gatorguy Posted January 13, 2015 Share Posted January 13, 2015 Hello everybody, I thought I would show everyone my various attempts to put fossils inside things. I dont know why I like making these sorts of things, but I do. The first picture is of one of the first things I ever made out of wood.This was when I was about 12, before my mom let me use power tools. So it is all made of 1/4" plywood and cut with a handsaw. It is really gap happy and ugly now that i look at it, but it does have a glass window and a piano hinge to hold the lid open. It is empty right now, and i might remake one like it now that I know how to do more sophisticated joinery. the next two pictures consist of my pride and joy, made at fifteen (im 16 now) out of pine boards. On this one i got to use a circular saw.I still used a lot of simple techniques and butt joints, but i think it still does what it was made to do. It holds 6 12"x16"x2" riker boxes. It cost about $50 to make and $100 for the boxes. In the third picture you can see part of my shell collection and my(small) fossil collection. Still working on geting the drawers all full. The last two pictures are of an experiment. If i decide i like it, ill rebuild it out of better quality wood.. It is made out of 1/2" and 1/4" plywood and brass hardware. The purpose is to hold small ammonites. My newtable saw makes a difference in prescise cuts, so im conjuring some other ideas as well. By the way, tomorrow after school ill be visiting geological enterprises for the first time. I have lived in ardmore my whole life and collected fossils for most of it but had never even heard of this place before. Wish me luck on finding some good stuff! I really like making things out of wood, so i thought id share. Thanks for reading! Regards, Zac Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gatorguy Posted January 13, 2015 Author Share Posted January 13, 2015 More pics Regards, Zac Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gatorguy Posted January 13, 2015 Author Share Posted January 13, 2015 Last one. Let me know what you think! Regards, Zac Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snolly50 Posted January 13, 2015 Share Posted January 13, 2015 In the days before the Internet Geological Enterprises in Ardmore was the only source I knew for any "non-local" fossils. Their printed catalog offered a huge variety of material. I like your cabinet projects. I hope you will continue to experiment and build your skill. Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, also are remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so. - Douglas Adams, Last Chance to See Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevinnix Posted January 13, 2015 Share Posted January 13, 2015 hi gatorguy, if your ever over this way, i will take you out to an old Permian seabed thats nearby where i live, you could fill a few of the draws with brachipods and pelecypods, and to a lesser degree, the odd ammonite, I must compliment on your woodworking skills, well done, very impressive constructions, i recently made 5 hardwood shelves in my house to display fossils,( i was lucky my wife let me do it ), and then just after christmas i mounted my 42 kilogram ammonite on the wall at the entrance way to our house, a major engineering feat ! Anyhow, good to see someone who is passionate about displaying their fossils, cheers, kevin, (mackay, queensland, australia) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted January 13, 2015 Share Posted January 13, 2015 I admire those who can craft useful beauty out of wood. "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...
Scylla Posted January 13, 2015 Share Posted January 13, 2015 Good start, you have inspired me to get off my and get to work on a display cabinet I have been thinking of making. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mediospirifer Posted January 13, 2015 Share Posted January 13, 2015 I particularly like your Riker mount frame. Having a LOT of large Rikers myself, I may make something similar to hold mine! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amour 25 Posted January 13, 2015 Share Posted January 13, 2015 Good job all around, and keeps the dirt off. Ever try to make a big Cabinet? If you do pretty easy. Thanks for sharing. Jeff Jeff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gatorguy Posted January 14, 2015 Author Share Posted January 14, 2015 Thanks for all the kind words everyone. Kevinnix, if i am ever down in your neck of the woods, i might have to take you up on that offer, but i dont think ill be going to australia anytime soon. As for mediospirifer, that thing wasnt all that bad to make. As i said before all i needed to make it was a circular saw and a drill. Tbat being said, you could surely modify it to be taller or what ever you wanted. I thought originally of having it be up on a table or something like that and have a glass cabinet on top of it. But it ended up being almost three feet high all by itself. If i ever do make a larger cabinet, it will be when i get enough stuff to fill it.=) Also, geological enterprises was freakin awesome. Best place ive been in a while. They had so much stuff crammed into one building. I spent $80 and got a ~2" diplomystus, an inch long crotalocephalus, and a pyritized pleurocephalus. Great place. She said if i wanted i might be able to work there this summer. That would be awesome. She could just pay me in fossils.=) Regards, Zac Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triceratops Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 A very nice way to display your collection! -Lyall Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siteseer Posted January 16, 2015 Share Posted January 16, 2015 Yes, Snolly50, the annual Geological Enterprises bulletin was a huge surprise to me - catalogue full of fossils - when I started collecting in the late 80's. I think it was early 1988 that I happened to be visiting a fossil/mineral dealer at her home when one of her friends arrived - the guy who helped her identify the oddball stuff she had picked up at a show. He was a local biology teacher who also collected a variety of natural history specimens and historic artifacts. He told me about the Tucson and Denver shows and showed me what was probably the 1987 GE bulletin. I bought all kinds of stuff over the years and at some point even started trading with the legendary Allen Graffham. The bulletin still has some flashy specimens and interesting small stuff. The annual companion catalogue of study specimens also still lists specimens worth having. A friend has visited the GE HQ a few times and I hope to check it out one day too. Jess In the days before the Internet Geological Enterprises in Ardmore was the only source I knew for any "non-local" fossils. Their printed catalog offered a huge variety of material. I like your cabinet projects. I hope you will continue to experiment and build your skill. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sseth Posted January 16, 2015 Share Posted January 16, 2015 Great way to keep those fossils organized and still have them readily accessible to show off. _____________________________________ Seth www.fossilshack.com www.americanfossil.com www.fishdig.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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