival-varnish/ The other Krylon product is a matte finish coating for charcoal and water colors. It provides the same "museum quality", anti-UV, non-acid, and non-yellowing with age. But, no gloss effect. The original purpose of this coating is to prevent smearing and moisture damage to the art. A charcoal drawing is very dusty, so this coating adheres the charcoal particles to the paper without causing any shine effects, so it doesn't change the drawing. Again, they advertise this as reversible. This coating does not have a tacky feeling on my book covers, but I haven't tried it on some extremely non-porous, like a marble surface. http://www.amazon.com/Krylon-1306-Workable-Fixatif-11-Ounce/dp/B00023JE7U Both of these products might be in your local Walmart, in the krafts department. Anyway, I use it on 100+ year old book covers to protect and/or enhance them. They sound safe to try on fossils. These are good suggestions and potentially useful in lots of applications. For my coral geodes, i'm looking for a watery consistancy liquid which has a chance to fill the layers and pores of botryoidal agate growth that has been damaged by sand and gravel erosion. Krylon clear spray enamel works to a degree, but dries too fast to fill voids before drying. It also gives a false plastic feel to the piece. My last trip, I met guys who had collected for years and recommended tongue oil, which was a major disappointment. I've also been recommended mineral oil, which I'm sure would work fairly well but has the obvious drawbacks. I'm going to try Bona, which is a product we use on our wood laminate floor and see if it absorbs and has a dry finish. I guess "floor wax" has gone to history in our area. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old bones Posted September 11, 2014 Share Posted September 11, 2014 John, try looking for floor wax in the grocery store in the section where they offer the floor polishing machines. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sacha Posted September 11, 2014 Share Posted September 11, 2014 John, try looking for floor wax in the grocery store in the section where they offer the floor polishing machines. Oh, I didn't think of that Julianna! I'll check ACE Hardware today and maybe Lowes. At this point I'm assuming any "Floor Wax" I find will be worth a shot. I'll try to take before and after shots if I'm patient enough. Hope your summer has been great! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lissa318 Posted September 12, 2014 Share Posted September 12, 2014 Hi sacha!!! I was told to try car wax on some of my pieces and although it helped it want what I was going for. Did you try anything and can you share the results? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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