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I had a bit of spare time today so I thought I'd prep a trilobite or two from my trip around the Confusion and House Ranges of Utah. (See trip report here)

I had found this guy in someone else's throwaway pile probably after it came out chipped and subsequently scraped. I didn't think it was worth leaving out in the elements so I brought it home. Here's a before picture.

 

 

IMG_4955.thumb.JPG.6c2e5967f9cb02512aab9012afe28bcd.JPG

 

 

 

After 4 hours of swapping between dental picks, wire brushes, toothpicks, and various Dremel attachments here is my final product.

IMG_4960.thumb.JPG.f395398e4f6d9f27532afa34dbe33a49.JPG

 

It's not perfect at all but I think it deserves to be admired for a time because it has not been on this earth for over 490 million years just to be chucked aside when it finally reached the surface. I even gave it a polish using a piece of newspaper. I don't think it came out too badly. The scrape is still visible on the thoracic segments but there's not much more I can do for that. What do you guys think?

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Each dot is 50,000,000 years:

Hadean............Archean..............................Proterozoic.......................................Phanerozoic...........

                                                                                                                    Paleo......Meso....Ceno..

                                                                                                           Ꞓ.OSD.C.P.Tr.J.K..Pg.NgQ< You are here

Doesn't time just fly by?

 

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6 minutes ago, UtahFossilHunter said:

It's not perfect at all but I think it deserves to be admired for a time because it has not been on this earth for over 490 million years just to be chucked aside when it finally reached the surface

:fistbump:

...I'm back.

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Nice Job!  :)  :1-SlapHands_zpsbb015b76:

 

    Tim    VETERAN SHALE SPLITTER

   MOTM.png.61350469b02f439fd4d5d77c2c69da85.png      PaleoPartner.png.30c01982e09b0cc0b7d9d6a7a21f56c6.png.a600039856933851eeea617ca3f2d15f.png     Postmaster1.jpg.900efa599049929531fa81981f028e24.jpg    VFOTM.png.f1b09c78bf88298b009b0da14ef44cf0.png  VFOTM APRIL - 2015  

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"In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks."
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12 minutes ago, UtahFossilHunter said:

It's not perfect at all but I think it deserves to be admired for a time because it has not been on this earth for over 490 million years just to be chucked aside when it finally reached the surface. I even gave it a polish using a piece of newspaper. I don't think it came out too badly. The scrape is still visible on the thoracic segments but there's not much more I can do for that. What do you guys think?

Look's beautiful to me! I would be thrilled if I found that little guy discarded somewhere!

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14 minutes ago, Misha said:

Not a bad fossil even though it is damaged.

good prep work

 

14 minutes ago, Fossildude19 said:

Nice Job!  :)  :1-SlapHands_zpsbb015b76:

 

 

9 minutes ago, facehugger said:

Look's beautiful to me! I would be thrilled if I found that little guy discarded somewhere!

 

16 minutes ago, Raggedy Man said:

:fistbump:

Thanks you guys! 

Each dot is 50,000,000 years:

Hadean............Archean..............................Proterozoic.......................................Phanerozoic...........

                                                                                                                    Paleo......Meso....Ceno..

                                                                                                           Ꞓ.OSD.C.P.Tr.J.K..Pg.NgQ< You are here

Doesn't time just fly by?

 

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You did a great job with what you had to work with. Fossils don't have to be perfect, to be admired.:)

Dipleurawhisperer5.jpg

I like Trilo-butts and I cannot lie.

 

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What can I say? Really neato prep work you did there! I love the specimen :) 

Good job!!

-Christian

Opalised fossils are the best: a wonderful mix between paleontology and mineralogy!

 

Q. Where do dinosaurs study?

A. At Khaan Academy!...

 

My ResearchGate profile

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It has come out very well, super in fact. 

Here's what i did with some :

 

 

Life's Good!

Tortoise Friend.

MOTM.png.61350469b02f439fd4d5d77c2c69da85.png.a47e14d65deb3f8b242019b3a81d8160-1.png.60b8b8c07f6fa194511f8b7cfb7cc190.png

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27 minutes ago, Darktooth said:

You did a great job with what you had to work with. Fossils don't have to be perfect, to be admired.:)

Thanks! That's my philosophy:dinothumb:

12 minutes ago, The Amateur Paleontologist said:

What can I say? Really neato prep work you did there! I love the specimen :) 

Good job!!

-Christian

The missing thoracic segments give it some character, I think. It's quite unique. Thanks!

4 minutes ago, Tidgy's Dad said:

It has come out very well, super in fact. 

Here's what i did with some :

 

 

Thank you! I don't have the patience to use just a board tack:ighappy: .Those are some impressive prep jobs!

  • I found this Informative 2

Each dot is 50,000,000 years:

Hadean............Archean..............................Proterozoic.......................................Phanerozoic...........

                                                                                                                    Paleo......Meso....Ceno..

                                                                                                           Ꞓ.OSD.C.P.Tr.J.K..Pg.NgQ< You are here

Doesn't time just fly by?

 

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11 minutes ago, UtahFossilHunter said:

Thanks! That's my philosophy:dinothumb:

The missing thoracic segments give it some character, I think. It's quite unique. Thanks!

Thank you! I don't have the patience to use just a board tack:ighappy: .Those are some impressive prep jobs!

I thank you too! :)

Life's Good!

Tortoise Friend.

