rebu Posted January 20, 2019 Share Posted January 20, 2019 This week I willl be collecting these Otodus Obliquus vertebrae cluster. It's from Morocco and the size is about 65x30cm, there is 24 vertebrae and the biggest one is around 7cm diameter. There is still lots of matrix on the vertebrae so I was planning to finish cleaning it all. I will like your opinion on this. Should I do it, how difficult is it going to be? I like it the way it is already but I am sure it can be finished better. Is it worth trying? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam86cucv Posted January 20, 2019 Share Posted January 20, 2019 I don't have any prepping advise, but just wanted to to say that is a cool cluster of vertibrea. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rebu Posted January 20, 2019 Author Share Posted January 20, 2019 18 minutes ago, Adam86cucv said: I don't have any prepping advise, but just wanted to to say that is a cool cluster of vertibrea. Thank you, I also think so. I think I will just try to clean it up property, just scared of it a bit. Don't want to screw this up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam86cucv Posted January 20, 2019 Share Posted January 20, 2019 Maybe just gently pick at the matrix with a needle or a dental pick. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KimTexan Posted January 20, 2019 Share Posted January 20, 2019 If the vertebrae are not that stable you can always stabilize them first with a consolidant or glue that can be removed with acetone. The vertebra around here are generally very stable. You may come across other fossils that may be cool to leave in place for association as you prep. That is one question you have to decide as you prep. To remove or not remove. I get hung up on that question at times. The other fossil may be so cool, but if I’m going for esthetics then I have to remove the other fossils sometimes. I know what you mean about not wanting to ruin it. I found a bison skeleton last week with the skull. I’ve been waiting for my butvar76 to arrive so I can begin the prep. I won’t touch it until I can stabilize it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rebu Posted January 20, 2019 Author Share Posted January 20, 2019 37 minutes ago, Adam86cucv said: Maybe just gently pick at the matrix with a needle or a dental pick. Thank you for the advice, I think this is exactly what I am going to do. Will start this way and see how it goes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rebu Posted January 20, 2019 Author Share Posted January 20, 2019 45 minutes ago, KimTexan said: If the vertebrae are not that stable you can always stabilize them first with a consolidant or glue that can be removed with acetone. The vertebra around here are generally very stable. You may come across other fossils that may be cool to leave in place for association as you prep. That is one question you have to decide as you prep. To remove or not remove. I get hung up on that question at times. The other fossil may be so cool, but if I’m going for esthetics then I have to remove the other fossils sometimes. I know what you mean about not wanting to ruin it. I found a bison skeleton last week with the skull. I’ve been waiting for my butvar76 to arrive so I can begin the prep. I won’t touch it until I can stabilize it. Thank you Kim, I will see when I start if I need to stabilize it. You are absolutely right about the other fossils around the vertebrae, there are many there. I will love to actually expose some of them if possible. Difficult part I think is going to be to decide which ones. When I bring it home I will take better quality photos and post them again for more advice. Good luck with your bison. Did you found a complete skeleton? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fossil-Hound Posted January 21, 2019 Share Posted January 21, 2019 That's a neat looking group. I probably wouldn't fully remove them from the matrix as that does have a nice look to it. 1 Do or do not. There is no try. - Yoda Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caldigger Posted January 21, 2019 Share Posted January 21, 2019 Those verts likely are very fragile. I tried to prep one out of a matrix chunk and it basically crumbled when I attempted this. I wouldn't attempt it, but you may have better results than I did. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rebu Posted January 22, 2019 Author Share Posted January 22, 2019 7 hours ago, Fossil-Hound said: That's a neat looking group. I probably wouldn't fully remove them from the matrix as that does have a nice look to it. Thanks Fossil-Hound, I love it like it is in the cluster and I don't want to remove any of the vertebrae. I will just try to clean it little more and leave it as is. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rebu Posted January 22, 2019 Author Share Posted January 22, 2019 5 hours ago, caldigger said: Those verts likely are very fragile. I tried to prep one out of a matrix chunk and it basically crumbled when I attempted this. I wouldn't attempt it, but you may have better results than I did. Yes I think it will be fragile I just want to clean it up. I am just worried about the thin lines on the side of the vertebrae, this is the place where it will make a big difference if it was clean. I will see when I start how it goes, I am not confident at all to do anything on it so good chance is that I will leave it on the end as is. Thanks for your reply Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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