Tips for colletcting baculites

[Mamasaurus]

My family found quite a few baculite sections last weekend (including the one attached) and thanks to the help from this group we now know what we have. We were not specifically fossil hunting when we found them and were not equipped to collect many of them. We are going back to the site this weekend (if the weather is favorable) and I’d love any suggestions for properly collecting these pieces. Ideally I’d like to piece some of the sections together once we are home for our personal enjoyment, education, and to see if we can assemble a complete (or near complete) baculite (probably wishful thinking, but it would be neat!). Some pieces aren’t in the best of shape (see attached image). How would you collect these sections? Would you leave the poorly preserved pieces? Any thoughts or tips are much appreciated! 

 

 

 

 

[SailingAlongToo]

Very nice!

[jpc]

Hi from Casper...

Bring along some aluminum foil.  expose as much of a specimen as you can.  Use picks and brushes... I am a fan of two inch wooden handle disposible paintbrushes all the hardware store sell for a buck or so.  If the baculites go into a big concretion you will need a rock hammer as well.  Uusally they split apart from the concretions nicely.  

 

After you have the thing exposed, pick up each piece one at a time and line them up in a piece of foil that is slightly folded in half.... like a roll your-own-cigarette. The key is to line them up inthe same order and orientation that they were in the ground so when you get home you have less of a puzzle to put together.  Keep an eye pout for little pieces.  As you pick pieces up, match them to the one they should connect to that  is already in your foil, to see if there is anything missing.  

 

When you get home clean them all with an old toothbrush and let them dry on a paper towel, keeping them in order.  When they are dry you can glue them together with thick superglue.  And don't worry, you won't find a complete one, but you will likely find some pretty long ones.  

 

Good luck

 

And post some pix here 

 

PS it is supposed to snow again this weekend.  

[ynot]

Look for more compleat pieces. Look for pieces that are particularly attractive (color or pattern) to You.

If You want to do a jigsaw puzzle, select one that is in place and keep all the parts separate and follow troodons directions.

You may find more complete shells in pieces of larger rock.

Good luck!