Xiphactinus Posted March 7, 2008 Share Posted March 7, 2008 All of the jackets are prepped and I put them all together for the first time. Very exciting. The big guy is 17 feet long. The composite photo isn't great, but it gives you an idea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xiphactinus Posted March 7, 2008 Author Share Posted March 7, 2008 Here's the composite (kind of big) X_fish_composit.bmp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
worthy 55 Posted March 7, 2008 Share Posted March 7, 2008 Outstanding!!!! Looks like a Tarpon with teeth!!!!! It's my bone!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xiphactinus Posted March 7, 2008 Author Share Posted March 7, 2008 Outstanding!!!! Looks like a Tarpon with teeth!!!!! Looks a LOT like a tarpon with teeth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
worthy 55 Posted March 7, 2008 Share Posted March 7, 2008 Try putting jpg on the end of your second picture instead of the bmp . It will post better. It's my bone!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gatorman Posted March 7, 2008 Share Posted March 7, 2008 thats one huge fish! Can't wait to see it finished. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xiphactinus Posted March 7, 2008 Author Share Posted March 7, 2008 Thanks for the tip on the file saving. Better? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Nicholas Posted March 7, 2008 Share Posted March 7, 2008 Geeze!!! That thing is massive! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roz Posted March 7, 2008 Share Posted March 7, 2008 You sure moved pretty fast on it, and it looks fantastic! I didn't have a clear idea of the size till now.. that is one big guy.... Welcome to the forum! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
worthy 55 Posted March 7, 2008 Share Posted March 7, 2008 Picture is better! What is that thing on top of it's head? It's my bone!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xiphactinus Posted March 7, 2008 Author Share Posted March 7, 2008 Picture is better! What is that thing on top of it's head? That's a supraoccipital crest. Many of the large fish of the Niobrara chalk have them. Its the beginning of the big muscle attachments that run along the back. This guy was very, very strong and fast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xiphactinus Posted March 7, 2008 Author Share Posted March 7, 2008 You sure moved pretty fast on it, and it looksfantastic! I didn't have a clear idea of the size till now.. that is one big guy.... I didn't really move that fast. I saved the head for last...it was in the worst shape and most complicated prepping. I've been working on it since 2002. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northern Sharks Posted March 7, 2008 Share Posted March 7, 2008 I don't know how you'll mount/display it when it's done, but that is an amazing centerpiece to any collection There's no limit to what you can accomplish when you're supposed to be doing something else Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Nicholas Posted March 7, 2008 Share Posted March 7, 2008 I say you mount it on the wall, and then tell all the fishermen in town you have a huge fish... You'll have proof too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MB Posted March 7, 2008 Share Posted March 7, 2008 Man, this is a great job, congratulations !!! http://www.mbfossilcrabs.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roz Posted March 7, 2008 Share Posted March 7, 2008 An idea has come to me while looking again... Just a thought..but what if instead of hanging etc., you placed it flush with the floor and adding some kind of strong protectant like a resin or whatever would put a clear, very protective sealant.. or, if you can't place it flush, then make it a step.... What a show piece... I think it would look perfect on the floor, and would solve the weight problem. Welcome to the forum! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest N.AL.hunter Posted March 7, 2008 Share Posted March 7, 2008 Man I am so envious. Here I thought that the partial head I found in Alabama was a great find, but a whole one, that is truly fantastic. As far as displaying it, I'd clear everything off of some wall. Did you ever post the story of how you found this monster? I would love to here the whole collecting tale. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xiphactinus Posted March 7, 2008 Author Share Posted March 7, 2008 I don't know how you'll mount/display it when it's done, but that is an amazing centerpiece to any collection My plan for hanging it is: (If anyone has any better ideas, please pass them along!!) I'm going to keep the fish in 3 pieces - the big piece with the head, the mid body with all the fins, and the tail. That way if I ever need to move it, I can. Each of the 3 pieces will be attached to a sheet of heavy plywood (that will be painted to contrast with the fish). I am planning on heavy duty construction adhesive, drilling a few holes through the matrix all the way through the plywood and bolting through the matrix (covering the bolt heads afterwards) and then taking threaded rods and bending at a 90 degree angle and making little prongs to hold it on. The rods will go through the plywood and bolt through the back. I will then build a short (3 foot) wall in the room. The sheets of plywood will sit on top of that wall (supporting the weight) and bolt through the studs to keep it upright. That should do it. (Fingers firmly crossed!