An exploded stylemys tortoise

[turtlesteve]

So I've lurked on the forum for some time and decided to post my project.  This is a stylemys tortoise that I've had since high school.  It was really never worth recovering, being incomplete and completely disarticulated due to weathering.  It was also somewhat crushed with only the plastron being in decent shape.  Despite the challenge, I've decided to push onward, because it's got sentimental value at this point.

 

The plastron was pretty easy to assemble:

 

I have about 75% of the carapace (comprising the vertebral and costal scutes) but I only have about 50% of the edge (marginal scutes).  This was the really painful part.  Everything visible here was re-assembled from small disarticulated pieces:

 

Here's some more carapace and all the leftover bits:

 

My original hope was that I'd have enough to re-assemble the entire shell as one piece, without having to fill the holes.  However it's clear that I don't really have a complete shell, nor is the bone strong enough to support itself without filling the gaps.  In particular I'm missing most of the bridge connecting the carapace to the plastron.  The plan now is to use epoxy to fill in the missing shell where necessary.  I am undecided as to what extent I will try to color match the restoration (versus leaving it a different color to identify the restoration).

 

Steve

 

 

[Ptychodus04]

11 hours ago, turtlesteve said:

The plan now is to use epoxy to fill in the missing shell where necessary

Great project and good job on the puzzle!!

 

I would suggest you use an epoxy clay like Magic Sculpt, Paleo Sculpt, or Apoxie Sculpt. They all have great adhesion and can be worked like natural clay prior to setting. They have different set times and viscosities but all are pretty similar (Apoxie Sculpt has a slightly shorter working time and lower viscosity in my experience). All can be sanded after they have set and all of them can be smoothed with a dampened tool (finger, sponge, etc.) just like natural clay during their working time.

 

You can get different colors and mix them for a closer approximation to the shell color but you need to be certain of the mix ratio if you can't mix it all and complete it in one batch. Otherwise, you will have color variations from one working session to the next.

[RJB]

What Ptychodus04 said.  I have to say also,,,, thats one heck of a puzzle.  Good luck

 

RB

[LordTrilobite]

Quite impressing puzzle work.

[turtlesteve]

Thanks guys.  I'm using magic sculpt to fill in the missing material, but had to get the puzzle sorted out first to make sure I don't fill in holes that I have the piece for.  I'm sure I will end up with a few leftover pieces anyways.  The color of the bone is pretty variable, so if I want the fill to match I'll have to paint it.  I'll try to add pictures as I make progress, but it's slow going.

 

What's maddening is that the shell got partially flattened during fossilization.  When I started, I was assembling pieces together as perfectly as possible, but then had a bunch of flat shell sections that didn't fit together at all.  I had to undo some of that and make adjustments to "re-inflate" flattened areas of the shell.  This mainly involves purposefully leaving small gaps that I'll have to fill and make it look right later.

 

Being a turtle/tortoise guy, it's interesting to see how the stylemys shell differs from modern tortoises.  The margin of the carapace is extremely thickened above the front legs, and furthermore the pleural and peripheral bones were not fused (or were very weakly fused).  To my knowledge these bones are completely fused in modern tortoises.

 

Steve

[JohnBrewer]

@Tidgy's Dad is a tortoise chap. 

[minnbuckeye]

1 hour ago, JohnBrewer said:

@Tidgy's Dad is a tortoise chap. 

 

Unfortunately Adam has not been on TFF since early July. I messaged him 3 weeks ago to see how things were. He still hasn't opened the message. I hope and pray all is well with him. On Thursday, I addressed a letter to him and his wife in hopes of understanding his absence. IF I hear anything, I will let the forum know.

 

 Mike

[turtlesteve]

I don't know Adam personally but recognize the username from tortoiseforum.org which I also frequent.  Seems like he hasn't been recently active there either.

[turtlesteve]

Well I got quite a bit more done, spending 1-2 hours at a time for several nights.  I've figured out how all the big pieces go together by now.

 

Plastron, with a leg bone still attached to one piece.  Head end is to the right.

 

Carapace, head facing down:

 

And of course I've got a handful of small pieces that I have not figured out - but probably only accounting for 10% of the missing shell area.

 

So far I have not bothered trying to texture the epoxy repairs - much more concerned with structural integrity at this point.  I'm trying to slightly under-fill everything so I can come back and do some finish work later. 

 

[Xiphactinus]

Wow! That is a labor of love. Super job!!

[Bobby Rico]

Love really good now keep up the good work.

[FossilNerd]

That is one heck of a puzzle you have there! Great job! You are a patient man.

 

On 9/1/2019 at 3:17 PM, minnbuckeye said:

 

Unfortunately Adam has not been on TFF since early July. I messaged him 3 weeks ago to see how things were. He still hasn't opened the message. I hope and pray all is well with him. On Thursday, I addressed a letter to him and his wife in hopes of understanding his absence. IF I hear anything, I will let the forum know.

