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Mystery Fossils Revealed !!!


RJB

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 Arighty then.  Received a big package yesterday in the mail from New Zealand.  I thought for sure someone would know that I was getting fossil crabs in my other posts about 'Another Mystery Fossil'?   But anyway, here they are.  Ive got one huge rock, (11 inches across),  that was split in half by mother nature and one small 4 inch rock that I started prepping today.   I still have to figure out exactly what im gunna do with the 'split rock' and then go on the prep attack, but thats gunna take a few days.  The really good thing is, this split rock crab just might be an eight legger with all tippy tips?   Gunna be very interesting for me.  But have one heck of a lot of rock to remove to find out!!!   If it does work out, it could easily be my very best crab ever!!!    This might take a couple of months or more?   Oh, it may be hard to see in the photo's but there is most deffinetly a crab in the split rock.  A little bit in both sides.  Gunna be a job for sure!!!  Im one nervous dude!!!

 

RB

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nice buy!

“...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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It cost you $360 to have that shipped?? Wow... I can't speak to the value of the fossils so I'll assume it was worth it, but shipping is getting ridiculous all over.

Anyway it will be fun watching your progress tackling the prep.

:popcorn:

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@RJB

 

That big concretion should be a beauty for sure. Those big concretions are lots of work but there is plenty of room in all that rock for all the legs and the tips.

 

If the broken faces aren't too weathered I reckon gluing and clamping would be the way to go? At least you know which way is up. Then you could get yourself a jackhammer and start an open pit mine from the top. :P

 

on my big fella I didn't have anything bigger than an ME-9100 so I used a good old fashioned mallet and chisel to get rid of the bulk. I got lucky as one of the legs was on a weird angle and I just missed it.

 

im really excited for you and I have a feeling this will turn out great. It's in good hands.....

 

Could we see some shots of the broken surfaces of the big concretion?

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Holy Mackerel Ron. That is one whopper of a crab concretion you get to see how it is laid out before you start.  Yeah hope there isn't alot of erosion on the surfaces.  Have you ever started some initial prep work to outllne certain parts like the claws?   I like the small guy.  Is that a layer of calcite on the carapace with the shell material underneath.

 

Have fun and look forward to seeing how it comes out.

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Well thank you everybody.  Im still working on the little guy at the moment.  Gunna be awhile before I get to t he big rock.  This little guy has lots of problems!  Not too happy with it.  Lots of calcite and very sticky and very very soft shell on many parts!!!  Ive been doing the 'stop and glue' technique every few minutes or so in order to save what I can.  Not happy with this one at all!!  Anyone who knows me knows that im one picky SOB!!!  :)   But I cant see this one going into the 'Collection'!!! 

 

RB

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Hey @Ludwigia, the shell is covered in some real nasty calcite.  Im just working it off the best I can.  Takes a bit of consintration so I only do a little bit at a time. 

 

This crab even though it has lots of problems is turning out to be one of my best B-Grade crabs that ive done!  Just look at the legs on the right hand side.  Just as sexy as a crab can be for me.  Just love the legs!!!   But still, it wont be going into the collection.  This one is going to the Quartzite show.  I dont think it will sell?  Too many hours and it will be a very high price, but you never know?  If it doesnt sell, I will put it in a box and forget about it for a few years and try again.  No biggie.  Still got a ways to go to finish it up but by the end of my next prep session it will be a beauty! 

 

RB

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2 minutes ago, RJB said:

Hey @Ludwigia, the shell is covered in some real nasty calcite.  Im just working it off the best I can.  Takes a bit of consintration so I only do a little bit at a time. 

Ok. Now I can see what you're doing.

 

Greetings from the Lake of Constance. Roger

http://www.steinkern.de/

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Ok, this one took some serious work to get past not just the softness of the shell material and lots and lots and lots of 'stop and glue' tecnique to save all that I could, but also took some serious time to get the super nasty calcite off the carapace.  and believe me, this calcite was some really nasty stuff!!!   No claw tips but a very good face on this thing!   A bit of acrylic work  and then I sauced it up with my old school Glyptal.  Came out purty dang good but took waaaaaaaaaay too much time.  Its now a very good B-Grade crab.   In fact, one of my best B-Grades ever!   This little Tumidocarcinus gigantius from New Zealand and Miocene in age  that has lots of beautiful leg and a purty good rear end, a really good face will not be going into the collection.  Just too beat up for me.  Dont mean to sound so spoiled and picky, but if youve ever seen my collection you would understand. 

 

RB

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Ended up pretty nice, but from pictures of your other marvelous crustaceans I can see why it's not gonna stay. Can't wait to see the biggin when you prep it out!

“...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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So if it isn't going in the collection (which must be an amazing collection), would it be impolite to ask where it is going?

 

Don

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@WhodamanHD, that big rock is gunna take some time. I havent even started it yet.

 

@FossilDAWG, No, not impolite at all. Im going to take it to the Quartzite show in Arizona.  Even if it doesnt sell, it will be a nice addition to show peoples and have some nice converstions.  If it does sell, then great, and if not, i dont care.  I can sell it later.

 

RB

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1 hour ago, RJB said:

@WhodamanHD, that big rock is gunna take some time. I havent even started it yet.

I bet! The things a beast! Im patient though, as long as there's still a few kernels left in the bottom of the bucket! :popcorn:

“...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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Thanks @Ptychodus04, but now ive got something else to show all you groovy fossil folks.  After a bit of real work in and around the house, I did find time to get started on the big split rock crab.  I did some cutting on the top/dorsal side of the concretion.  Believe me, I was EXTREAMLY nervous!!!  But the good thing is that I did not cut into the crab!  Im guessing that there is about 1 and 1/2 inches of rock left on top?  I did do my homework before I did any cutting, so even though I didnt cut into the crab, it was a fairly good educated guess and I was fairly confident before I started, but still,,, one does do some second guessing.  Im guessing I saved myself about 12 or more hours at least in scribe time by doing this?   Ive got it all glued up now and it will sit and cure for 2 to 3 days before I get started on the scribe work.  Even then, its going be hours and hours before I get to some crab carapace.  Oh, I did use a piece of dino poop for the center of the top to put evenly pressure on this thing using a ratchet strap.

 

RB

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Nice work there Ron!

 

That sure is some lateral thinking - Dino poop clamp :ighappy:

 

I guess no G-clamp would fit that beast. I feel for you with the cutting and chiseling. You research how thick the crab would be think twice, thrice, etc. and hope there isn't a leg in a weird position.

 

All is good. Like you said. Saved yourself loads of mining with the scribe.

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