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Nicholas Posted March 7, 2008 Share Posted March 7, 2008 I also suggest you put some silicone around the bottom perimeter of the matrix and then "stick" it to the plywood. We use this method to secure granite counter tops to cabinets we also use this method to secure under mount sinks to to granite. This method is very reliable and the silicone will offer extra protection (for peace of mind purposes). If you ever need to remove it from the plywood you can easily cut bead of silicone with a sharp knife. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xiphactinus Posted March 7, 2008 Author Share Posted March 7, 2008 I also suggest you put some silicone around the bottom perimeter of the matrix and then "stick" it to the plywood. We use this method to secure granite counter tops to cabinets we also use this method to secure under mount sinks to to granite. This method is very reliable and the silicone will offer extra protection (for peace of mind purposes). If you ever need to remove it from the plywood you can easily cut bead of silicone with a sharp knife. Thanks for the suggestion. I'll do that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Cris Posted March 7, 2008 Share Posted March 7, 2008 That thing is huuuge... Excelent job prepping it so far! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xiphactinus Posted March 7, 2008 Author Share Posted March 7, 2008 Man I am so envious. Here I thought that the partial head I found in Alabama was a great find, but a whole one, that is truly fantastic. As far as displaying it, I'd clear everything off of some wall. Did you ever post the story of how you found this monster? I would love to here the whole collecting tale. Here's the tale.... Our family was in W. Kansas with another family of rabid collectors, making our annual pilgrimage to the chalk. On Friday of our week of hunting, early afternoon (leaving Sun bright and early) I was searching a small rise. I came around a corner and there were a ton of bleached gray bone fragments everywhere. It was very, very obvious that it was something big. I followed the frags up the hill and found a single vertebra about as big around as a Coke can. I immediately knew it was a Xiphactinus vert, but about 4 times bigger than I had ever seen before. I poked around a little and found where the vert came out of the outcrop and found another vert...and another....and another. You could have heard my whoop 2 miles away. The rest of the day and until lunch on Sat was spent clearing off overburden and exposing bones. The fish was going back into the hill, so the further we went, the more overburden. After clearing off 8 feet of fish and not getting to any of the fins, I knew we weren't getting it all home. We jacketed and wood reinforced the 8 x 3 section of fish and then tried to flip it. Nothing. Kind of waaay underestimated the weight. We recruited the rancher that we were collecting on his property (he was snickering at us city slickers digging holes in the prairie) and his winch truck to help us. We got er flipped and loaded. I marked the site with GPS, tried to get rid of the signs of digging, replanted a couple of shrubs for camoflage and went home. We had to wait all winter to get back and get the rest, hoping no one else came. Fast forward to spring break. It was just our family this time...Mom, Dad and our 3 boy excavation crew. For an entire week, dawn to dusk we dug, jacketed and hauled. By the time we got to the tail, we had to remove 9 feet of overburden. I was wishing our 17 foot fish was a 12 footer then! I took the last lobe of the tail out of the ground in the early morning by truck headlight. We had to drive back that day. The monster fish-shaped hole was still there when we visited the site last fall -- 6 years later! That's the story.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Nicholas Posted March 7, 2008 Share Posted March 7, 2008 Great story, that is one for the ages. I really hope to find something that unique one day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gatorman Posted March 7, 2008 Share Posted March 7, 2008 Great story sounds like it was a ton of work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
worthy 55 Posted March 7, 2008 Share Posted March 7, 2008 Great story, that is one for the ages. I really hope to find something that unique one day.HERE ,HERE !!!!! That is a great fish story. It's my bone!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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