Pete Larson’s Response...T.rex jaw

[Masp]

24 minutes ago, Tidgy's Dad said:

i've already offered a whole room. 

But, seriously, i would use a display case to keep dust and dirt off it. 

Or a stand in a display case. 

[Bobby Rico]

5 hours ago, Ptychodus04 said:

I've been pretty sick for a bit so I haven't been on TFF

Glad you are feeling better now. 

[thelivingdead531]

I agree with @Tidgy's Dad, a stand inside of a display case. 

[Bobby Rico]

4 hours ago, Masp said:

I’m definitely open to suggestions.  I actually make custom metal frames (some of those i’ll post another time), so would be nice to create something cool.  My main concern is taking care the fragility thing first, you know what I mean?

Yes indeed you won’t go wrong if you follow the advice of ptychodus04. Looking forward to seeing it on its stand and in your collection.  All best Bobby 

[Vaniman]

That's awesome! Black Hills is a great organization.

[Troodon]

Once its consolidated you will not have to worry about it as much.  Its pretty beefy.   I would put it on a custom stand so you can get the proper orientation.  Its then your choice on where you put it depending on how the other fossils in your collection  are displayed.  That Allo ishium would look nice with it.  If you have a dust issue consider an upright  glass display case to house your collection not just the jaw.  Good problems to have

[Ptychodus04]

@Masp, for the PVA, dissolve 1 tsp in 1 cup of acetone. Brush it on with a 1" throw away paintbrush. Do one side at a time, allowing the acetone to fully evaporate between applications. DO NOT fully immerse this piece in a PVA bath as often the recommended method of consolidation. Your specimen looks to have been repaired and the acetone will dissolve the glue holding it together.

 

What kind of putty did you receive? That is used as a crack filler and has its own method. I'm happy to explain that process if you desire. If you are uncomfortable with this stuff and want some help, send me a PM and we can chat. I've been prepping fossils for 21 years and have worked on many dinosaurs in the past.

 

 

Oh, and my vote is a stand in a prominent place in your fossil room. If you stabilize it well, the little dusting it would require won't bother it.

[Masp]

I’m gonna build something cool. I’ll keep everyone posted thanks for all the input

[Masp]

Was thinking about building a stand and then placing the fossil/stand in this display case that I bought awhile back at Michaels. What are everyone’s thoughts?

[Tidgy's Dad]

Yes, i think that would be wonderful! 

[Masp]

1 minute ago, Tidgy's Dad said:

Yes, i think that would be wonderful! 

It’s good enough for your room? 

[Tidgy's Dad]

Just now, Masp said:

It’s good enough for your room? 

Super.

Just post it along with the nice rex jaw piece.

[Bobby Rico]

5 hours ago, Masp said:

Was thinking about building a stand and then placing the fossil/stand in this display case that I bought awhile back at Michaels. What are everyone’s thoughts?

Yes your jaw will look great in there, very Museum in style . Maybe a small T.rex model or diorama to set it of nicely?  Looking forward to seeing it finished.

[Masp]

4 hours ago, Bobby Rico said:

Yes your jaw will look great in there, very Museum in style . Maybe a small T.rex model or diorama to set it of nicely?  Looking forward to seeing it finished.

Yeah! Really like that idea actually

[Masp]

 Any diorama ideas also anyone?

[Masp]

Stand update

[jpenn]

One additional idea for display would be to print out a diagram image of the outline of a T. rex skull with your portion of dentary highlighted to show where this chunk of rock would have fit in a Tyrannosaurus.

 

Here's a quick mock-up I made of of the idea, I may be inaccurate with the size and positioning of this anterior ventral dentary piece. I just wanted to share the idea. But such an image displayed along with your specimen would give a visitor a quick, no-explanation-needed idea of what part of the animal this was.

[Masp]

14 minutes ago, jpenn said:

One additional idea for display would be to print out a diagram image of the outline of a T. rex skull with your portion of dentary highlighted to show where this chunk of rock would have fit in a Tyrannosaurus.

 

Here's a quick mock-up I made of of the idea, I may be inaccurate with the size and positioning of this anterior ventral dentary piece. I just wanted to share the idea. But such an image displayed along with your specimen would give a visitor a quick, no-explanation-needed idea of what part of the animal this was.

Really love what you did here... thanks for your two cents....the terminology was little advanced for my own scientific understanding. But as long as the area is more or less, I really think it’ll do the trick!! I appreciate it very much.

