A rather large Yorkshire Dactylioceras sp

[DanJeavs]

I recently found a rather large Dactylioceras ammonite from Saltwick Bay in Yorkshire UK. If measures around 4.2 inches which is pretty big for the species, although iv seen bigger. It was a reasonably easy prep and the matrix pulled away like it was nothing. Unfortunately there’s a small section missing from the outer whorl, either predation, or compression from fossilisation caused this. Still a lovely specimen. I’ll be posting plenty more soon, Iv been concentrating on building an online store and constantly prepping over the past few months so hardly find the time along with work. 

Thanks. Dan. 

[DanJeavs]

This was the nodule at the beginning of prep after glueing the nodule up. In hindsight, I probably should have reverse prepped it, but hey ho, you win some, you lose some.  

[Ludwigia]

Good job. Now I'd say you could do with an air abrader.

[DanJeavs]

20 minutes ago, Ludwigia said:

Good job. Now I'd say you could do with an air abrader.

It’s next on this list, the cost is ridiculous though

[Bobby Rico]

That’s a beauty and one of my favourite ammonites.

[Ludwigia]

9 minutes ago, DanJeavs said:

It’s next on this list, the cost is ridiculous though

It's the right investment though if you want to get into some serious prepping.

[Ptychodus04]

2 hours ago, Ludwigia said:

It's the right investment though if you want to get into some serious prepping.

I agree with Roger. Most dedicated prep tools are ridiculously expensive, that’s the nature of a niche industry. Even a relatively inexpensive abraider is better than nothing at all.

[Wrangellian]

What kind of equipment are you using currently?

You say the matrix pulled away like it was nothing, but it took half of your shell with it! I understand these are difficult to prep without losing some shell but I still think it would be well worth it if a person could manage to leave the shell intact, even if tou have to spend some money or more time to do it, and even if you only get one such specimen in your collection. I've got a couple raw ones that I'd like done, but only if the shell can remain intact. Mother Nature has already removed some of the matrix while leaving the shell around the outside edge on both of them, so I refuse to believe it's impossible for man to complete the job with modern technology.

[RJB]

Nice specimen.  Up to you but i'd leave the damage to show that it has possibly been preditated apon.   Good luck.

 

RB

[DanJeavs]

18 hours ago, Bobby Rico said:

That’s a beauty and one of my favourite ammonites.

Thank you, they do come out nice every now and then, although they’re that common here, you get sick of them. I have hundreds in the workshop that will probably never get finished 

[DanJeavs]

16 hours ago, Ptychodus04 said:

I agree with Roger. Most dedicated prep tools are ridiculously expensive, that’s the nature of a niche industry. Even a relatively inexpensive abraider is better than nothing at all.

You’re right, iv spent a small fortune on pens etc, the abraider is the one that is costly and hard to find a good one in the uk, I’m not willing to pay over seas prices and it’s adds so much more on to the total unfortunately. Hopefully in the next two months I’ll have one

[DanJeavs]

11 hours ago, Wrangellian said:

What kind of equipment are you using currently?

You say the matrix pulled away like it was nothing, but it took half of your shell with it! I understand these are difficult to prep without losing some shell but I still think it would be well worth it if a person could manage to leave the shell intact, even if tou have to spend some money or more time to do it, and even if you only get one such specimen in your collection. I've got a couple raw ones that I'd like done, but only if the shell can remain intact. Mother Nature has already removed some of the matrix while leaving the shell around the outside edge on both of them, so I refuse to believe it's impossible for man to complete the job with modern technology.

I have plenty of Ken mannion pens and all the usual standard equipment. It’s being able to find abrasive units in the uk which seem to be hard to get hold of I could have saved the shell if I hadn’t stupidly prepped from the side I glued on (not paying attention on my behalf) Whitby stufff is pretty difficult to keep the shell due to the pyrite content and hard the lime stone is in general. I’m sure I read somewhere for stuff here, that if it’s a calcite infilled ammonite, you should be able to abraid, but apart from that it’s a no go for the most part. Iv only been prepping about a year and a half so still have plenty more to learn 

[DanJeavs]

4 hours ago, RJB said:

Nice specimen.  Up to you but i'd leave the damage to show that it has possibly been preditated apon.   Good luck.

 

RB

Thank you sir! I’ll be leaving it as is, there’s not much to do and still not go reconstruction work down to a tee yet 

[Wrangellian]

5 hours ago, DanJeavs said:

I have plenty of Ken mannion pens and all the usual standard equipment. It’s being able to find abrasive units in the uk which seem to be hard to get hold of I could have saved the shell if I hadn’t stupidly prepped from the side I glued on (not paying attention on my behalf) Whitby stufff is pretty difficult to keep the shell due to the pyrite content and hard the lime stone is in general. I’m sure I read somewhere for stuff here, that if it’s a calcite infilled ammonite, you should be able to abraid, but apart from that it’s a no go for the most part. Iv only been prepping about a year and a half so still have plenty more to learn 

I understand, and you're ahead of me, as I don't prep. I might not have the patience or the steady hand required... but I know several people who do, and it just seems to me that if a person can prep those spiny Moroccan trilobites, then it must be possible to do one of these ammo's without losing so much shell, with the right equipment and technique - and a lot of patience and steadiness, I suppose! I've seen some that were done with most of their shell intact... I guess that's the variability from one specimen to the next, some are easy and some are hard?

