Tidgy's Dad Posted February 6, 2019 Share Posted February 6, 2019 As many of you may be aware, I quite like quietly sitting prepping little fossils with my board pins. And last year I was sent a pin vice by the wonderful @JohnBrewer And ever since, I've been happy as a very happy thing with my loupe and pins, prepping away. But all my pins have become blunt. So, I've got some more! Only the best for my fossils! Trouble is they only last about 10 seconds each. Hey ho! 6 Life's Good! Tortoise Friend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LiamL Posted February 6, 2019 Share Posted February 6, 2019 Could you show some of your prepped fossils from using the pins? 1 Yorkshire Coast Fossil Hunter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ptychodus04 Posted February 6, 2019 Share Posted February 6, 2019 16 minutes ago, Tidgy's Dad said: But all my pins have become blunt. Trouble is they only last about 10 seconds each. Hey ho! Get yourself a medium grit knife sharpening stone and you can put new life (and a new tip) into your needles. 2 Regards, Kris Global Paleo Services, LLC https://globalpaleoservices.com http://instagram.com/globalpaleoservices http://instagram.com/kris.howe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tidgy's Dad Posted February 6, 2019 Author Share Posted February 6, 2019 2 minutes ago, Ptychodus04 said: Get yourself a medium grit knife sharpening stone and you can put new life (and a new tip) into your needles. Thanks, I will do that, but I do have others, really. 2 Life's Good! Tortoise Friend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ptychodus04 Posted February 6, 2019 Share Posted February 6, 2019 12 minutes ago, Tidgy's Dad said: Thanks, I will do that, but I do have others, really. But this makes them last much longer before you have to throw them away. 1 Regards, Kris Global Paleo Services, LLC https://globalpaleoservices.com http://instagram.com/globalpaleoservices http://instagram.com/kris.howe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tidgy's Dad Posted February 6, 2019 Author Share Posted February 6, 2019 2 hours ago, LiamL said: Could you show some of your prepped fossils from using the pins? The trilobite Wujiajiana sutherlandi from Canada : Before : After : 5 Life's Good! Tortoise Friend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caldigger Posted February 6, 2019 Share Posted February 6, 2019 I had no idea those old phonograph needles didn't last very long at all. Weren't they used on wax cylinders?! Must have been some very abrasive wax! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tidgy's Dad Posted February 6, 2019 Author Share Posted February 6, 2019 17 minutes ago, caldigger said: I had no idea those old phonograph needles didn't last very long at all. Weren't they used on wax cylinders?! Must have been some very abrasive wax! Shellac 78s. Fragile but quite hard. 1 Life's Good! Tortoise Friend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caldigger Posted February 6, 2019 Share Posted February 6, 2019 My father had a collection of the wax cylinders with the player. He even had one recorded by Edison reciting Mary Had A Little Lamb. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobby Rico Posted February 6, 2019 Share Posted February 6, 2019 I have a bunch of 78’s in the shed but my record play don’t play them. The Man himself Mr Brewer sent me a pin vice I think he said to use hypodermic needles but I maybe mistaken? Good prep job Adam 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tidgy's Dad Posted February 6, 2019 Author Share Posted February 6, 2019 3 minutes ago, Bobby Rico said: I have a bunch of 78’s in the shed but my record play don’t play them. The Man himself Mr Brewer sent me a pin vice I think he said to use hypodermic needles but I maybe mistaken? Good prep job Adam Yes, I too have heard hypodermic needles are good. Here's my latest prep. Before : You can just make out the little brachiopods, Zygospira modesta clustered to the left edge of the underside of the coral. I cut three loose with a Stanley knife and then prepped with the pins. 2 Life's Good! Tortoise Friend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tidgy's Dad Posted February 6, 2019 Author Share Posted February 6, 2019 This was pretty tricky as these Zygospira are tiny scale in inches, well 16ths : 2 Life's Good! Tortoise Friend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobby Rico Posted February 6, 2019 Share Posted February 6, 2019 I can imagine prepping with a pin vice is hours of fun. Looks really great, is it tiny? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tidgy's Dad Posted February 6, 2019 Author Share Posted February 6, 2019 1 minute ago, Bobby Rico said: I can imagine prepping with a pin vice is hours of fun. Looks really great, is it tiny? Yup, you just missed the scale post, see above. Life's Good! Tortoise Friend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ptychodus04 Posted February 6, 2019 Share Posted February 6, 2019 21 minutes ago, Bobby Rico said: I can imagine prepping with a pin vice is hours of fun. Looks really great, is it tiny? Hours of something. I use a largish sewing needle in my pin vise. They are relatively hard and I can sharpen it on my grinder in a second. 