Texas Fossil Hound Posted November 1, 2012 Share Posted November 1, 2012 After 2 months of prep and restoration, I have finished the Nebraska Turtle from the Oligocene. Unfortunately, it is missing some of the carapace rim along the back of the shell, but after going from a compressed pile of shell to this, I am very happy with the outcome. Jon Fresh out of the cliffside... Early prep IDed disarticulated shell in the inner matrix. Before/After Inside the completed carapace Finished pics. Alignment with all the pieces is not perfect Jon "Silence is Golden, but duct tape is Silver." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave pom Allen Posted November 1, 2012 Share Posted November 1, 2012 nice great to see others doing jigsaws awesome prep Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahuijsmans Posted November 1, 2012 Share Posted November 1, 2012 simply amazing, just waiting for a turtleneck to pop out and walk away breathtaking! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RickNC Posted November 1, 2012 Share Posted November 1, 2012 Never thought that could look decent. Good job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glacialerratic Posted November 1, 2012 Share Posted November 1, 2012 Really nice.... love them turtles!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xiphactinus Posted November 1, 2012 Share Posted November 1, 2012 Well done!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foshunter Posted November 1, 2012 Share Posted November 1, 2012 Nice job, haven't put together a turtle before but assembled Indian pottery, will cause severe hair pulling----Tom Grow Old Kicking And Screaming !!"Don't Tread On Me" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snolly50 Posted November 1, 2012 Share Posted November 1, 2012 Outstanding result! What adhesive did you use? Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, also are remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so. - Douglas Adams, Last Chance to See Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted November 1, 2012 Share Posted November 1, 2012 That is a fine looking fossil! "There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant “Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley >Paleontology is an evolving science. >May your wonders never cease! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle Siphuncle Posted November 1, 2012 Share Posted November 1, 2012 good find, good work! Grüße, Daniel A. Wöhr aus Südtexas "To the motivated go the spoils." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirtdauber Posted November 1, 2012 Share Posted November 1, 2012 Looks great! Really nice prep job! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sward Posted November 1, 2012 Share Posted November 1, 2012 Wonderful prep and restoration. Your patience and persistance has paid off. Congratulations! SWardSoutheast Missouri (formerly Dallas/Ft. Worth, TX) USA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njfossilhunter Posted November 1, 2012 Share Posted November 1, 2012 It looks amazing.....Great job..... TonyThe Brooks Are Like A Box Of Chocolates,,,, You Never Know What You'll Find. I Told You I Don't Have Alzheimer's.....I Have Sometimers. Some Times I Remember And Some Times I Forget.... I Mostly Forget. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpc Posted November 1, 2012 Share Posted November 1, 2012 Nice work... that's a lot of pieces to put back together. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boneman007 Posted November 1, 2012 Share Posted November 1, 2012 Fantastic fossil! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bullsnake Posted November 1, 2012 Share Posted November 1, 2012 Great job! Love it! Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2ynpigo Posted November 2, 2012 Share Posted November 2, 2012 Nice! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texas Fossil Hound Posted November 2, 2012 Author Share Posted November 2, 2012 Outstanding result! What adhesive did you use? To stabilize the fossil when I pulled it out of the cliff I soaked it pretty well in a solution of Elmers Glue and water. When I unwrapped it, I soaked it in water which disolved the Elmers glue solution. I take the fossil in sections and clean them one at a time taking time to glue each tiny piece back together as they break off. I am using cyanoacrylate (Superglue) as my main adhesive, but am looking for alternatives that do not yellow the fossil. Its not bad, but I don't like it when you can see it. "Silence is Golden, but duct tape is Silver." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siteseer Posted November 2, 2012 Share Posted November 2, 2012 That's really nice work. You can fill in the cracks and restore the edges with 2-part epoxy putty and then texture and paint it to match the fossils. There are illustrations showing the top and bottom of the Oligocene turtle, Stylemys nebrascensis, on page 155 of "After the Dinosaurs: The Age of Mammals" by Donald Prothero (2006). I assume that's the same turtle you have. The illustrations are reprinted from Joseph Leidy's 1854 work on mammals and turtles from the badlands of Nebraska. I have a similar project - field prepped Oligocene turtle but it is coated in superglue. A friend was going to get to it eventually but he passed away last year and his widow asked me if I would fix it up for her. I need to finish cleaning the outer surfaces, reset a couple of pieces, and then fill in the missing shell with putty. Some matrix was removed from the front interior. The collector must have been digging into it to see if any bones were present Jess After 2 months of prep and restoration, I have finished the Nebraska Turtle from the Oligocene. Unfortunately, it is missing some of the carapace rim along the back of the shell, but after going from a compressed pile of shell to this, I am very happy with the outcome. Jon Fresh out of the cliffside... Early prep IDed disarticulated shell in the inner matrix. Before/After Inside the completed carapace Finished pics. Alignment with all the pieces is not perfect Jon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
masonboro37 Posted November 2, 2012 Share Posted November 2, 2012 That is a really beautiful turtle. You certainly were able to piece it back together splendidly! Thanks for updating us! Process of identification "mistakes create wisdom". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snolly50 Posted November 2, 2012 Share Posted November 2, 2012 Texas Fossil Hound, Thanks for you comment revealing your prep approach. It was just what I wanted to know. Congrats again on a great piece. Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, also are remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so. - Douglas Adams, Last Chance to See Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishguy Posted November 2, 2012 Share Posted November 2, 2012 Very nice work Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texas Fossil Hound Posted November 6, 2012 Author Share Posted November 6, 2012 Thanks all! The Rhino is in progress! At the end of November I am picking up my new COMCO suite in LA from a Lawyer that got it and then let it sit until his wife made him sell it. Score!!! Jon "Silence is Golden, but duct tape is Silver." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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