Crab Concretion prep, do I glue him?

[Ptychodus04]

4 minutes ago, Bobby Rico said:

That is becoming a  really nice looking cab, great work . I really enjoy looking a the development photos. 

Thanks Bobby. I’m feeling much better about this little guy now than I was a few days ago. I keep telling myself “trust the process”... and don’t get in a hurry!

[KimTexan]

On 10/7/2018 at 9:03 AM, RJB said:

The lobster fossils are another one of my favorites, but very hard to come by.

 

RB

I’ve only found pieces of them here in Texas, but never a whole one.

I’ve found maybe a dozen or so crabs, have yet to prep one of them out. I did find maybe 3 of just the body/carapace without any appendage where the concretion had weathered away

[aeon.rocks]

Nice work so far! 

 

Quote

Thanks Bobby. I’m feeling much better about this little guy now than I was a few days ago. I keep telling myself “trust the process”... and don’t get in a hurry!

 

Indeed, just keep it going slowly, it usually looks much better in the end as you would expect. Bit more of prep on carapace, claws and matrix smoothening and this will be a good looking decent crab.

[Ptychodus04]

6 hours ago, aeon.rocks said:

Nice work so far! 

 

Indeed, just keep it going slowly, it usually looks much better in the end as you would expect. Bit more of prep on carapace, claws and matrix smoothening and this will be a good looking decent crab.

This is a nice challenge. I don't typically get to work on stuff that is actively trying to fall apart in front of my eyes! I think this was destined to decay if the prep hadn't been done. Last night while I was working close to the carapace, I found some really gross marcasite or pyrite that was eating through the shell. Imagine if that had been left on its own for a few more years!

[Bobby Rico]

3 minutes ago, Ptychodus04 said:

This is a nice challenge. I don't typically get to work on stuff that is actively trying to fall apart in front of my eyes! I think this was destined to decay if the prep hadn't been done. Last night while I was working close to the carapace, I found some really gross marcasite or pyrite that was eating through the shell. Imagine if that had been left on its own for a few more years!

Is it fair to say even with your experience it sounds to like your learning from the preparation of this crab. I like it  when my art work is not plane sailing I find a lot more of an interesting final piece when I have to work my mistakes.?

[aeon.rocks]

43 minutes ago, Ptychodus04 said:

This is a nice challenge. I don't typically get to work on stuff that is actively trying to fall apart in front of my eyes! I think this was destined to decay if the prep hadn't been done. Last night while I was working close to the carapace, I found some really gross marcasite or pyrite that was eating through the shell. Imagine if that had been left on its own for a few more years!

 

It’s typical for crabs to have hollow parts that need some stabilization, but this was going to fall appart yes. Preservation of exposed pincer looked much more promissing... Haven’t seen many of these, but the ones i have were all in a bad shape, cracked like this one and partials... Could be the preservation in this site is not as good as you typicaly see these from eoceno of Italy and Spain or washington concs... But maybe it was eroding on surface for too long, donno. In any case, good work!

[Ptychodus04]

21 minutes ago, Bobby Rico said:

Is it fair to say even with your experience it sounds to like your learning from the preparation of this crab.

I'm thinking I've learned to let the crab prepping stay with @RJB.

 

All joking aside, you're right about working through the adversity. There's no challenge to working inside your comfort zone. My crab prepping experience is relatively minor compared to my vertebrate and ammonite prepping.

 

Fezzik : I just figured why you give me so much trouble.

Westley : Why is that

[squashed against a rock] 

Westley : do you think?

Fezzik : Well, I haven't fought one person for so long. I've been specialized in groups, battling gangs for local charities, that kind of thing.

Westley : Why should that make such a

[squashed painfully] 

Westley : difference?

Fezzik : You use different moves when you're fighting half a dozen people, than when you only have to be worried about one

 

[Ptychodus04]

4 minutes ago, aeon.rocks said:

 

It’s typical for crabs to have hollow parts that need some stabilization, but this was going to fall appart yes. Preservation of exposed pincer looked much more promissing... Haven’t seen many of these, but the ones i have were all in a bad shape, cracked like this one and partials... Could be the preservation in this site is not as good as you typicaly see these from eoceno of Italy and Spain or washington concs... But maybe it was eroding on surface for too long, donno. In any case, good work!

Thanks. It is going to be amazing when it's done I'm sure. A big part of prepping is "listening" to the fossil and following along. From the posts of your stuff, you clearly understand.

[DeeMoji]

Wow @Ptychodus04 ! You’re really making him look great, thank you so much!! 

 

Also im sorry I’m just noticing all of this now, I’ve been busy with my dad, and other family being down. 

[DeeMoji]

@nautilus_dweller here’s my crab! 

[Haravex]

Wow nice find a good work @Ptychodus04 you really are amazing some of the work you do.

[Ptychodus04]

14 hours ago, Haravex said:

Wow nice find a good work @Ptychodus04 you really are amazing some of the work you do.

Thanks Matt. You’re becoming quite the preparator yourself.

[Ptychodus04]

Here’s the final iteration of this little guy. I attempted to smoothie the jagged edges of the concretion but that only made more large chunks come off. So, I opted for a cracked egg look and consolidated the fire out of it. Then, I mixed various amounts of black, white, and brown Apoxie Sculpt to get somewhat of a “close” match to the varied coloration of the shell.

 

 

Based on what it could have been, I’d call this a total success.

[Bobby Rico]

@Ptychodus04 that is truly a fantastic job. Quite a nice looking crab now. I think it will be treasured too. 

[Ptychodus04]

Just now, Bobby Rico said:

@Ptychodus04 that is truly a fantastic job. Quite a nice looking crab now. I think it will be treasured too. 

Thanks Bobby. 

[DeeMoji]

It’s so awesome, I can’t thank you enough @Ptychodus04 you’ve saved him! You did such a fantastic job, and I can’t wait to display him 

Miley Marie is going to be so proud to see what you’ve done with the crab she gave me. 

[DeeMoji]

20 hours ago, Bobby Rico said:

@Ptychodus04 that is truly a fantastic job. Quite a nice looking crab now. I think it will be treasured too. 

It will definitely be treasured! So far he’s the main event of my fossil collection, and I can’t believe the amazing work @Ptychodus04 did on it. 

[Ptychodus04]

1 hour ago, DeeMoji said:

It’s so awesome, I can’t thank you enough @Ptychodus04 you’ve saved him! You did such a fantastic job, and I can’t wait to display him 

Miley Marie is going to be so proud to see what you’ve done with the crab she gave me. 

You're very welcome. I'm glad it turned out so well.