minnbuckeye Posted August 7, 2018 Share Posted August 7, 2018 Last Autumn, I found a large favosite coral embedded in quite a bit of matrix. It measured 24cm by 13 cm, which is large for the location it was found in. It was only a coral, but I put quite a few hours into prepping this piece. Finally done!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raggedy Man Posted August 7, 2018 Share Posted August 7, 2018 Wow that things huge! ...I'm back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minnbuckeye Posted August 7, 2018 Author Share Posted August 7, 2018 The one side was FORTUNATELY broken, revealing a hollow center. Inside this mass of coral are some very nice crystals! Now I pose a question for the Forum members: Do I leave this alone and enjoy the little bit of crystalline material visable or break this open revealing the complete hollow core? I am torn between the two choices! Also, for those knowledgeable in coral anatomy, which side is up and which is down. I can see it 2 different ways. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobby Rico Posted August 7, 2018 Share Posted August 7, 2018 Very nice indeed. I would leave it because there is to much risk in damaging it. That is just my thoughts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peat Burns Posted August 7, 2018 Share Posted August 7, 2018 That's really nice. I would like to see more corals, bryozoans, and brachs prepped. They are really nice when all cleaned up! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minnbuckeye Posted August 7, 2018 Author Share Posted August 7, 2018 17 minutes ago, Peat Burns said: That's really nice. I would like to see more corals, bryozoans, and brachs prepped. They are really nice when all cleaned up! @Peat BurnsI tried KOH trying to save on labor, but was unsuccessful! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raggedy Man Posted August 7, 2018 Share Posted August 7, 2018 I love the dog tooth calcite in there. Id definitely keep it as is. ...I'm back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted August 7, 2018 Share Posted August 7, 2018 Were it mine (oh, I wish...), I would leave it alone. The whole is greater than the sum of its parts! "There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant “Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley >Paleontology is an evolving science. >May your wonders never cease! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peat Burns Posted August 8, 2018 Share Posted August 8, 2018 2 hours ago, minnbuckeye said: This is upside down, so the other side is right side up 1 hour ago, minnbuckeye said: which side is up and which is down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minnbuckeye Posted August 8, 2018 Author Share Posted August 8, 2018 1 hour ago, Peat Burns said: This is upside down, so the other side is right side up Thanks, my gut instinct was correct. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goatinformationist Posted August 8, 2018 Share Posted August 8, 2018 Beautiful piece, thanks for sharing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrangellian Posted August 8, 2018 Share Posted August 8, 2018 Nice one! I would probably leave it as is too. Are you sure the thing has a large cavity in the center, or maybe only these coupe of small cavities that you've already exposed? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minnbuckeye Posted August 8, 2018 Author Share Posted August 8, 2018 5 hours ago, Wrangellian said: Nice one! @Wrangellian Are you sure the thing has a large cavity in the center, or maybe only these coupe of small cavities that you've already exposed? In this picture, the opening on the right exposes a large, but flat chamber , The one on the left is much smaller and would not be worth exposing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FranzBernhard Posted August 8, 2018 Share Posted August 8, 2018 I would leave it as is. Calcite crystals are not that super rare and Favosites are also not that rare. But the combination in this specimen is superb! At one side you can see the outside of the colony, at the other side a cross section through the colony with some extra features. To sum up: Congratulations to this beautifull and very instructive find! Franz Bernhard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrangellian Posted August 8, 2018 Share Posted August 8, 2018 I agree, Franz. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ynot Posted August 9, 2018 Share Posted August 9, 2018 Nice piece of coral. I really like the mineral / fossil combination pieces. If the piece is "light" for a piece of that size, then there could be a larger hollow in it. If it is close to the typical weight of a similar sized rock then it is probably solid (for the most part). I would not "break" it to see if it is hollow. If You do want to "open" it, use a rock saw to cut it. It may look nice if You cut off the fractured section and polish that surface. (remove as little material as possible to get a flat surface.) 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...
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