 

 Mike

I too have been curious about Adam. I miss his wit and humor. Hoping all is well with him and his. Please let us know if you hear anything. 

[Bobby Rico]

Just now, FossilNerd said:

That is one heck of a puzzle you have there! Great job! You are a patient man.

 

I too have been curious about Adam. I miss his wit and humor. Hoping all is well with him and his. Please let us know if you hear anything. 

I wrote to him (by post) about 2 months ago and he has not yet replied but I think he is ok . I understand he has taken a break from participate in the forum. I too miss his sharp wit. 

[FossilNerd]

10 minutes ago, Bobby Rico said:

I wrote to him (by post) about 2 months ago and he has not yet replied but I think he is ok . I understand he has taken a break from participate in the forum. I too miss his sharp wit. 

I understand the need to take a break, even from things you love. The main thing is that he is ok. He was such a prominent member when I first joined that I was afraid something had happened. Hopefully he gets this break out of his system soon and graces us with his presence! 

[Peat Burns]

Fantastic work.  Piecing together turtle shell is BRUTAL. Well done.

[Pemphix]

Very well done !

[turtlesteve]

Just to give a quick update, I'm stuck at the moment.  I made a little more progress, but then spent about 45 minutes just staring at this thing.  There are three joints in the shell margin that fused (during fossilization) into a significantly deformed position, and two of them prevent me from assembling the rest of the carapace correctly.  I'm going to have to separate these joints to move forward.  I'll post a photo or two once I figure out how to go about it. 

 

Steve

[Tidgy's Dad]

On 9/1/2019 at 7:16 PM, JohnBrewer said:

@Tidgy's Dad is a tortoise chap. 

Yup, that I am. 

Thanks, John. 

Here's the Mighty Tidgy studying brachiopods. 

And Steve, that is quite some jigsaw you've taken on. 

Marvelous and good luck to you, sir!

 

[Tidgy's Dad]

On 9/1/2019 at 9:17 PM, minnbuckeye said:

 

Unfortunately Adam has not been on TFF since early July. I messaged him 3 weeks ago to see how things were. He still hasn't opened the message. I hope and pray all is well with him. On Thursday, I addressed a letter to him and his wife in hopes of understanding his absence. IF I hear anything, I will let the forum know.

 

 Mike

Thanks, John, i did receive your letter recently and that and the wonderful birthday card I had from Doren @caldigger touched me deeply. 

I am very grateful to you for your concern and your friendship. 

They played no small part in my decision to come back to the forum, though I still have to take things slowly and carefully right now, so apologies if I don't respond to notifications and posts quickly. I'm okay. Life's Good. 

[Tidgy's Dad]

On 9/1/2019 at 10:49 PM, turtlesteve said:

I don't know Adam personally but recognize the username from tortoiseforum.org which I also frequent.  Seems like he hasn't been recently active there either.

Nice that you noticed me on TFO. 

I've been a bit under the weather but am now in the process of returning to both forums. I'm sounding a bit self-pitying but i'm fine. 

And sorry for hijjacking your most interesting thread. 

[Tidgy's Dad]

On 9/6/2019 at 5:10 AM, turtlesteve said:

Well I got quite a bit more done, spending 1-2 hours at a time for several nights.  I've figured out how all the big pieces go together by now.

Plastron, with a leg bone still attached to one piece.  Head end is to the right

Carapace, head facing down:

And of course I've got a handful of small pieces that I have not figured out - but probably only accounting for 10% of the missing shell area.

So far I have not bothered trying to texture the epoxy repairs - much more concerned with structural integrity at this point.  I'm trying to slightly under-fill everything so I can come back and do some finish work later. 

 

That's an excellent piece of work, you must have the patience of a Saint.  

[Tidgy's Dad]

On 9/14/2019 at 9:42 PM, FossilNerd said:

 

 

I too have been curious about Adam. I miss his wit and humor. Hoping all is well with him and his. Please let us know if you hear anything. 

 

On 9/14/2019 at 9:48 PM, Bobby Rico said:

I wrote to him (by post) about 2 months ago and he has not yet replied but I think he is ok . I understand he has taken a break from participate in the forum. I too miss his sharp wit. 

Thanks guys, i'm truly touched, and not just by madness. 

Not sure I got the letter Bobby, I'll have to check with wifey, i was rather indisposed at that time. 

@turtlesteve

Any more updates? 

[DeepTimeIsotopes]

On 10/6/2019 at 7:35 AM, Tidgy's Dad said:

 

Thanks guys, i'm truly touched, and not just by madness. 

Not sure I got the letter Bobby, I'll have to check with wifey, i was rather indisposed at that time. 

@turtlesteve

Any more updates? 

Nice to see you back!

 

@turtlesteve I’d also would like to see a progress report!