A Double Brachiopod Prep- Project ‘Sticky’

[Jaybot]

Hello y’all!   Since my last brach prep thread, I have actually prepped another brachiopod that I intended to make this thread about, but it turns out that it had been crushed prior to fossilization.  I decided that it wasn’t worth writing home for, so I present to you:  Project Sticky!

Here it is before any prep:

 

Now, the name is self explanatory: the matrix is so sticky, it’s pulling off a layer of shell with every rock flake!!!  You can see an area where it pulled off much more than everywhere else:

 

I decided that while this one will be a rough brach,  I might as well finish it.  I’m still trying to learn, so really this is partially a practice prep.  Anyways, here it is after a total of 40 min prepping:

Still far from done.

Aaand, when I went to hammer some of the excess matrix, this got exposed:

 

Looks like this rock will have a double brach prep.  Should make it look more eye-appealing when done.

Anyways, I did all this yesterday, and it took about 1 1/2 hours.  Didn’t take any pics, but I did paraloid the exposed parts of the main shell.  Next update may come tonight, or tomorrow morning.   Hope y’all enjoyed this, have a great day!

[Ptychodus04]

That does not look like fun.

[Jaybot]

21 hours ago, Ptychodus04 said:

That does not look like fun.

Definitely is not the most enjoyable prep, I finished it yesterday evening.  Will be posting the update post here in a few min.....

[jpc]

This is an excellent example of a good fossil to use air abrasive with.  But good job using what you've got.  

[Ptychodus04]

35 minutes ago, jpc said:

This is an excellent example of a good fossil to use air abrasive with.  But good job using what you've got.  

 

I thought the same thing.

[Jaybot]

1 hour ago, jpc said:

This is an excellent example of a good fossil to use air abrasive with.  But good job using what you've got.  

Someday I'll have to try out air abrasion, I have several fossils that would definitely prep better with it.

[Jaybot]

After about 45 min of removing rock to get to the 2nd brachipod, I started work on the aforementioned 2nd fossil.  Unfortunately, I quickly found out that it was just a fragment of a shell!  Must have got crushed before fossilization.

 

 

 

Feeling a bit discouraged, I decided to just get the main shell presentable, and call this project done.  I hammered off the matrix & 2nd shell opposite of the main shell to remove unnecessary bulk.   A bit way through revealing more of the main brach, here is a great example of what I’m talking about with this ‘stickiness’ :

 

 

 

As you can see, the matrix flakes off with a layer of shell.  Oh well.  Like I said I’m just practicing, and this isn’t going into any museum 😆.   
After a bit more shell revealing (and removal), I smoothed the rock with the rotary dremel, and applied the final coat of paraloid b-72.  This is my first go at rock smoothing with the dremel, and I am quite surprised how nice it made it all look.  I will be implementing this technique with all of my future preps, as it made a night and day difference.

 

 

 

 

Overall not bad for a prep that was doomed from the start.  I have vowed to not prep any more of the shells that are basically identical in color to the matrix.  It makes it so much more difficult.

 

Hop y’all enjoyed this.  I might upload a nicer brach prep in the next week or two, we’ll see.  Have a great day everyone!

 

 

 

-Jay

 

 

 

Edited December 8, 2023 by Jaybot

[Collector9658]

Nice job cleaning it up, looks great.

If the shell is hard to clean because the color matches the matrix, you could try wetting the whole piece. 

[Jaybot]

On 12/8/2023 at 6:09 PM, Collector9658 said:

Nice job cleaning it up, looks great.

If the shell is hard to clean because the color matches the matrix, you could try wetting the whole piece. 

I might have to try that next time.  Thank you!