MOTM.png.61350469b02f439fd4d5d77c2c69da85.png.a47e14d65deb3f8b242019b3a81d8160-1.png.60b8b8c07f6fa194511f8b7cfb7cc190.png

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19 minutes ago, Tidgy's Dad said:

I thank you too! :)

How long did they take you to do?

  • I found this Informative 1

Each dot is 50,000,000 years:

Hadean............Archean..............................Proterozoic.......................................Phanerozoic...........

                                                                                                                    Paleo......Meso....Ceno..

                                                                                                           Ꞓ.OSD.C.P.Tr.J.K..Pg.NgQ< You are here

Doesn't time just fly by?

 

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2 minutes ago, UtahFossilHunter said:

How long did they take you to do?

Er, about 50 years. 

No, seriously, only a few hours each, not too bad. :)

 

  • I found this Informative 1

Life's Good!

Tortoise Friend.

MOTM.png.61350469b02f439fd4d5d77c2c69da85.png.a47e14d65deb3f8b242019b3a81d8160-1.png.60b8b8c07f6fa194511f8b7cfb7cc190.png

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21 minutes ago, Tidgy's Dad said:

Er, about 50 years. 

No, seriously, only a few hours each, not too bad. :)

 

Even with all my tools it still took me a couple hours. Just goes to show you don't need fancy stuff to do basic prep.:ighappy:

  • I found this Informative 1

Each dot is 50,000,000 years:

Hadean............Archean..............................Proterozoic.......................................Phanerozoic...........

                                                                                                                    Paleo......Meso....Ceno..

                                                                                                           Ꞓ.OSD.C.P.Tr.J.K..Pg.NgQ< You are here

Doesn't time just fly by?

 

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Just now, UtahFossilHunter said:

Even with all my tools it still took me a couple hours. Just goes to show you don't need fancy stuff to do basic prep.:ighappy:

I've got a pin vice now, so i'm a bit quicker. 

Depends on the matrix, some of the harder stuff I can't cope with at all.. :(

  • I found this Informative 1

Life's Good!

Tortoise Friend.

MOTM.png.61350469b02f439fd4d5d77c2c69da85.png.a47e14d65deb3f8b242019b3a81d8160-1.png.60b8b8c07f6fa194511f8b7cfb7cc190.png

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5 minutes ago, Ptychodus04 said:

Well done. You saved a specimen that is better than many I have seen in rock shops for sale!

Thank you! 

Each dot is 50,000,000 years:

Hadean............Archean..............................Proterozoic.......................................Phanerozoic...........

                                                                                                                    Paleo......Meso....Ceno..

                                                                                                           Ꞓ.OSD.C.P.Tr.J.K..Pg.NgQ< You are here

Doesn't time just fly by?

 

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4 hours ago, Tidgy's Dad said:

I've got a pin vice now, so i'm a bit quicker. 

Depends on the matrix, some of the harder stuff I can't cope with at all.. :(

What's the harder stuff you've been doing?

  • I found this Informative 1

Each dot is 50,000,000 years:

Hadean............Archean..............................Proterozoic.......................................Phanerozoic...........

                                                                                                                    Paleo......Meso....Ceno..

                                                                                                           Ꞓ.OSD.C.P.Tr.J.K..Pg.NgQ< You are here

Doesn't time just fly by?

 

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7 hours ago, UtahFossilHunter said:

What's the harder stuff you've been doing?

Well, recently, some of the shales from the English Lake District (the Ashgill Shales) and some parts of the Wenlock Limestone from different locations in England, some of these are softer and workable, some are not. It's okay, I'm generally happy with the results I can achieve. :)

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Life's Good!

Tortoise Friend.

MOTM.png.61350469b02f439fd4d5d77c2c69da85.png.a47e14d65deb3f8b242019b3a81d8160-1.png.60b8b8c07f6fa194511f8b7cfb7cc190.png

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23 minutes ago, Gizmo said:

Great job! :)

Thank you!

Each dot is 50,000,000 years:

Hadean............Archean..............................Proterozoic.......................................Phanerozoic...........

                                                                                                                    Paleo......Meso....Ceno..

                                                                                                           Ꞓ.OSD.C.P.Tr.J.K..Pg.NgQ< You are here

Doesn't time just fly by?

 

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3 minutes ago, ynot said:

Nice prep.

To bad the subject is not so great, but good practice. 

Thanks! I would have preferred it to be whole but I think it was worth it.  :):megalodon_broken01:

Each dot is 50,000,000 years:

Hadean............Archean..............................Proterozoic.......................................Phanerozoic...........

                                                                                                                    Paleo......Meso....Ceno..

                                                                                                           Ꞓ.OSD.C.P.Tr.J.K..Pg.NgQ< You are here

Doesn't time just fly by?

 

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On 11/17/2018 at 8:47 PM, UtahFossilHunter said:

Thanks! I would have preferred it to be whole but I think it was worth it.  :):megalodon_broken01:

Looks great to me.  You’ve inspired me.  Time to plan another trip out to the Wheeler Shale.

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  • 2 years later...

Yeah, I hear some collectors talk about wanting only "perfect ones" of anything.  Whether it's trilobites, shark teeth, or leaves, or whatever, incomplete specimens have value too.  Some are incomplete due to predation; some are just worn/damaged from life or weathering.  When you find it and prep it yourself, it means at least a little more to you than if you buy it at a shop or a store.  You experience exactly where it came from and you have a little more appreciation for what it takes just to find one and dig it up and why the perfect ones can be harder to come by.

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