josh_2727 Posted November 7, 2015 Share Posted November 7, 2015 I recently started my first larger prep project, an oreodont jaw, and I learned a lesson involving the air scribe. I was working alonside the edge of the jaw body where the bone curves over a bit and one of the flakes that I removed was large enough where part of it was underneath the overhang causing the jaw to flake. Now i know for the future to watch for those overhangs! My question is this: Should I repair it now and then continue on the matrix removal, or, should I bag the broken off pieces, catalogue where it broke off and its orientation, and repair the broken pieces after the rest of the prep is done? From what I have read the latter method seems to be the norm and the more I think about the more sense it makes to repair after, but there are some great preppers on here and would love to hear their advice! Also the pieces broken off are really small measuring less than 2 cm long (in total, 3 pieces) and a couple mm wide Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snolly50 Posted November 7, 2015 Share Posted November 7, 2015 (edited) That will be a fun and productive project for you. Breaks are sometimes unavoidable, I don't know what "size" air scribe you are using, but you might consider moving to a lesser powered tool (or human powered) when close to the fossil. Here is a link to my old Forum post of an Oreodont prep. Sure enough, there was a break early on. I am an immediate glue guy. Your mileage may vary. Good luck and have fun. Oreodont Prep Series - Fossil Preparation - The Fossil Forum Edit: When you expose the teeth run them under a UV lamp. Edited November 7, 2015 by snolly50 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...
josh_2727 Posted November 7, 2015 Author Share Posted November 7, 2015 That will be a fun and productive project for you. Breaks are sometimes unavoidable, I don't know what "size" air scribe you are using, but you might consider moving to a lesser powered tool (or human powered) when close to the fossil. Here is a link to my old Forum post of an Oreodont prep. Sure enough, there was a break early on. I am an immediate glue guy. Your mileage may vary. Good luck and have fun. Oreodont Prep Series - Fossil Preparation - The Fossil Forum Edit: When you expose the teeth run them under a UV lamp. I have a cp9160 so their mid powered scribe, I try to use human powered tools when close to the fossil and I feel the scribe is too close but this time I feel it was a combination of unfortunate matrix break and me not accounting for the overhang (with me not thinking being the main culprit). I will definitely be using human powered tools along and near the overhangs. Also, I remember you post! Really enjoyed it and it was a fascinating to follow along with! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpc Posted November 7, 2015 Share Posted November 7, 2015 If it is easy to replace it now, do it now. I do it both ways. It all depends on the individual break, but at the same time, i don't like having 20 pieces to glue on at the end and finding that my notes are insufficient. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
josh_2727 Posted November 7, 2015 Author Share Posted November 7, 2015 If it is easy to replace it now, do it now. I do it both ways. It all depends on the individual break, but at the same time, i don't like having 20 pieces to glue on at the end and finding that my notes are insufficient. Thats a good point, It seems easy enough, the only difficulty i can see is the size of the bones and getting everything properly in place during the gluing. Would it be better to remove the pieces and apply the glue to the bone and then attach them like a typical break, or, leave the bones in place and with a eyedropper and drop the glue on top of it and let it seep through, like done with a crack? The small size of the bone is making me think I should do the crack method and if that doesn't work, reverse it and do the other method. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpc Posted November 8, 2015 Share Posted November 8, 2015 You are asking all the tough questions. I almost always glue a piece on as such. With no glue on it, make sure you have a good fit, then put the piece down next to where it goes in the position that it goes on so that when you pick it back up don't have to refigure out how it fit. Then use the cardboard scratch method to get a small amount of glue where the piece fits then put it in place. The cardboard scratch method. You need glue, a sharp pointy tool ( sharpened dental pick, f'rinstance... The sharper the better) and a piece of cardboard... Inside of a cereal box, not corrugated. Here is where the eyedropper comes in. Put a drop of glue on the cardboard and before it soaks in scratch the spot of glue with the dental pick and you will have a micro amount of glue on the tip of your dental pick. Put the glue where the piece fits, hopefully leaving the scratched cardboard on the dental pick. Voila... Micro amount of glue. Then put the broken small piece where it fits. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malcolmt Posted November 8, 2015 Share Posted November 8, 2015 I always glue immediately then let set for a day.... find things fit better if you do it right away before the pieces get a chance to expand and contract independently. (I only prep invertebrates though, no vertebrate material to be had up here) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted November 8, 2015 Share Posted November 8, 2015 I always glue immediately then let set for a day.... "Proactive Patience", the cornerstone of Zen fossil prep. "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...
Blastoid Posted November 8, 2015 Share Posted November 8, 2015 Glue 'em as you break 'em. You really need to do it when your memory is fresh. Repairing is puzzle work, any advantage helps. Handling broken fragments, fragile bits break off, making it harder to fix. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
josh_2727 Posted November 8, 2015 Author Share Posted November 8, 2015 Thanks everyone for the advice!! That cardboard scratch method will definitely be of good use! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpc Posted November 8, 2015 Share Posted November 8, 2015 repairing is indeed a puzzle if you wait, but if you take good notes,i t is a much easier puzzle. Always take notes if you are going to repair things later. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ptychodus04 Posted November 9, 2015 Share Posted November 9, 2015 I'm in the glue now camp. I do as JPC instructed above... dry fit the broken piece, then set it aside, noting the orientation. If the piece is large enough, a drop of cyanoacrylate is applied to the surface to be bonded. If it is small, I will remove the cap on my glue bottle and dip a sewing needle into the glue to get a small amount of glue. Regards, Kris Global Paleo Services, LLC https://globalpaleoservices.com http://instagram.com/globalpaleoservices http://instagram.com/kris.howe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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