Going out to look for trilobites for the first time!

[Trinitydraco]

So I just found out about two good fossil sites for trilobites only and hour away from my house! This is my first time going out looking for fossils ever and I am so excited! I gots me a spade, large flat head screw driver, thin pry bar, gloves and claw hammer. For prep tools I have an air scribe and compressor, steel dental/sculpting tools, mini files, polishing papers, and other small tools as I work with silver. The site is in Vermont and I am expecting wet, cool conditions. I wanted to get any tips or advice you may have for a first timer to help make my afternoon trip a success. Tri-Lo-Bites! (read as dine-o-mite!) 

[DevonianDigger]

You may want to check out Harbor Freight. They have an "air eraser" for $28 that hooks up to your compressor and can serve as a temporary micro sandblaster. It's not going to be your #1 tool, but it can get you moving until you upgrade to something like the Paasche AECR unit, (~$89), and then perhaps to a Vaniman (~$300), then on to a Comco or SS White. ($3500+). You can put different media in the hopper and give it a try. It comes with Aluminum Oxide, which is great for removing matrix, but awful for trilobites in general (too hard, wrecks the fossils). You can also use baking soda, which is perfect for trilobites because it's hard, but not quite as hard as the fossils generally. You would also want to pick up an air line dryer. (~$7). Moisture in your line will clump the baking soda and make it not work.

 

Other than that. Have fun!

[Kane]

Best of luck, and looking forward to seeing what you find. 

 

If the rock is hard, I'd be very careful about using a claw hammer if it has a wooden shaft; it sometimes does not take much for that head to fly off and make for an unhappy day. If collecting is going to become a frequent activity, it might be a worthwhile investment to get an Estwing rock hammer (and a brick hammer, too) -- I swear by these, and I'd never go back to a claw hammer again. Depending on the kind of matrix you'll be splitting, getting some different sized chisels is not a bad idea.

[Tidgy's Dad]

Good luck! 

Can't wait to see your finds.

[Fossildude19]

Best of luck. Don't forget safety glasses!   

Nothing can ruin your day faster than a stone chip or metal sliver in your eye. 

[DevonianDigger]

It's all fun and games until someone loses an eye... then it's fun you can't see.

[ynot]

5 hours ago, Trinitydraco said:

and claw hammer.

Definitely do not use a claw hammer. They are knuckle busters.

Use a good estwing rock hammer, like Kane suggested. A small sledge hammer may be useful also.

If We knew what type of rock is there it would be easier to give some tips on how to work/dig in the material.

 

Good luck, and please show Us what You find.

[Darktooth]

Good luck! I hope you find some good ones! A trip report and pics will be expected.

[DevonianDigger]

If you're able to check out the Chat, I envy you. Our state paleontologist is currently studying the trilobtes of the Chazy and I wish I could look myself. Some cool stuff there indeed.

[Trinitydraco]

I got really lucky and found this 1.5cm complete trilobite! I may have more as I brought home a TON (more like 100lbs) of fossil material. I am gonna be busy for a while! LOL

[minnbuckeye]

50 minutes ago, Trinitydraco said:

complete trilobite

 

I don't see a complete trilobite. Nice find none the less. Hopefully a complete one might be lurking in all that stone you brought home.

@piranha might be able to ID it for you.

 

 Mike