Ammonite preparation

[salvo1989s]

Hi guys , I bought a lot of unprepared fossils from Germany , got this one to prepare , any advice ? I don't want to destroy it , I've got just an engraver. An acid soak maybe? 

[Ptychodus04]

Try a needle in a pin vise or a dental pick first. I think your engraver will be too big. Working on the specimen when wet will help since the water will soften the matrix. If you have any type of magnification that will help also.

[JohnBrewer]

I agree with Kris, not that I'm a competent prepper. 

 

I use a pin vice (cheap of eBay) you can sewing needles in them. I have a Record engraver which I use sometimes but it is a bit heavy at one end. There's a Chinese eBay seller that makes a great adapter with various points of different sizes/shapes. Needs a tiny bit of adapting but improves the engraver tremendously. 

 

For nagnification i use a big magnifying glass which has a circular lightbulb underneath, designed for manicurists. Cheap enough on eBay. 

 

 

one day youll want an airpen....

 

when we we hook up I'll show you my equipment  

[salvo1989s]

35 minutes ago, JohnBrewer said:

I agree with Kris, not that I'm a competent prepper. 

 

I use a pin vice (cheap of eBay) you can sewing needles in them. I have a Record engraver which I use sometimes but it is a bit heavy at one end. There's a Chinese eBay seller that makes a great adapter with various points of different sizes/shapes. Needs a tiny bit of adapting but improves the engraver tremendously. 

 

For nagnification i use a big magnifying glass which has a circular lightbulb underneath, designed for manicurists. Cheap enough on eBay. 

 

 

one day youll want an airpen....

 

when we we hook up I'll show you my equipment  

Yeah I'm doing it with a needle right now, I'll buy that magnifying glass  anyway yeah when we hook up I want to see  

[salvo1989s]

Some progress with the needle @Ptychodus04@JohnBrewer , it's gonna be an hard work in the inner 

[Ptychodus04]

36 minutes ago, salvo1989s said:

Some progress with the needle @Ptychodus04@JohnBrewer , it's gonna be an hard work in the inner 

 

That is really looking nice. 

 

I also use a lens like @JohnBrewer recommended. I also use a magnifying jeweler's headset and I have a binocular microscope... all for different applications.

 

If you catch the fossil prep bug, be prepared to drop thousands of pounds (dollars for me) on equipment over the next several years!

[JohnBrewer]

42 minutes ago, salvo1989s said:

Some progress with the needle @Ptychodus04@JohnBrewer , it's gonna be an hard work in the inner 

You've done well!

[salvo1989s]

8 minutes ago, Ptychodus04 said:

 

That is really looking nice. 

 

I also use a lens like @JohnBrewer recommended. I also use a magnifying jeweler's headset and I have a binocular microscope... all for different applications.

 

If you catch the fossil prep bug, be prepared to drop thousands of pounds (dollars for me) on equipment over the next several years!

Yeah I know, but I'm ready to that 

[Phevo]

I bought a lot of the same material and am using dental picks which work out quite well on that relatively soft matrix

[RJB]

Ive never prepped those type of ammo's before, but try it dry and see what happens?

 

RB