[DanJeavs]

7 hours ago, Wrangellian said:

I understand, and you're ahead of me, as I don't prep. I might not have the patience or the steady hand required... but I know several people who do, and it just seems to me that if a person can prep those spiny Moroccan trilobites, then it must be possible to do one of these ammo's without losing so much shell, with the right equipment and technique - and a lot of patience and steadiness, I suppose! I've seen some that were done with most of their shell intact... I guess that's the variability from one specimen to the next, some are easy and some are hard?

You’re completely right, each project is different from the next. One piece, you could have an easy prep that takes 20 minutes, the next couple take you into hours, all depending on the matrix and the content of it. 

[Wrangellian]

Yes, but I hope there isn't any blowing through a prep job because it's "just an ammonite" and you've got hundreds of them - I take it the spiny trilobites take days to prep, not 20 minutes to a couple hours!

[Bobby Rico]

16 hours ago, DanJeavs said:

Thank you, they do come out nice every now and then, although they’re that common here, you get sick of them. I have hundreds in the workshop that will probably never get finished 

I have found a couple of beautiful specimens from Yorkshire with nice pinhole middles . My favourite specimens I have are Dectylioceras Toxophorum with Bivalve and Calcite Dectylioceras in a pebble both from  Isle of Skye uk 

 

Dactylioceras commune

Whitby Formation, Lower Jurassic; Yorkshire coast uk

[DanJeavs]

2 hours ago, Bobby Rico said:

I have found a couple of beautiful specimens from Yorkshire with nice pinhole middles . My favourite specimens I have are Dectylioceras Toxophorum with Bivalve and Calcite Dectylioceras in a pebble both from  Isle of Skye uk 

 

Dactylioceras commune

Whitby Formation, Lower Jurassic; Yorkshire coast uk

There’s so much variation when it comes to dacs. I do love the Skye ones though, it’s on the agenda for next year. How was the prep for the Yorkshire stuff? 

[Bobby Rico]

8 hours ago, DanJeavs said:

There’s so much variation when it comes to dacs. I do love the Skye ones though, it’s on the agenda for next year. How was the prep for the Yorkshire stuff? 

Hi 

I think the Skye matrix can be quite hard work. I don’t prep any more as I sold my tools some years ago. We don’t have room in our small house. If I find quite a few ammonites I give them to my friend who is probably one of the best prepares of ammonites in the U.K.. I choose a couple and as payment he keeps the all rest and sales them on our favourite auction side . Sometimes cheekily I win the back . 

[DanJeavs]

20 minutes ago, Bobby Rico said:

Hi 

I think the Skye matrix can be quite hard work. I don’t prep any more as I sold my tools some years ago. We don’t have room in our small house. If I find quite a few ammonites I give them to my friend who is probably one of the best prepares of ammonites in the U.K.. I choose a couple and as payment he keeps the all rest and sales them on our favourite auction side . Sometimes cheekily I win the back . 

Oh that’s a shame. The prep is the best part haha. That’s a fair trade, now I’m interested in said friend is haha. Presuming Yorkshire, could be a fair few haha. Mike, mark or Dave? 

[DanJeavs]

12 hours ago, Wrangellian said:

Yes, but I hope there isn't any blowing through a prep job because it's "just an ammonite" and you've got hundreds of them - I take it the spiny trilobites take days to prep, not 20 minutes to a couple hours!

Honestly, everybody uses dacs to begin with. I can’t express how common they are haha. Ruined plenty at the beginning. They’re relatively easy to prep once you’re used to them. Know idea about the trilos. Could even be months. 

[Bobby Rico]

18 minutes ago, DanJeavs said:

Oh that’s a shame. The prep is the best part haha. That’s a fair trade, now I’m interested in said friend is haha. Presuming Yorkshire, could be a fair few haha. Mike, mark or Dave? 

No they are down south and not a members of the forum so I won’t give his name out because he does not get much free time and does the prepping for me as a favour mostly. Yeah I miss the prepping but as an artist I am always making some thinking.

[DanJeavs]

41 minutes ago, Bobby Rico said:

No they are down south and not a members of the forum so I won’t give his name out because he does not get much free time and does the prepping for me as a favour mostly. Yeah I miss the prepping but as an artist I am always making some thinking.

I have a feeling I know who it is now anyway haha. Let me know when ever your out I’m Yorkshire and we can go hunt 

[Bobby Rico]

4 minutes ago, DanJeavs said:

I have a feeling I know who it is now anyway haha. Let me know when ever your out I’m Yorkshire and we can go hunt 

I definitely will do that we love holidaying in Yorkshire such a beautiful place. Thank you 

[DanJeavs]

8 minutes ago, Bobby Rico said:

I definitely will do that we love holidaying in Yorkshire such a beautiful place. Thank you 

No probs. I might have adventure out this weekend to Ravenscar. Time to brave the dreaded hill once more