Kane's Bug Preps

[Kane]

My thanks.  Oh, and apparently we do have a prep emoticon: 

I should say my first attempts at some Moroccan Devonian material were quite poor, but then the tools I was using were not right for the task. I may be able to return to one that is halfway decent and improve upon it.

 

@Huntonia -- It would be neat to give the honey-coloured Oklahoma bugs a try. The matrix seems fairly cooperative (or at least much more so than what I've been working on!). And, most of them seem fairly straightforward to prep (with the exception of the Dicranurus  ). 

[Ruger9a]

17 hours ago, Kane said:

11. Swapping between abrasion and fine scribe, things start moving along... Slowly.  

12. Some finishing touches and some matrix work (I need some proper tools for that). 

 

And I think it is about as done as far as I can get it. No fancy freestanding.

It's not a bad effort on my part (thanks to some new tools), but a few flaws here and there. This material can be very tough, with little or almost no separation between fossil and matrix. The body plan is fairly simple (but take care around that median spine that curves upward), and not as complicated as its spinier cousins, but the matrix will certainly put the tools through their paces.

 

 

 

To be honest, that's a very nice prep!  That matrix is so hard.  I tried to take a small short cut with a small hammer and chisel in the final stages of my prep on one and ended up taking off one of the (perfect) eyes and part of the cephalon.  Naturally they broke off into little pieces that I couldn't find.  I didn't do as you did - taking the time and using patience, and it cost me.  Anyway, it's a wonderful job and surely worthy of a space in your display cabinet.    

[Kane]

20 minutes ago, Ruger9a said:

To be honest, that's a very nice prep!  That matrix is so hard.  I tried to take a small short cut with a small hammer and chisel in the final stages of my prep on one and ended up taking off one of the (perfect) eyes and part of the cephalon.  Naturally they broke off into little pieces that I couldn't find.  I didn't do as you did - taking the time and using patience, and it cost me.  Anyway, it's a wonderful job and surely worthy of a space in your display cabinet.    

Ouch! I wince just thinking about it, and I think most of us have been there. It almost always happen when the seesaw between patience and frustration tips, and it becomes tempting to cut a corner... and then we just end up cutting up the fossil.  One clear sign for me is when I start swearing at my tools -- then it's time to put down the tools, rinse the fossil and take a break rather than push through it and risk getting more frustrated.  

[FossilNerd]

Very nice Kane! That stuff looks to be as hard as my head. Which is immensely dense; just ask my wife! You may have put the new tools through their paces, but it looks like they were up to the task. If your missus doesn't approve, just send it my way. I have a nice little spot already picked out in my cabinet.   

[Ruger9a]

11 minutes ago, Kane said:

Ouch! I wince just thinking about it, and I think most of us have been there. It almost always happen when the seesaw between patience and frustration tips, and it becomes tempting to cut a corner... and then we just end up cutting up the fossil.  One clear sign for me is when I start swearing at my tools -- then it's time to put down the tools, rinse the fossil and take a break rather than push through it and risk getting more frustrated.  

Good advice and worth implementing.  It was my first and only attempt to prep one of these bugs.  The disappointing results caused me to reflect on my "patience levels" and based on that I decided to never try to prep another.   When it flew across the concrete floor bouncing all over the place other pieces came off as well.  Here's my "lesson in patience". 

[digit]

1 hour ago, Ruger9a said:

I tried to take a small short cut with a small hammer and chisel in the final stages of my prep on one and ended up taking off one of the (perfect) eyes and part of the cephalon.  Naturally they broke off into little pieces that I couldn't find.  I didn't do as you did - taking the time and using patience, and it cost me.

Don't give up your day job as a neurosurgeon.

 

Luckily, the types of fossils we find here in Florida (especially places like the Peace River) tend to be free of matrix and require little to no prep (only a bit of stabilization for some finds). Now that I've translocated myself up to Gainesville I hope to volunteer more closely with the FLMNH including developing some prepping skills uncovering and stabilizing finds from in-situ dig sites like Thomas Farm and Montbrook. Mostly, jacketed specimens from these sites are in more need of consolidation than jack hammering as they tend to be in sandy/clay matrix.

 

I've collected few things like some trilobites from Penn Dixie but I'll probably find someone with the time and skills to prep those out for me and I'll instead follow in Kane's footsteps and learn the ins-and-outs of using an air scribe on some inexpensive purchased bugs that don't have the memories and experiences of these personal finds.

 

 

Cheers.

