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Ptychodus04

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The last piece from the big @abctriplets prep job is their palm inflorescence. Man, this thing is cool. It is split into 2 plates that will be mounted together in a wall mount of some kind. Still gotta figure that one out. :blink: But, first things first... the prep.

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The inflorescence itself isn't much more than a stain on the matrix. So, I have to carefully uncover what I can without removing the stain! Holy snarge!!! There's a partial Knightia on top and a scrap of fin below (by the famous @aerogrower photocube).

 

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3 hours later and there's an almost whole fish filling up an ugly blank spot on the plate with Vinac on the plant to keep the stain from blowing off (it also makes it stand out a little from the matrix). I'll post close ups of the fish for ID later. 

 

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Great job!

“...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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Looking great!

The fish are both knightias.

One is compressed formally (top view) and one laterally.

Great piece!

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Thanks all. Good equipment makes a big difference! Just because I promised, here's a closer pic of the fish.

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Blake @FossilDudeCO thanks for the help on the ID. 

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Here's the other slab as it arrived. Some of you may recall from @abctriplets's field trip report that there was a fish head on this slab. The delivery service was nice enough to remove it in transit. Unfortunately, it broke across the jaws so I have quite a small puzzle to try to put together.

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It only took just over an hour to clean off the little matrix covering the plant and glue/consolidate. The plan is to cut this slab even with the other and mount them side by side.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Here's the palm as it sits with its mount almost complete.

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I evened out some of the matrix on the back and built up low areas with some Apoxie Sculpt. Then, I mixed up some really thick PVA glue and glued both sections to a piece of high grade sanded plywood (stained walnut). Next step is to cut the black walnut boards I just received and build a shallow shadow box frame.

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In the same vein of thought as the illustrious @RJB, I put in some hours laboring today. The black walnut I ordered came in the form of 3 board feet of 4/4 boards.

 

Without getting into the theory behind board feet and non-dimensional lumber, this basically means I got 2 boards that are not matched but are almost 4 feet long and 4-6 inches wide that are just shy of 1" thick!

 

I then ripped the boards into 2"X1" strips and cut them to length at 45 degree angles for the picture frame. These, I finished with teak oil and glued/nailed them to the plywood backing. 

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After this was done, I settled in for some "relaxing" scribe work on a coelacanth under the microscope.

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1 hour ago, RJB said:

Nice job Kris.

 

RB

 

1 hour ago, crabfossilsteve said:

:Yes, Very nice job on both the prep and the display.

 

Thanks gents. I thoroughly enjoy working with nice wood. The place I order from sends it to me right off the mill. It's cool to see the variations in the wood and it's way higher quality than you can get from a retail lumber yard, not to mention the availability of a multitude of different species.

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On 9/3/2017 at 9:19 PM, Ptychodus04 said:

Next step is to cut the black walnut boards I just received and build a shallow shadow box frame.

I was disturbed earlier today by a strange noise from my home's screen room. It was an eerie din! Investigating, my fears were realized, the ghostly 'goneus was "swimming" through the air, back and forth in an agitated manner. This was unusual as the fossil spirit had been at peace since its return from Texas. The awful, spooky shrieking was difficult to shout over, but I finally got the apparition's attention by shouting; "What's the matter now!?!" In a doleful, unearthly voice the disturbed shade replied; "I didn't get a walnut frame!" It took some effort to calm the spook. She was threatening to ride the ether back to Texas and "rub fish slime on all of that fellow's telescope lenses!" I think I talked her out of such a rash action. Kris, you owe me.    

Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, also are remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so. - Douglas Adams, Last Chance to See

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10 hours ago, snolly50 said:

I was disturbed earlier today by a strange noise from my home's screen room. It was an eerie din! Investigating, my fears were realized, the ghostly 'goneus was "swimming" through the air, back and forth in an agitated manner. This was unusual as the fossil spirit had been at peace since its return from Texas. The awful, spooky shrieking was difficult to shout over, but I finally got the apparition's attention by shouting; "What's the matter now!?!" In a doleful, unearthly voice the disturbed shade replied; "I didn't get a walnut frame!" It took some effort to calm the spook. She was threatening to ride the ether back to Texas and "rub fish slime on all of that fellow's telescope lenses!" I think I talked her out of such a rash action. Kris, you owe me.    

 

Oh great and wise spirit of the goneus, clearly you are omniscient and powerful! While your anger is just, I beseech you to direct it towards the true culprit here. If only Snolly had requested a walnut frame for your majestic form it would have been done. Sadly, Snolly the vile and felonious felt a simple plywood back was good enough for you. 

 

If if it pleases the spirit, simply return to Texas and a frame that is appropriate for you oh omnipotent one will be made with all due attention to detail.

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1 hour ago, Ptychodus04 said:

 

Oh great and wise spirit of the goneus, clearly you are omniscient and powerful! While your anger is just, I beseech you to direct it towards the true culprit here. If only Snolly had requested a walnut frame for your majestic form it would have been done. Sadly, Snolly the vile and felonious felt a simple plywood back was good enough for you. 

 

If if it pleases the spirit, simply return to Texas and a frame that is appropriate for you oh omnipotent one will be made with all due attention to detail.

Well that's just great, passing the buck! I woke up this morning to find a certain incorporeal being had hacked my bank account again! She ordered a truckload of exotic lumber. Thanks a lot for encouraging her! It will take all morning to cancel that transaction.

 

By the way, super work on the plant slab. It makes a wonderful display piece.

Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, also are remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so. - Douglas Adams, Last Chance to See

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27 minutes ago, snolly50 said:

Well that's just great, passing the buck! I woke up this morning to find a certain incorporeal being had hacked my bank account again! She ordered a truckload of exotic lumber. Thanks a lot for encouraging her! It will take all morning to cancel that transaction.

 

By the way, super work on the plant slab. It makes a wonderful display piece.

 

:hearty-laugh:

 

Just send the lumber to me. I'll make you a set of knives with exotic wood scales on the handles. I'm sure a truckload of exotic wood at prices upwards of $40 a board foot is tantamount to a rounding error in your checking account.

 

Thanks for the praise, I know it was really the ghost possessing you to write it.

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On 9/5/2017 at 9:17 PM, snolly50 said:

I was disturbed earlier today by a strange noise from my home's screen room. It was an eerie din! Investigating, my fears were realized, the ghostly 'goneus was "swimming" through the air, back and forth in an agitated manner. This was unusual as the fossil spirit had been at peace since its return from Texas. The awful, spooky shrieking was difficult to shout over, but I finally got the apparition's attention by shouting; "What's the matter now!?!" In a doleful, unearthly voice the disturbed shade replied; "I didn't get a walnut frame!" It took some effort to calm the spook. She was threatening to ride the ether back to Texas and "rub fish slime on all of that fellow's telescope lenses!" I think I talked her out of such a rash action. Kris, you owe me.    

 

Glad to hear that I evidently made the right wood choice. :)

I'll post a pic of it up in my girls' bedroom. They'll be thrilled! 

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