Leedsichthys96 Posted March 1, 2016 Share Posted March 1, 2016 Hi, I recently found a Pleistocene fossil on the Isle of Wight and I was wondering what the best way to preserve the specimen is? It had a small crack when I found it but it appears to be getting bigger and don't want to see it damaged any further. Thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fossil Claw Posted March 1, 2016 Share Posted March 1, 2016 (edited) Pictures and more info in what type if fossil it is would help. The answer depends on what it is. Edited March 1, 2016 by Fossil Claw Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leedsichthys96 Posted March 1, 2016 Author Share Posted March 1, 2016 Think its pelvic material from a mammal, sorry if the pictures aren't very clear! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manticocerasman Posted March 1, 2016 Share Posted March 1, 2016 A good way to preserve fossils is a solution of acetone and polaroid B-72. The acetone dissolves the polaroid and you can drench the fossil with it. After the acetone evaporates the polaroid reconsolidates and consolidates the fossil. But make sure to do this outside. An alternative is to use watered down PVA glue and soak the fossil in this solution. I would also recommend to us both techniques on another broken piece of fossil first to make a test to se if you like the results. 1 growing old is mandatory but growing up is optional. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leedsichthys96 Posted March 1, 2016 Author Share Posted March 1, 2016 It has started to lose that dark colour as well its a lot more brown now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manticocerasman Posted March 1, 2016 Share Posted March 1, 2016 are you sure it is a fossil bone? growing old is mandatory but growing up is optional. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leedsichthys96 Posted March 1, 2016 Author Share Posted March 1, 2016 are you sure it is a fossil bone?Yes I am sure, it has the honeycomb structure that is indicative of bone I have also had it checked by two palaeontologists at Portsmouth University and another at Peterborough museum. Is there a way of knowing how much paraloid B-72 to use in proportion to the acetone? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manticocerasman Posted March 1, 2016 Share Posted March 1, 2016 If I remember wel it was 1/10 of B-72 for the wanted volume of aceton. 1 growing old is mandatory but growing up is optional. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ynot Posted March 1, 2016 Share Posted March 1, 2016 Many fossils will change color when exposed. Loss of moisture or unstable isotopes in the coloring mineral are two reasons that this can happen. Tony Darwin said: " Man sprang from monkeys." Will Rogers said: " Some of them didn't spring far enough." My Fossil collection - My Mineral collection My favorite thread on TFF. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leedsichthys96 Posted March 1, 2016 Author Share Posted March 1, 2016 Okay, thank you very much for your help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted March 1, 2016 Share Posted March 1, 2016 It has started to lose that dark colour as well its a lot more brown now. The color change, and the crack, are from the process of drying out. Slowing this down some might be desirable. With a lens, do you see signs of salt crystals? "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...
jpc Posted March 1, 2016 Share Posted March 1, 2016 make sure it is dry before you apply any acetone based product to it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ptychodus04 Posted March 1, 2016 Share Posted March 1, 2016 Wrap it up in a damp towel, then wrap that in a dry towel, then close the whole thing up in a cardboard box for a week or so. This will slow the drying process so differential drying doesn't rip the piece apart. Then consolidate in a PVA or Butvar solution. My favorite ratio is 40 or 50:1 acetone:PVA by volume. This can be applied in multiple coats with a brush (my preferred method) or you can soak the whole thing until the bubbles stop coming out. 2 Regards, Kris Global Paleo Services, LLC https://globalpaleoservices.com http://instagram.com/globalpaleoservices http://instagram.com/kris.howe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leedsichthys96 Posted March 1, 2016 Author Share Posted March 1, 2016 Thank you for the response, I'll give both a try on different fossils to see which has the best result, thanks for all the help! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leedsichthys96 Posted March 2, 2016 Author Share Posted March 2, 2016 Would anyone happen to know how to preserve pyrite ammonites? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ptychodus04 Posted March 2, 2016 Share Posted March 2, 2016 Would anyone happen to know how to preserve pyrite ammonites? That has been the topic of many hours worth of discussion here. My favorite method is pretty simple: 1. Soak the pyrite fossils in a solution of about 1 cup Iron Out crystals in a gallon of water overnight. 2. The fossils will be black (never fear). Scrub the fossils under running water with a toothbrush and some kind of soap (I like Simple Green). 3. Lay the fossils on paper towels to dry for several days (or heat in oven at low heat for an hour with the door cracked). 4. Once dry (and cool) coat the fossils with the dilute PVA solution mentioned above. This process has worked well for me. I have many pyritized ammonites from all over the world that I have treated in this way. They are stored in closed containers (bad, bad, bad for pyrite) and have not started to deteriorate at all. Many of these specimens were treated 10 years ago. 1 Regards, Kris Global Paleo Services, LLC https://globalpaleoservices.com http://instagram.com/globalpaleoservices http://instagram.com/kris.howe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leedsichthys96 Posted March 2, 2016 Author Share Posted March 2, 2016 Oh fantastic!! Thanks that seems like a nice easy method! Can I get the iron out crystals online? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frogtacos Posted March 6, 2016 Share Posted March 6, 2016 I found this cute little Crinoid stem cross section the other day. It's mother rock (for lack of proper terminology) is shale. Best method for preservation that might keep that shale glued together? I read the comments, acetone is the only product I know, I don't know what the others are or where I could acquire them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ptychodus04 Posted March 8, 2016 Share Posted March 8, 2016 Oh fantastic!! Thanks that seems like a nice easy method! Can I get the iron out crystals online? As a matter of fact, you can http://www.amazon.co.uk/Iron-Out-lime-IO65N-Super/dp/B00103XAQC Regards, Kris Global Paleo Services, LLC https://globalpaleoservices.com http://instagram.com/globalpaleoservices http://instagram.com/kris.howe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leedsichthys96 Posted April 10, 2016 Author Share Posted April 10, 2016 Do I use pure acetone with PVA? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnBrewer Posted April 11, 2016 Share Posted April 11, 2016 PVA and water or Butvar/Paraloid and acetone John Map of UK fossil sites Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FossilDudeCO Posted April 11, 2016 Share Posted April 11, 2016 (edited) yup. I use the acetone in the 1 gallon jug from the hardware store and paraloid B-72 Edited April 11, 2016 by FossilDudeCO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
married2rick Posted April 12, 2016 Share Posted April 12, 2016 Mother rock.... I like that, lol. In fact I am sure I will use it sometime in the near future. But, if you are interested in knowing, the proper term is Matrix. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leedsichthys96 Posted April 14, 2016 Author Share Posted April 14, 2016 A good way to preserve fossils is a solution of acetone and polaroid B-72. The acetone dissolves the polaroid and you can drench the fossil with it. After the acetone evaporates the polaroid reconsolidates and consolidates the fossil. But make sure to do this outside. An alternative is to use watered down PVA glue and soak the fossil in this solution. I would also recommend to us both techniques on another broken piece of fossil first to make a test to se if you like the results. is there a good ratio for the PVA method that people have used? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leedsichthys96 Posted May 4, 2016 Author Share Posted May 4, 2016 Tried doing acetone and PVA solution but the PVA has gone turned into like a jelly and won't mix with the acetone, is that normal? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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