 

-Ken

[Ruger9a]

2 hours ago, digit said:

Don't give up your day job as a neurosurgeon.

 

Luckily, the types of fossils we find here in Florida (especially places like the Peace River) tend to be free of matrix and require little to no prep (only a bit of stabilization for some finds). Now that I've translocated myself up to Gainesville I hope to volunteer more closely with the FLMNH including developing some prepping skills uncovering and stabilizing finds from in-situ dig sites like Thomas Farm and Montbrook. Mostly, jacketed specimens from these sites are in more need of consolidation than jack hammering as they tend to be in sandy/clay matrix.

 

I've collected few things like some trilobites from Penn Dixie but I'll probably find someone with the time and skills to prep those out for me and I'll instead follow in Kane's footsteps and learn the ins-and-outs of using an air scribe on some inexpensive purchased bugs that don't have the memories and experiences of these personal finds.

 

 

Cheers.

 

-Ken

OMG Ken, how did you know I was a retired Neurosurgeon????  I don't recall ever telling anyone in the forum, ha.

I've had OK to great success with prepping many other fossils from around the world, until I came to this one.  I learned a lot of respect for the Moroccan (and Kane) preppers of those Trilobites after attempting it myself.  I know my limitations and the older I get, the more I have to "adjust" them.  So, I'll stick with medium to soft matrix specimens when I get into my next prepping mood. :-)

[Kane]

 A little less spectacular, but an unprepared Reedops. A number of months back, I had got it only so far with some not great tools before setting it aside as a junk bug. 

[Kane]

With some better tools, I decided to come back to it. Still a number of problems that make this a C-grade bug, but this tucked-in-tail example is passable. Yes, the matrix is a smidgen softer than the other Moroccan bug, but no less problematic given its stickiness and refusal at separation.

[Ruger9a]

9 minutes ago, Kane said:

With some better tools, I decided to come back to it. Still a number of problems that make this a C-grade bug, but this tucked-in-tail example is passable. Yes, the matrix is a smidgen softer than the other Moroccan bug, but no less problematic given its stickiness and refusal at separation.

 

I would be pleased with that outcome!!!!  Nice work.  I guess having the proper tools does make a difference.  But, lets not forget the patience as well.

[Kane]

7 minutes ago, Ruger9a said:

I would be pleased with that outcome!!!!  Nice work.  I guess having the proper tools does make a difference.  But, lets not forget the patience as well.

Thanks!  Patience is definitely the most important non-tool tool in the arsenal, and there are those days it goes missing.  

[Malcolmt]

Your making good progress..... Maybe a Comura or a ceratarges for your next conquest..........

[Kane]

11 minutes ago, Malcolmt said:

Your making good progress..... Maybe a Comura or a ceratarges for your next conquest..........

Heh... Give me about a year (or five!) of more consistent practice before I'm ready to tackle the spiny ones. Perhaps a Kettie/Leo first... If you and KB are the equivalent of PhDs of prep, I may have just passed grade four.  

[Kane]

Just keeping my tools warm. 

This is a Gravicalymene sp. from the Nicolet Fm. When I found it, a good part of the exposed area had already lost some shell, so I kept it for practice. 

When they are missing bits like this, prep actually takes a bit longer so as to be careful not to abrade off more shell. This one lists to the left, and the rest of the pleurae are tucked under -- but complete.

[Top Trilo]

Wow good work Kane you can hardly tell it’s the same trilobite.

[FossilDAWG]

Has it been definitively decided if these are Gravicalymene or Flexicalymene?

 

Nice job on the prep!

 

Don

[Ptychodus04]

Glad to see some more prep progress from our resident philosopher. I think you're ready for a spiny bug (I always like watching other people besides myself have a meltdown caused by insanely frustrating preps).

 

My prep has slowed down some. 2 months ago, I hyper-extended my left elbow (dominant hand) whilst taking some flight controls off a commercial jet (COVID salary reduction induced side hustle). Extreme elbow pain and numbness in my thumb and first 2 fingers. Last week I broke down and went to the doctor. Severe lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow) and, I managed to shear off the tip of my ulna. If I prep for more than 30 minutes without taking a break, my elbow will almost completely lock up. I can't even pick up a coffee cup without severe consequences. So, keep the prep pics coming. I need to live vicariously through you and @RJB for a while. I'm still prepping but man it takes a long time to get anything finished.

[Fossildude19]

28 minutes ago, Ptychodus04 said:

Glad to see some more prep progress from our resident philosopher. I think you're ready for a spiny bug (I always like watching other people besides myself have a meltdown caused by insanely frustrating preps).

