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Last minute consolidation questions


Miocene_Mason

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I put this under q and a but feel free to move it. I'm going to be consolidating a few bones very soon and I have some questions before I start. First, my solvent. I have butvar, but I don't have acetone. What dilution should I get, or should I get 100%? Also a experienced fossil hunter I met said alcohol (isopropyl I assume?) works as well. Is this true and are there any downsides to this? One of the bones is broken, so do I consolidate first and then glue? If I come up with more questions I'll post them here as well. Thanks for the help!

“...whilst this planet has gone cycling on according to the fixed law of gravity, from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been and are being evolved.” ~ Charles Darwin

Happy hunting,

Mason

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I only have experience with acetone, so I can't comment on the use of alcohol. I use around a 50:1 mixture of acetone to butvar stirred thoroughly (not shaken) until there is no visible settling of the butvar.

 

Also, you are correct on the consolidate and then glue method. Acetone has a deteriorating effect on a large portion of glues used to reattach fossils (specifically superglues).

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3 hours ago, -AnThOnY- said:

I only have experience with acetone, so I can't comment on the use of alcohol. I use around a 50:1 mixture of acetone to butvar stirred thoroughly (not shaken) until there is no visible settling of the butvar.

 

Also, you are correct on the consolidate and then glue method. Acetone has a deteriorating effect on a large portion of glues used to reattach fossils (specifically superglues).

Thank you! I'll be getting on that soon.

“...whilst this planet has gone cycling on according to the fixed law of gravity, from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been and are being evolved.” ~ Charles Darwin

Happy hunting,

Mason

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I have zero experience with butvar, but if isopropyl alcohol is used keep in mind it comes in different strength solutions. The most common found at drug stores is a 50% with water.  I use a 91% I found from Wally World for my rubbing alcohol needs.

I would think the less water introduced in the mixture the better.  You might be safer sticking with the acetone.

 

 

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23 minutes ago, caldigger said:

I have zero experience with butvar, but if isopropyl alcohol is used keep in mind it comes in different strength solutions. The most common found at drug stores is a 50% with water.  I use a 91% I found from Wally World for my rubbing alcohol needs.

I would think the less water introduced in the mixture the better.  You might be safer sticking with the acetone.

I think I'll stick with acetone, according to harry pristises about me page says a white film will develop as the water condenses on the surface of the fossil, and it's easier to get 100% acetone than 100% isopropyl.

“...whilst this planet has gone cycling on according to the fixed law of gravity, from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been and are being evolved.” ~ Charles Darwin

Happy hunting,

Mason

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I don't have any experience with alcohol as a solvent for Butvar B-15 (most varieties of Butvar are not alcohol soluble).  If I were going to use alcohol, I would look first at the stuff in gallon cans at Lowe's or Home Depot or other paint and hardware outlets.

http://pristis.wix.com/the-demijohn-page

 

What seest thou else

In the dark backward and abysm of time?

---Shakespeare, The Tempest

 

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27 minutes ago, Harry Pristis said:

I don't have any experience with alcohol as a solvent for Butvar B-15 (most varieties of Butvar are not alcohol soluble).  If I were going to use alcohol, I would look first at the stuff in gallon cans at Lowe's or Home Depot or other paint and hardware outlets.

 

Agreed, denatured alcohol is the way to go. I believe Vinac is soluble in alcohol but not sure about Butvar.

 

A gallon of acetone will go a very long way and it is my preferred solvent due to its faster rate of evaporation.

 

I have never found white filming to be a problem with my Vinac and acetone solutions except when there was excess moisture in the specimen.

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