IonRocks Posted November 12, 2016 Share Posted November 12, 2016 Well I finally started repairing the shell I got in Denver. Starting with the bigger parts, with obvious placement and working out. Currently holding a part as the glue dries Im using a 5 minute epoxy on these two sections, mainly due to difficulty holding long enough for a 30 minute or two hour one. The shell is not as yellow as in this picture. warning, this will be a long documentation of my work as I go along Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LordTrilobite Posted November 12, 2016 Share Posted November 12, 2016 Nice! Olof Moleman AKA Lord Trilobite Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IonRocks Posted November 12, 2016 Author Share Posted November 12, 2016 After borrowing a similar shell to study, as well as looking at lots more online, I've found that my saving grace is the "skeleton" of the tortoise, which is part of the shell. For example, the pseudo ribcage helps a lot. (I am although not informed on the proper terminology of the parts of these shells Along this side you can maybe see what I am talking about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ptychodus04 Posted November 12, 2016 Share Posted November 12, 2016 8 minutes ago, IonRocks said: Im using a 5 minute epoxy on these two sections, mainly due to difficulty holding long enough for a 30 minute or two hour one. The shell is not as yellow as in this picture. Hopefully, you're OK with your glue joints failing in around 20 years. 5 minute epoxy just doesn't hold up over time. You're better off balancing the bottom piece in a sand tray and using slow epoxy while the top piece is held by gravity. I've also used large rubber bands to hold the pieces together when using a slow set adhesive. 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...
IonRocks Posted November 12, 2016 Author Share Posted November 12, 2016 Well I guess time will tell. I had heard about the downsides of the 5 minute epoxy, that's why I chose to use if for only these two spots. The plan is that these two chunks will be joined to other currently not in place shell sections, by a much slower epoxy. Could you tell me a bit more about the sand tray? I'm having difficulty visualizing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caldigger Posted November 12, 2016 Share Posted November 12, 2016 Looks to be an interesting project Parker. Is it a complete shell (all sections there)? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IonRocks Posted November 12, 2016 Author Share Posted November 12, 2016 Not complete sadly, I've got lots of it, but I am missing some along the top at the back, and at the very front Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caldigger Posted November 12, 2016 Share Posted November 12, 2016 Where is this one from? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IonRocks Posted November 12, 2016 Author Share Posted November 12, 2016 South Dakota Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike from North Queensland Posted November 12, 2016 Share Posted November 12, 2016 One of the tricks for holding fossils while the glue dries is to use elastic bands and use sand as a bed as that can be shaped. The fossil can either be inserted into the sand or supported under to hold in place. Mike D'Arcy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJB Posted November 12, 2016 Share Posted November 12, 2016 Looks like a very fun and exciting project to me. Best of luck. Im sure you will do a good job. Waiting to see the finished project. RB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IonRocks Posted November 12, 2016 Author Share Posted November 12, 2016 Thanks RJB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FossilDudeCO Posted November 12, 2016 Share Posted November 12, 2016 Looking good thus far! Best of luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IonRocks Posted November 13, 2016 Author Share Posted November 13, 2016 Update of how it's looking after working all day. If anyone might provide me insight as to where the two parts of shown might go, that'd be helpful. A line runs on the other side of the rib. So it's a spot where the rib lines up with the edges of two scutes. These two are odd with the large boney chunks at the end Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barerootbonsai Posted November 13, 2016 Share Posted November 13, 2016 Best of luck. Very interesting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LordTrilobite Posted November 13, 2016 Share Posted November 13, 2016 That looks like so much fun. Good luck! Olof Moleman AKA Lord Trilobite Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IonRocks Posted November 13, 2016 Author Share Posted November 13, 2016 Some interesting semi-symmetrical damage at the back. These two parts (on the right hand side of the shell, nearest to the bottom, possibly right peripherals 9 and 10) where hard to place due to the condition of the rest of the back but I am happy with how I chose to put them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ptychodus04 Posted November 13, 2016 Share Posted November 13, 2016 The larger of the two mystery bones looks like a section of plastron to me. It would go somewhere on the bottom. For the sand tray, imagine a small sandbox where the specimen is jammed into the sand in order to provide support. 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...
IonRocks Posted November 13, 2016 Author Share Posted November 13, 2016 Well they are corresponding parts. I think I have all the plastron that still exists attached, missing the left front section of the split front on the plastron. I think those two are parts of the front of the tortoise, likely left and right pleural 1, possible 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IonRocks Posted November 13, 2016 Author Share Posted November 13, 2016 Here is the shell and in the next post the remaining parts (and a large assembled part that will eventually be attached to the front) i never mentioned I don't think, the shell is about 11 inches long Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IonRocks Posted November 13, 2016 Author Share Posted November 13, 2016 Remaining parts (front and back) also the larger assembled chunk to be attached. I may end up modifying the current curve at the front before hand to make it fit better 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FossilDudeCO Posted November 15, 2016 Share Posted November 15, 2016 looking good! cant wait! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IonRocks Posted November 15, 2016 Author Share Posted November 15, 2016 I would like to say that so far this has been my most enjoyed prep (only out of a few dozen) possible it is due to the difficulty it is mess up But I simply enjoy the satisfaction of finding a new connection of parts that before seemed ridiculous (like most of the front of this tortoise) I also appreciate that it doesn't produce copious amounts of dust. Hopefully I can find (and afford) more things like this to prep in the future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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