 

My prep has slowed down some. 2 months ago, I hyper-extended my left elbow (dominant hand) whilst taking some flight controls off a commercial jet (COVID salary reduction induced side hustle). Extreme elbow pain and numbness in my thumb and first 2 fingers. Last week I broke down and went to the doctor. Severe lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow) and, I managed to shear off the tip of my ulna. If I prep for more than 30 minutes without taking a break, my elbow will almost completely lock up. I can't even pick up a coffee cup without severe consequences. So, keep the prep pics coming. I need to live vicariously through you and @RJB for a while. I'm still prepping but man it takes a long time to get anything finished.

Sorry to hear this, Kris!   

 

Get better soon!

Hang in there, my friend. 

[jpc]

4 minutes ago, Fossildude19 said:

Sorry to hear this, Kris!   

 

Get better soon!

Hang in there, my friend. 

ditto

 

[RJB]

33 minutes ago, Ptychodus04 said:

 

My prep has slowed down some. 2 months ago, I hyper-extended my left elbow (dominant hand) whilst taking some flight controls off a commercial jet (COVID salary reduction induced side hustle). Extreme elbow pain and numbness in my thumb and first 2 fingers. Last week I broke down and went to the doctor. Severe lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow) and, I managed to shear off the tip of my ulna. If I prep for more than 30 minutes without taking a break, my elbow will almost completely lock up. I can't even pick up a coffee cup without severe consequences. So, keep the prep pics coming. I need to live vicariously through you and @RJB for a while. I'm still prepping but man it takes a long time to get anything finished

  This getting older and all the freakin curve balls that life throws at us tests the best of us.   But no matter what happens, there is only one choice,,,, keep on going.  Good luck my friend.

 

RB

[Huntonia]

37 minutes ago, Ptychodus04 said:

Glad to see some more prep progress from our resident philosopher. I think you're ready for a spiny bug (I always like watching other people besides myself have a meltdown caused by insanely frustrating preps).

 

My prep has slowed down some. 2 months ago, I hyper-extended my left elbow (dominant hand) whilst taking some flight controls off a commercial jet (COVID salary reduction induced side hustle). Extreme elbow pain and numbness in my thumb and first 2 fingers. Last week I broke down and went to the doctor. Severe lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow) and, I managed to shear off the tip of my ulna. If I prep for more than 30 minutes without taking a break, my elbow will almost completely lock up. I can't even pick up a coffee cup without severe consequences. So, keep the prep pics coming. I need to live vicariously through you and @RJB for a while. I'm still prepping but man it takes a long time to get anything finished.

Very sorry to hear this, I know how frustrating injuries can be, especially when they keep you away from your hobbies. A few months back I sustained overuse injuries to the shoulders, in my mind I figured I'd focus on my lower body until my shoulders healed. Turns out that gave me PFPS. I've gotten much better now for simple things but I'm still quite a ways from being able to perform any of the complex activities that landed me here in the first place. Don't push yourself too hard, best to have a quick but boring recovery rather than to trade excitement for setbacks! 

[Kane]

Thanks, all.  

@FossilDAWG -- I think this one is still in limbo until properly described, but one of the main differences between Gravis and Flexis is that the latter tend to have that little duckbill on the cephalon. 

@Ptychodus04 -- Sorry to hear about your injuries.  I still have a bum left wrist tendon since last August that needs surgery, but no chance of elective surgeries for a while yet as the queue is now long on account of Covid. I'm not a lefty like you, but moving around a specimen in the box with the other hand does send those reminder jolts of pain.

[FossilNerd]

Great prep job Kane! Not a bad little bug even if you just picked it up for practice. 

[Ptychodus04]

Thanks all. I did get out to the lab for a bit today. 
 

Kane, I hope you can get your wing fixed soon. But, until then, get back to working on the bugs! 

[piranha]

3 hours ago, FossilDAWG said:

Has it been definitively decided if these are Gravicalymene or Flexicalymene?

 

1 hour ago, Kane said:

I think this one is still in limbo until properly described, but one of the main differences between Gravis and Flexis is that the latter tend to have that little duckbill on the cephalon.

 

 

This paper has a detailed description of the generic differences of Gravicalymene and Flexicalymene:

 

Ross, R.J. 1967

Calymenid and other Ordovician Trilobites from Kentucky and Ohio.

United States Geological Survey, Professional Paper, 583B:1-19  PDF LINK