2 Regards, Kris Global Paleo Services, LLC https://globalpaleoservices.com http://instagram.com/globalpaleoservices http://instagram.com/kris.howe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnBrewer Posted February 8, 2019 Share Posted February 8, 2019 On 06/02/2019 at 8:40 PM, Ptychodus04 said: Hours of something. 1 John Map of UK fossil sites Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJB Posted February 9, 2019 Share Posted February 9, 2019 Board pin prepping? thats a new one. Glad you made a step up. I know that Kris started with a drywall screw, and I myself started with one of my wifes steak knifes. RB 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tidgy's Dad Posted February 9, 2019 Author Share Posted February 9, 2019 20 minutes ago, RJB said: Board pin prepping? thats a new one. Glad you made a step up. I know that Kris started with a drywall screw, and I myself started with one of my wifes steak knifes. RB It's simple stuff, but works pretty well on some specimens with a bit of patience and determination. Been prepping with pins for 40 years. 1 Life's Good! Tortoise Friend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KimTexan Posted February 9, 2019 Share Posted February 9, 2019 16 minutes ago, Tidgy's Dad said: It's simple stuff, but works pretty well on some specimens with a bit of patience and determination. Been prepping with pins for 40 years. What diameter of shank does the pin vice have Adam? What do you use for the more coarse work? I use a set of these for some of my finer detail work and then I have a 1/32 engraving tips for the very fine stuff. These are diamond coated so they are pretty tough and long lasting. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tidgy's Dad Posted February 9, 2019 Author Share Posted February 9, 2019 1 minute ago, KimTexan said: What diameter of shank does the pin vice have Adam? What do you use for the more coarse work? I use a set of these for some of my finer detail work and then I have a 1/32 engraving tips for the very fine stuff. These are diamond coated so they are pretty tough and long lasting. Very nice. I don't know the diameter, but it holds little things like sewing needles at one end and slightly bigger pointy things at the other. There's a tightening mechanism, so a bit of variability is there, but not much. For coarser work I use a Stanley knife or a saw, not really got much in the way of equipment. If I can't do it, I just leave them as they are. Life's Good! Tortoise Friend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pagurus Posted February 9, 2019 Share Posted February 9, 2019 I suppose even professional preparators must have used needles and pins back in the olden days, but I'm certain it was slow, and maybe even painful. I enjoy using pins and x-acto knives, but I'm in no hurry and I don't really know what I'm doing most of the time. I just find it a relaxing and educational endeavor. 1 Start the day with a smile and get it over with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tidgy's Dad Posted February 9, 2019 Author Share Posted February 9, 2019 1 minute ago, Pagurus said: I suppose even professional preparators must have used needles and pins back in the olden days, but I'm certain it was slow, and maybe even painful. I enjoy using pins and x-acto knives, but I'm in no hurry and I don't really know what I'm doing most of the time. I just find it a relaxing and educational endeavor. Yes, I enjoy it and find it relaxing and usually rewarding. I never know what i'm doing. In anything, really. Life's Good! Tortoise Friend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ptychodus04 Posted February 9, 2019 Share Posted February 9, 2019 6 hours ago, Pagurus said: I suppose even professional preparators must have used needles and pins back in the olden days, but I'm certain it was slow, and maybe even painful. I enjoy using pins and x-acto knives, but I'm in no hurry and I don't really know what I'm doing most of the time. I just find it a relaxing and educational endeavor. I used a needle this morning and do so regularly on small stuff. This am, I needed to remove a chip that was lodged between the matrix and the bone on the block I’m working on. 1 Regards, Kris Global Paleo Services, LLC https://globalpaleoservices.com http://instagram.com/globalpaleoservices http://instagram.com/kris.howe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJB Posted February 10, 2019 Share Posted February 10, 2019 18 hours ago, KimTexan said: use a set of these for some of my finer detail work and then I have a 1/32 engraving tips for the very fine stuff. These are diamond coated so they are pretty tough and long lasting. Ive got this same set. I use them for carving my 2 part putty once cured. RB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KimTexan Posted February 10, 2019 Share Posted February 10, 2019 5 hours ago, RJB said: Ive got this same set. I use them for carving my 2 part putty once cured. RB Since I don’t have pneumatic tools I use these for prepping the really hard rock as I get closer to the fossil. Then I use the engraving tips for the fine detail. Occasionally I will use these like a needle and use with my hand on more delicate stuff. I actually have a couple of sets of these 60 tips each and more variety. It is interesting, but both sets are not equal. The one that cost less and came from China seems to work better. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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