Malcolmt Posted June 20, 2018 Share Posted June 20, 2018 My father was an artist who did quite a bit of sculpture in wood and stone. Unfortunately I did not inherit his ability to draw and sculpt. He always said that he basically knew what was hiding in the piece of wood or soapstone from the time he saw it. He said the animal or abstract work was always in there it was just waiting for him to take the crud off what was obstructing the view. Well prepping trilobites is very much like that . You need to figure out the best way to present the bug really before you start the prep. You need to visualize the end product. Here is a Platteville isotelus that I received from a client in a 2 to 3 pound hunk of matrix. Not a lot to see at first but definitely a bug that is just screaming "Let me out of here"..... Also a bug that is desperately in need of a prep. Any time you can see an eye or better yet two eyes on an isotelus you pretty much know that there is a good chance that it will be complete I started by trimming the matrix down to a size and shape that would be condusive to prepping and wound have a nice asthetic shape when complete. I wanted the bug to be 3D when complete so I use a dremel to make a grid pattern around the fossil. These pedestal islands then just pop off with my ARO scribe leaving a matrix that is not just square edges. Square edges look horrible on a complete fossil, just not natural looking. This takes all of 5 minutes as opposed to perhaps a good hour if I had used just a scribe. I also minimize the potential for the matrix to fracture through the fossil by doing it this way. Just be careful not to cut too deep As per usual this was prepped under a scope using a comco MB1000 unit and a variety of scribes (Aro, Seally, 9361 and a Pferd) The abrasion material was previously used 40 micron dolomite with mostly a . 030 and . 018 nozzle tip. This is about 45 minutes into the prep The extra pygidium on the bug was removed and will be added back beside the bug at the end of the prep. Progress is being made about an hour into prep About 15 minutes later it is starting to get 3D Almost done at this point Pretty much finished except for adding that extra pygidium back beside the bug then final cleanup to remove any tool marks and packing up to ship There is zero restoration or gluing on this trilobite, although the right eye is dis-articulated it is 100% complete. Total time invested ... about 2 hours ...............cost to client $45 US plus shipping. Original estimate was $50 so pretty close. The finished bug is 35 mm long from nose to end of pygidium. The matrix now weighs about 1 1/2 pounds which is always important to watch out for. Anything over about 4 pounds is stupid expensive to ship from Canada. The suture on the right side of the eye has dis-articulated a bit from the bug but it is all there and shows how clean the sutures can come apart. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raggedy Man Posted June 20, 2018 Share Posted June 20, 2018 ...I'm back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ynot Posted June 20, 2018 Share Posted June 20, 2018 Looking good! Darwin said: " Man sprang from monkeys." Will Rogers said: " Some of them didn't spring far enough." My Fossil collection - My Mineral collection My favorite thread on TFF. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnBrewer Posted June 20, 2018 Share Posted June 20, 2018 Great thread, always nice to see how different people prep. A bargain for your client at that price. John Map of UK fossil sites Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Troodon Posted June 20, 2018 Share Posted June 20, 2018 Super thanks for posting nice to see the progress. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bone guy Posted June 20, 2018 Share Posted June 20, 2018 Cool tutorial and a nice bug to boot! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pagurus Posted June 21, 2018 Share Posted June 21, 2018 I love the unobstructed view. Free at last. Start the day with a smile and get it over with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeffrey P Posted June 21, 2018 Share Posted June 21, 2018 What started out looking mediocre ended up being a real superb specimen. The magic you perform is magnificent. Thanks for sharing it with us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malcolmt Posted June 21, 2018 Author Share Posted June 21, 2018 Thanks Jeffrey.. From the moment I saw this particular bug I had no doubt that it would be a nice one and worth prepping . The colour of the bug reminds me a bit of the ones from Black Cat Mountain. Anytime you get an eye that perfect ya gotta go for it. Missing Isotelus eyes are the curse preppers face constantly with that bug. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJB Posted June 21, 2018 Share Posted June 21, 2018 A really good post. Love all the photo's! Nice job Malcolmt. RB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crabfossilsteve Posted June 22, 2018 Share Posted June 22, 2018 Yeah, Malcolmt. No kidding about those eye balls on Isotelus specimens. Neat to see one from the Platteville being exposed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fossil-Hound Posted July 22, 2018 Share Posted July 22, 2018 Gorgeous looking Isotelus @Malcolmt. I hope to get out east and find one of these someday. Do or do not. There is no try. - Yoda Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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