Air Scribe, No Cost box, to control stone debris and dust

[ZiggieCie]

We have a lot of new people getting into Fossil prep with air scribes, which as we know can throw stone chips and dust all over the place. Here I have a very low cost (mine is 0 cost) box than can be put together in a couple of hours with materials that usually end up in the trash. We are recycling, ya hoo.

Materials: Styrofoam chest that meat and frozen food are shipped in. The one I am using is 17.5 inches wide with a 14.5 inch opening. COST 0

Sturdy Plastic bag with zipper, that quilts/comforters come in, Square or rectangular. Cost 0

2 inch vac attachment, on hand. Cost 0

Shop vac. Have 2 Cost varies if you have one or not

You should invest in a fine particle filter for shop vac. Cost apx $25 It is well worth the cost for fossil prep, if you do not have a water dust filter.

Let's get started:

Photo 1, Scribe box completed. Photo 2, Hole saw blade to fit vac attachment.

Photo 3, Location of hole near top of box. Photo 4, vac attachment in place.

Photo 5, Attachment through back of box. Photo 6, Vac hose attached.

[ZiggieCie]

Part 2:

Here are photos of the plastic cover for the box. I found that on my earlier box that a lot of stone de-brees bounce out of the unshielded box.

I had several choices of styrofoam boxes available and that this is the most adaptable size. The smaller size is too restrictive on fossil size, and the larger size was getting too large and cumbersome. I think that if you had larger matrixes to work on you could just remove the bottom of the box and move it around the larger matrix, etc.

Box cover:

I use a plastic bag that has a side large enough to fit over your box.

Photo 1, The bag I used Photo 2, The fit for side of box

Photo 3, I cut through steel rod near zipper. Top side. Photo 4, shows the rod in this bag bent 90 deg to go beside bottom of box. Hole through front of bag.

Photo 5, corner of bag folded into a neat corner, like a gift wrapped box. Photo 6, A neat corner fold, and plastic tray to catch chips.

[ZiggieCie]

Part 3:

These photos show the front of the box and the entry hole cut for entry. I rounded the top corners so they don't tear out as easy and leaves sides to catch debris and keep as much as possible in the box.

When I use it I have the shop vac attached and it pulls much of the dust generated by the air scribe out the back instead of into your face.

Always use safety glasses and dust mask.

The hole is centered It just moves with the camera angle.

Yours truly

Ziggie

[RJB]

I think the show magyver (spelling?) was created cause of you. Anything you cant do or build?

RB

[Ptychodus04]

Very nice Ziggie. You're leaving me no excuse for my total lack of ingenuity in my lab! I'm still operating off the sweep up the mess model!

[Malcolmt]

nice post... a little Mcgyver in you.........

[ZiggieCie]

Very nice Ziggie. You're leaving me no excuse for my total lack of ingenuity in my lab! I'm still operating off the sweep up the mess model!

If you have a separate area that is just for fossil prep, the mess is no problem, but for those of us prepping in the basement or multi use garage, it helps to keep the mess controlled. The dust in the house from clothes, carpeting, pets and general life, does not compare to the fine abrasive grit from fossil prep. A fine grinding compound on your big screen TV is not a good idea.

[Ptychodus04]

Much to my wife's displeasure, I am prepping in our garage. I do make quite a mess!!

[ZiggieCie]

Much to my wife's displeasure, I am prepping in our garage. I do make quite a mess!!

We all have seen your prepping and you are a heavy duty professional prepper.

[Ptychodus04]

I need you to come up with something that will suck up all the rock chips when I'm working on a large specimen.

A friend getting ready to move just unloaded a bunch of stuff on me. There's 25 or so old JVP issues along with a handful of other references. (SCORE!!!) There's also a wooden prep box that looks to be decent for prepping items no larger than 12"x12". It will easily adapt to the dust collector I'm going to build from your other posting. So, I'm progressing into the "My wife's not mad at me for all the dust" category.

[ZiggieCie]

Keeping the Wife happy is always good.

[Rockchopper]

Ziggie - you are the McGiver of fossil prep! Great ideas.

I took a plastic tub, set it on its side with the lid off and open end in front. Cut hole in back and hooked a vacuum cleaner hose to the hole (duct taped it in place) and hooked hose to shop vac. Red Green would be proud! Works fine and was cheap to make (got tub at garage sale for a buck).

[ZiggieCie]

Great job Rockchopper. That's the way we save money for the important things in life, Fossil hunting.

[Ptychodus04]

For the record, the proper spelling is MacGyver.

...and yes, Ziggie is he.

[ZiggieCie]