Green River Fish Prep Question

[gwbh]

I collected some nice fossil fish from the green river formation of Wyoming today. Can any experienced green river hunters tell me the best way to prep these fossils? One of the miners at the quarry told me to do a 80% water 20% glue mix and dunk it in the water quickly to seal it or it will eventually fall apart.  He said not to use elmers glue but didnt say what type of glue. 

 

Also I have other specimens that are partially covered. They were telling people to use an exacto knife. to prep them and uncover all the fossil. What is the best way to go about this?

 

[snolly50]

You appear to have a very nice Knightia alta. Skip the glue and brush the critter with very dilute PVA. Search the Forum for "PVA" and "fish prep." You will find tons of opinions and some practical advice. Check out the fossil preparation topic especially. Good luck, have fun.  

 

@Ptychodus04

[gwbh]

9 minutes ago, snolly50 said:

You appear to have a very nice Knightia alta. Skip the glue and brush the critter with very dilute PVA. Search the Forum for "PVA" and "fish prep." You will find tons of opinions and some practical advice. Check out the fossil preparation topic especially. Good luck, have fun.  

 

Thanks, the miner actually did say to pva only the fish and not the surrounding matrix. But he warned that from that particular quarry the matrix might fall apart when it dries completely. 

[Peat Burns]

Definitely would not use white glue. It shrinks over time and peels and is more difficult to remove if necessary.  PVA can be used to stabilize the matrix and the fish.

[snolly50]

9 minutes ago, gwbh said:

he warned that from that particular quarry the matrix might fall apart when it dries completely. 

Of course he would know the local character of the stone better than I certainly would. However, I have never experienced the Green River material I have handled to be unstable. Uncoated matrix (in my experience) may leave a little "dust" on a shelf or something like that, but fall apart? - not in my experience. Split fish will, as you have been cautioned, flake off the matrix. This apparently is influenced by lose of moisture in the fossil and matrix. PVA coating is quick and easy, if it were mine that's what I would do.

[Ptychodus04]

Thanks @snolly50. 

 

If the matrix is very very brittle and already slightly separated along the bedding plane, it can come apart when it dries but this is not typical. I rarely have seen this happen. Often, a small crack will open up in its own but it typically doesn’t fall apart. 

 

If you get a crack along the bedding plane, simply drop super glue in it to lock it down.

 

For the fish itself, you want to get some Paraloid or Butvar (or,as John suggested, PVA if you can still find it). PVA (McGean B15) was my go to for decades but it has been discontinued. I’ll be switching over to Butvar as soon as I run out of B15.

[snolly50]

54 minutes ago, Ptychodus04 said:

PVA (McGean B15) was my go to for decades but it has been discontinued. I’ll be switching over to Butvar as soon as I run out of B15.

Hey Kris, I found this link. Don't know if it's active or not. The Vinac offered is apparently from a different manufacturer than McGean.

 

https://www.fossilshack.com/store/p2243/vinac

 

 

[Ptychodus04]

1 hour ago, snolly50 said:

Hey Kris, I found this link. Don't know if it's active or not. The Vinac offered is apparently from a different manufacturer than McGean.

 

https://www.fossilshack.com/store/p2243/vinac

 

 

Thanks John. They are proud of it for sure at $6/oz! I used to buy it from the Larson’s at BHIGR for around $1/oz.

 

A quick online search turns up several places that sell Butvar or its equivalent for under $2/oz.

[gwbh]

Thanks for the reply's. I do have actually have a little PVA i was given. Ill try that on the fish.