B-Grade Fossil Crab Concretion?

[RJB]

  I am always 2nd guessing when I prep out crabs.  I had high hopes for this one, but,,,,,  you can never know for sure till you get lots of the crab rock removed.  This one was in two halves and glued back together.  Lots of glue to get through and at first once I put in about 4 hours or so it wasn't looking too good.  Also, I cant see a rear end on this thing.  That's always bad in my book.  I knew there was more leg on the left side, just wasn't sure where or how good they might be?  Wasnt sure at all about the legs on the right side either?  In this first pic all I had was 3 legs.  Some leg is always better than no leg, but for me, I want all 8 of them!  Doesn't happen too often.  Heck, almost never!  Part of the carapace was also in the upper part of the rock being that the crab was somewhat sticky when my youngest son 'wacked' it open.  So it looks a bit beat up.  I can fix that though.  I don't like having to 'fix' things, but that's the way it goes sometimes. 

 

RB

[RJB]

After about 4 or 5 more hours this crab started to work out!    I was quite surprised at how the legs started to appear!  And some tippy tippy's too!  That's always really good in my book..    But still,,,,,, no rear end!  Dang!!!   My son came over and took a gander and I think he wants this one.  I cant blame him with all the tippy tippy's,,, so he may end up with it.  Left claw going under the face!  Dang!!!  Still, it could be a darn good B-Grade crab?  

[Darktooth]

Looking good so far...........

[joshuajbelanger]

Crabs are so cool.  Start to finish on a piece like this, what kinda times are you looking at?

[goatinformationist]

Don't keep us guessing

[Noah]

Where are you finding these, and what are you using to "clean" them?

[RJB]

This crab will take about 6 more hours to finish up making for a total of around 15 or 16 hours.

 

Noah:  I use an airscribe to prep these out.

 

RB

[Ptychodus04]

Looking good.

[RJB]

This so called B-Grade fossil crab is turning out to be a purty good b-grade crab!!!  Ive started to smooth out the rock and that is also making this crab starting to look perty darn good.  Ive got some more hours to go, but its getting there.  Gunna be interesting for me to see what else I can find?   This is turning out to be one of those crabs where the more I do, the better it gets.  Always a nice thing.

 

RB

[Ptychodus04]

Even @RJB's junk pile is awesome! I think it's is turning out amazingly well.

[RJB]

Thanks Kris.  I cant believe how well the left legs are placed!  That's about as sexy as fossil crab legs get!  Still worried about the 'no rear end' though.  Im going to take down a bit more rock than I normally do behind its rear and hopefully find it?  That would really make my day. 

 

RB 

[Ptychodus04]

9 minutes ago, RJB said:

Thanks Kris.  I cant believe how well the left legs are placed!  That's about as sexy as fossil crab legs get!  Still worried about the 'no rear end' though.  Im going to take down a bit more rock than I normally do behind its rear and hopefully find it?  That would really make my day. 

 

RB 

 

Yep, that's a Vanna White pose for sure. I'd like to buy a vowel.

[RJB]

   Aaaaaaaaaalrighty then.  Quite pleased with the way this critter turned out.  The legs on the right not quite as good as the left ones, but over all,, a really nice crab!!!  I did end up with some rear end too!  The knuckles got pushed underneath the carapace so no getting to those.  Youngest son saw this yesterday and now it belongs to him. 

 

RB

[Kane]

Another triumph! Great work on this one! Your youngest is very lucky!