YouTube videos on fossil preparation?

[Alex Pritchard]

Does anyone create fossil prep videos/ tutorials. Or do you know of any videos worth a watch? Would be great to expand my knowledge and enjoyable to watch others work! 

 

 

[LordTrilobite]

I've seen a few over the years. But most of them show mechanical prepping along with the terrible noise that comes with it. I don't think I've ever seen prepping instruction videos.

I can't remember any specific ones sadly.

[Alex Pritchard]

Just now, LordTrilobite said:

I've seen a few over the years. But most of them show mechanical prepping along with the terrible noise that comes with it. I don't think I've ever seen prepping instruction videos.

Yeah that's want I've come up against! There's a gap in the market for sure! When I'm not tinkering with fossils I would love nothing more than to watch videos on people's processes!

[Ptychodus04]

Part of the problem is the tedium of fossil preparation. In order to see results in a video, it has to be a time-lapse. I imagine there aren't many people who would sit and watch a 100+ hour video of me prepping a large specimen. Time-lapse doesn't allow for any detailed instruction. Also, I think most preparators would rather spend their time preparing fossils than making videos about preparing fossils.

[Kane]

Agreed. Some preps are even slower than watching paint dry.  I could see the benefit of some instructional videos on different tools, angles, and other tips. Of course, each specimen and prep is unique, so not easily universalizable. Expect the unexpected... What sometimes looks like a straightforward prep job can run into unforeseen challenges in a hurry, necessitating a change of approach, a change of tools, and added hours.

[Ptychodus04]

If  you really want a reference for preparation, get a copy of "Vertebrate Paleontological Techniques (Vol 1)" by Patrick Leiggi (Editor), et al. It has a ton of good prep techniques and processes as well as excavation and field techniques. It even has a section on setting up a long term camp. It's a bit on the expensive side (circa $100 used) but is worth every penny. I refer to it fairly often when addressing a prep technique that I have not had a ton of experience with.

[RuMert]

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC28l5ieRnm6rZKR7PbBoGEQ

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3-wYY6A2oLlI25Mpc-6PoA

A couple of such channels. Not sure if they are good though

[Yoda]

10 hours ago, Ptychodus04 said:

If  you really want a reference for preparation, get a copy of "Vertebrate Paleontological Techniques (Vol 1)" by Patrick Leiggi (Editor), et al. It has a ton of good prep techniques and processes as well as excavation and field techniques. It even has a section on setting up a long term camp. It's a bit on the expensive side (circa $100 used) but is worth every penny. I refer to it fairly often when addressing a prep technique that I have not had a ton of experience with.

Although the title says Vertebrate, is there any info on inverts, plants etc?? 

[Ptychodus04]

4 hours ago, Yoda said:

Although the title says Vertebrate, is there any info on inverts, plants etc?? 

 

I don’t recall anything specifically about plants and invertebrates but the techniques for excavation and preparation would be the same with only a few exceptions.

[RJB]

  Being mainly a crab preppin guy I once checked out youtube for that.  Not many to see but one I did watch showed one what NOT to do.  Problem with that is that if your not a preparator already you would not know this and end up making the same mistake.  Ive got a special crab concretion that im going to be doing a 'time laps' just for youtube but not till this coming winter. 

 

RB

[Yoda]

21 hours ago, Ptychodus04 said:

 

I don’t recall anything specifically about plants and invertebrates but the techniques for excavation and preparation would be the same with only a few exceptions.

I see it's print on demand, available locally through ABE

Definitely on my "to get" list"

[Ptychodus04]

2 hours ago, Yoda said:

I see it's print on demand, available locally through ABE

Definitely on my "to get" list"

It has been invaluable to me over the years.

[Fossil-Hound]

On 6/9/2019 at 3:32 PM, Alex Pritchard said:

Does anyone create fossil prep videos/ tutorials. Or do you know of any videos worth a watch? Would be great to expand my knowledge and enjoyable to watch others work! 

 

 

Considering doing this with a GroPro and speeding up the frames. There's some on Youtube.

[jpc]

I have thought about doing this.  I just bought a Intervalometer for my camera... allows you to take pix at an interval (you set the time) and then go online to make a movie.  I want to use it for field work.  The problem with doing a prep video like this is that I generally move the specimen around a lot so it would be terribly jerky.  And I would end up wasting too much time trying to do the prep in the frame of the camera instead of where it is more comfy/useful.