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Ammonite Prep Series


John K

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My son saw the success I had with my first attempt at prepping out one of the Ammonites we've been bringing back from our trips to Montana (http://www.thefossilforum.com/index.php?/topic/49000-first-prep-hoploscaphites/) and decided to give it a go with one of his specimens.

Armed with a Dremel engraving tool, and a Dremel grinder, he's slowly making progress on a neat little death assemblage of Hoploscaphite Ammonites from the Bear Paw. I'll update this thread as he makes progress.

He had already done some work on it when I took the first photo tonight:

IMG_3151.jpg

he's taking his time, slowly taking off the matrix millimeter by millimeter with the engraver:

IMG_3162.jpg

finished up for the night:

IMG_3164.jpg

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It's those big chunks that I like to use a cut-off disk for. The only thing to watch out for is that the disk will easily cut through the fossil, also, if you are not careful.

I cut a groove, then insert the tip of a small flat screwdriver, and then twist, and the chunk pops off. I call that "pedestaling". You undercut a pedestal, then pop it off.

There's a lot of dust, so keep your face back, wear goggles, and try not to breathe for a half hour.

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Good luck guys. I cant wait to see more progress.

I only advice that i can offer while using a dremel to prep, patience and goggles....and more patience.....and more goggles...maybe a facemask too.

~Charlie~

"There are those that look at things the way they are, and ask why.....i dream of things that never were, and ask why not?" ~RFK
->Get your Mosasaur print
->How to spot a fake Trilobite
->How to identify a CONCRETION from a DINOSAUR EGG

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Tell your son he's doing just fine, John. The middle photo shows he's working at the right angle up close to the shell so that it doesn't get damaged. Time flies when you're having fun...

 

Greetings from the Lake of Constance. Roger

http://www.steinkern.de/

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Definitely slowing down; work and that pesky thing, "school", is getting in the way of free time. Plus, it's getting cold out in the "lab" (an unheated old machine shed that doubles as a printmaking studio)

But he's taking his time. It's fun watching this thing slowly making it's way out

IMG_3166.jpg

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