U-Dig

[Fossil-Hound]

Had an awesome day digging at U-Dig with @FossilSloth So the hound and the sloth hung out today and we pounded rocks from sun up to sun down. I found the largest Asaphiscus wheeleri I've ever seen and Justin scored a good number of Elrathia kingii.

 

 

The find of the day a was massive Asaphiscus wheeleri.

 

The trunk is full of Utah trilobites to prep this winter.

 

Had an awesome day.

 

Exhausted yet determined to find some more.

 

 

The U-Dig season closes soon and I already miss this place.

 

 

Justin and I holding up some of our finds. It's always fun meeting up with another forum member.

 

 

Justin hauled off seven buckets full of trilobites, sponges, and brachiopods!

 

 

One of Justin's buckets. I see an Elrathia kingii multiplate!

 

 

Another Elrathia kingii awaiting preparation.

 

 

Really going to miss this place.

 

 

Sunset over the ancient sea ways.

 

 

Up close of the day maker.

 

 

Another angle. I'll post more trilobites as I prep them out. Found a myriad of Perenopsis and will post those later. The site manager showed us a secret spot full of them.

 

Here is a video of all the neat trilobites we found in between one of the Shale slabs:

 

 

That's all for now folks!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Nimravis]

Great post, finds and pics. I have to get out there some day.

[ynot]

Looks like You both did well there.

Congratulations on the big  Asaphiscus wheeleri!

[Macrophyseter]

Quite the trilobites to take home! Have fun prepping them, and Great job! 

[Wrangellian]

Dang, I wish I lived closer to that site.

Is the brush method the only method anyone uses for prepping these?

Can we see the sponges?

[Kane]

Well done! That is quite the haul, too. What can be better than a day of fossil hunting out in the open, with good people, and going home with a trunkload of triloibites?

[Fossildude19]

Great report, Jason.  

Can't wait to see the trilobites prepped out.

This place is definitely on my bucket list.

[Miocene_Mason]

Nice trilos!

[FossilDAWG]

Looks like you guys really made out well; I'm looking forward to seeing more of your finds as you get them prepped.  That place is a lot of fun.  Only been there once and I'd love to go back.

 

Don

[FossilDAWG]

5 hours ago, Wrangellian said:

Is the brush method the only method anyone uses for prepping these?

I do not recommend the wire brush method for cleaning up these trilobites.  I used a brass wire brush on many of the Elrathias I collected there several years ago.  The trilobites look nice enough to the unaided eye, but they are composed of calcite and wire will abrade off much of the fine surface detail; the damage is easily visible under the microscope.  If at all possible, air abrasion would be a better way to go.

 

Don

[Wrangellian]

That's what I wondered about.

[RJB]

Even though ive found and prepped out many hundreds of those years ago, its still fun to see all your pictures and the vidio.  Thanks

 

RB

[FossilSloth]

This is, I think, a big sponge. 

[Fossil-Hound]

@FossilSloth looks it and a big one to! We scored that day.

[FossilSloth]

@Wrangellian, posted a pic of the sponge. 

[RJB]

Wow!  I would have seen that as just a discoloration on the rock and toss it like a frisby.   Nice that you know your stuff. 

 

RB

[Fossil-Hound]

1 hour ago, FossilSloth said:

@Wrangellian, posted a pic of the sponge. 

Where is his post?

[ynot]

11 minutes ago, Fossil-Hound said:

Where is his post?

Three posts up.

12 hours ago, FossilSloth said:

This is, I think, a big sponge. 

 

[Sagebrush Steve]

On 10/26/2017 at 4:32 AM, FossilDAWG said:

I do not recommend the wire brush method for cleaning up these trilobites.  I used a brass wire brush on many of the Elrathias I collected there several years ago.  The trilobites look nice enough to the unaided eye, but they are composed of calcite and wire will abrade off much of the fine surface detail; the damage is easily visible under the microscope.  If at all possible, air abrasion would be a better way to go.

 

Don

I agree about the wire brush and recommend you don't let them put your best specimens to their motorized wire brush.  I was at U-Dig just over a month ago and had a great time.  I don't have air abrasive so I used needle point hand tools under a microscope to prep some of my nicer specimens.  It works well as long as you take it slow.  You definitely need a stereo microscope. Here is that thread, I posted a few comparative pictures at the end.