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I have by good fortune acquired a few decent Devonian Phacops trilobite specimens from the Penn Dixie Quarry in Hamburg, NY. One particular rock has a few decent Phacops embedded directly in the rock. I wanted to know what the steps are for preparing these fossils, or if I should just send them to a preparer. Please provide any advice you can. Thank you. I have a bunch of fossils and am new to the preparing process.

Do or do not. There is no try. - Yoda

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Well, my basic technique is to dig a trench around the trilobite, Trying to stay away from the trilobite itself. 

This can be accomplished using hand tools,  air tools, or electric tools.

Then, I usually use the air abrasive to remove the thinner matrix from the top of the trilobite.


If there is allot of matrix on top of the trilo, then I will try to remove as much as possible without touching the trilobite, if possible.

 

Here are some examples of my work - not the best but passable. 

 

gallery_2806_718_16795.jpg     gallery_2806_718_52273-vert-2.jpg    gallery_2806_718_255284.jpggallery_2806_718_190866.jpg


If you search Trilobite Preparation on Youtube, you should get some hits on that. 

Watch and learn, grasshopper. ;)

Good luck. 

Regards, 

 

    Tim    -  VETERAN SHALE SPLITTER

   MOTM.png.61350469b02f439fd4d5d77c2c69da85.png      PaleoPartner.png.30c01982e09b0cc0b7d9d6a7a21f56c6.png.a600039856933851eeea617ca3f2d15f.png     Postmaster1.jpg.900efa599049929531fa81981f028e24.jpg    VFOTM.png.f1b09c78bf88298b009b0da14ef44cf0.png  VFOTM  --- APRIL - 2015  

__________________________________________________
"In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks."

John Muir ~ ~ ~ ~   ><))))( *>  About Me      

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First off this-

Secondly, try to prep something you do not mind being damaged. Damaging a trilobite because of inexperience will ruin your day..lol. Yes this is from personal experience.

...I'm back.

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Awesome! Thanks everyone! I have a few pieces I think I can practice on. Not many, but a few. :-)

Do or do not. There is no try. - Yoda

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3 hours ago, Fossildude19 said:

  gallery_2806_718_255284.jpg

 

Aren't spots like those associated with pigment?

Olof Moleman AKA Lord Trilobite

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8 minutes ago, LordTrilobite said:

Aren't spots like those associated with pigment?

 

 

Yes, indeed, they are, Olof.   :D 

 

See my posts HERE, ... and HERE.   ;)

Regards,

    Tim    -  VETERAN SHALE SPLITTER

   MOTM.png.61350469b02f439fd4d5d77c2c69da85.png      PaleoPartner.png.30c01982e09b0cc0b7d9d6a7a21f56c6.png.a600039856933851eeea617ca3f2d15f.png     Postmaster1.jpg.900efa599049929531fa81981f028e24.jpg    VFOTM.png.f1b09c78bf88298b009b0da14ef44cf0.png  VFOTM  --- APRIL - 2015  

__________________________________________________
"In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks."

John Muir ~ ~ ~ ~   ><))))( *>  About Me      

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On 10/22/2016 at 0:04 AM, DevonianDigger said:

 

You have more on the way :P

 

@DevonianDigger how are you doing buddy?! Hey thanks. :fistbump: I have a bunch of shark teeth and vertebrae that I was going to mail out your way yesterday, but I was so caught up in homework. I'm in the middle of grad school (Computer Science Masters from Johns Hopkins University). My midterm is over on Friday, and I'll have a lot more time to play after that date. :megdance:

Do or do not. There is no try. - Yoda

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No worries man, I know how it goes. I just gave yours to the shipping guy yesterday, so it'll go out sometime this week. (I have a sweetheart deal with a family member for free domestic shipping, only downside is that it's not really on my timeline, it's on theirs!) Best of luck on the midterm!

Jay A. Wollin

Lead Fossil Educator - Penn Dixie Fossil Park and Nature Reserve

Hamburg, New York, USA

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