[jpc]

On 5/24/2018 at 11:58 AM, Ptychodus04 said:

@Masp, for the PVA, dissolve 1 tsp in 1 cup of acetone. Brush it on with a 1" throw away paintbrush. Do one side at a time, allowing the acetone to fully evaporate between applications. DO NOT fully immerse this piece in a PVA bath as often the recommended method of consolidation. Your specimen looks to have been repaired and the acetone will dissolve the glue holding it together.

 

What kind of putty did you receive? That is used as a crack filler and has its own method. I'm happy to explain that process if you desire. If you are uncomfortable with this stuff and want some help, send me a PM and we can chat. I've been prepping fossils for 21 years and have worked on many dinosaurs in the past.

 

 

Oh, and my vote is a stand in a prominent place in your fossil room. If you stabilize it well, the little dusting it would require won't bother it.

Adding to what ptych said, pour the PVA beads into the sitting acetone (which of course is in a glass or #2 plastic with a lid).  If you pour the acetone onto the beads it will take forever to dissolve.  If you pour the beads into the acetone, it will only take half of forever to dissolve, but occasional stirring or shaking will help immensely.  If you have a magnetic stirrer, it will take about 20 minutes.  It should not be too thick.  Anything thicker than water is to much plastic.  Dilute with more acetone.  I use an eyedropper to apply rather than a paintbrush.   

[Masp]

47 minutes ago, jpc said:

Adding to what ptych said, pour the PVA beads into the sitting acetone (which of course is in a glass or #2 plastic with a lid).  If you pour the acetone onto the beads it will take forever to dissolve.  If you pour the beads into the acetone, it will only take half of forever to dissolve, but occasional stirring or shaking will help immensely.  If you have a magnetic stirrer, it will take about 20 minutes.  It should not be too thick.  Anything thicker than water is to much plastic.  Dilute with more acetone.  I use an eyedropper to apply rather than a paintbrush.   

 When you say an eyedropper do you mean you apply it onto the fossil and wipe with the dry brush?

[Ptychodus04]

16 minutes ago, Masp said:

 When you say an eyedropper do you mean you apply it onto the fossil and wipe with the dry brush?

No, he applies with a dropper and lets it dry as is. This is a common application process. I prefer the brushing method though... personal preference.

 

As far as the time to dissolve, the more you agitate the faster it dissolves. Personally, I make large batches. I dump a pint of PVA into a gallon of acetone, shake it up, and let it sit for a few weeks. This produces a medium viscosity solution (approximately 1:25) that I cut with acetone 1:1 to get my 1:50 consolidation ratio. For small batches, the ratio is 1tsp to 1 cup (sorry metric lovers, you’ll have to do the math).

[Ptychodus04]

On 5/24/2018 at 12:10 PM, Bobby Rico said:

Glad you are feeling better now. 

Much better thank you. It’s no fun with lungs full of technicolor goo!

[jpc]

1 hour ago, Ptychodus04 said:

No, he applies with a dropper and lets it dry as is. This is a common application process. I prefer the brushing method though... personal preference.

 

As far as the time to dissolve, the more you agitate the faster it dissolves. Personally, I make large batches. I dump a pint of PVA into a gallon of acetone, shake it up, and let it sit for a few weeks. This produces a medium viscosity solution (approximately 1:25) that I cut with acetone 1:1 to get my 1:50 consolidation ratio. For small batches, the ratio is 1tsp to 1 cup (sorry metric lovers, you’ll have to do the math).

Yeah, what he said.  My measurements are a bit more metric and random... 800 ml acetone to one small Dixie cup of PVA beads.  To test thickness, I usually put a drop on a piece of 2x4 I have ;laying aorund.  If it seeps into the wood following the grain, that is thin enough for solidifying a bone; it will flow into the bones.  If it just oozes out into the wood but doesn't really differentiate the grain, it is probably thick enough to use as a field consolidant.  

[Ptychodus04]

5 minutes ago, jpc said:

Yeah, what he said.  My measurements are a bit more metric and random... 800 ml acetone to one small Dixie cup of PVA beads.  To test thickness, I usually put a drop on a piece of 2x4 I have ;laying aorund.  If it seeps into the wood following the grain, that is thin enough for solidifying a bone; it will flow into the bones.  If it just oozes out into the wood but doesn't really differentiate the grain, it is probably thick enough to use as a field consolidant.  

Random yet scientific! I never knew Dixie Cup was a metric unit! 

[jpc]

Just now, Ptychodus04 said:

Random yet scientific! I never knew Dixie Cup was a metric unit! 

It might be American Metric.