RJB Posted April 10, 2016 Share Posted April 10, 2016 I went to the local Gem and Mineral show here in town today in Helena and came home with a lobster concretion. With just 2 or 3 little taps with a small chisel and hammer it broke apart in pieces. Heart Attack!!! Then after inspecting the pieces I can see that this one has some really good potential! Woooooop!! Woooooop!!! FINALLY!!! After 20 some lobster concs last year with nothing to show for it, this may be the one? Ive glued up the first two pieces and have about 4 more glue ups to go before I can really start prepping, but I can see that even though the tail is a bit curled, it can be prepped out. I can see that it has a left arm and claw but cant tell weather or not it has a right arm and claw? Really scary for me! I hope it has a 'face' and I can also tell that there is the right antenna going strait out from the face. A good thing for an antenna to be. Time will tell, but Ive got a few days of rock cutting and glue up before I can really get started. RB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimB88 Posted April 10, 2016 Share Posted April 10, 2016 Im amazed you can tell any of that! I'd be lost at that point. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pagurus Posted April 10, 2016 Share Posted April 10, 2016 Good luck. I have my pincers crossed. Start the day with a smile and get it over with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJB Posted April 10, 2016 Author Share Posted April 10, 2016 Hey JimB88, Ive gone through about 180 lobster concs over the years and I can usually see what it what. The hard part, but very challenging and very fun part is prepping them. They are the most difficult fossils ive ever prepped, but when you got a good one, then its the best thing in the world. Pagurus: You one funny dude. RB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FossilDudeCO Posted April 10, 2016 Share Posted April 10, 2016 Good luck RJB!! Can't wait to see it completed! And steps along the way of course. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrieder79 Posted April 11, 2016 Share Posted April 11, 2016 How can people tell which rocks have concretions inside and which are just oval rocks? Is there a way or is it just hit or miss? Luck is the most important skill of a fossil diver. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJB Posted April 11, 2016 Author Share Posted April 11, 2016 Rocks don't have concretions. Concretions are rocks. if your in a fossil formation you will be able to find these roundish rocks, (concretions) in road cuts, creek and river cuts or just some steep cliffs. They are usually made up of mud, silt or sand or a combo. RB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DLB Posted April 11, 2016 Share Posted April 11, 2016 You know I love thos's lobsters they are a lot of work but can be some of the most rewarding fossils when you have a good one. Still wish I lived were I could find them but I Guess I'll just have to stick to finding my crab concretions lol! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrieder79 Posted April 12, 2016 Share Posted April 12, 2016 Rocks don't have concretions. Concretions are rocks. if your in a fossil formation you will be able to find these roundish rocks, (concretions) in road cuts, creek and river cuts or just some steep cliffs. They are usually made up of mud, silt or sand or a combo. RB So are concretions usually associated with fossils or can they form without fossils inside? Luck is the most important skill of a fossil diver. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpc Posted April 12, 2016 Share Posted April 12, 2016 So are concretions usually associated with fossils or can they form without fossils inside? both. Supposedly they form with some sort of biological core, but whether that fossil to be sticks around or decomposes decides whether the conc has a fossil in it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ynot Posted April 12, 2016 Share Posted April 12, 2016 Looking forward to seeing how it comes out!! Tony Darwin said: " Man sprang from monkeys." Will Rogers said: " Some of them didn't spring far enough." My Fossil collection - My Mineral collection My favorite thread on TFF. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Pocock Posted April 12, 2016 Share Posted April 12, 2016 If you prep it to your usual standard the end product will be stunning, looking forward to seeing the critter exposed. Good luck Regards Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJB Posted April 13, 2016 Author Share Posted April 13, 2016 Aaaaaalrighty then. I finally got to do some prepping on this thing. I can see now that what I thought was the left arm and claw is actually the right arm and claw taking a turn and going to the left side. Ouch! Now Im just hoping that the left one is underneath? Somehow? Still hoping for a face too? I love prepping but sometimes it can be very 'not knowing' what is what or where its at kinda thing? The tail end has some beat up problems, but that can be fixed, its just that no one wants to have to 'fix' things. Right now it looks like an absolute piece of you know what, but I think this thing just might be a purty good fossil lobster? Ha!!! RB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrangellian Posted April 14, 2016 Share Posted April 14, 2016 Q: What kind of glue do you use to reassemble these? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJB Posted April 14, 2016 Author Share Posted April 14, 2016 Wrangellian: I use super glue that I buy out of Los Angeles. Half the price of paleobond. RB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DLB Posted April 14, 2016 Share Posted April 14, 2016 I believe it's called star bond lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrangellian Posted April 15, 2016 Share Posted April 15, 2016 Thanks Interesting... It holds up to prepping well enough, evidently? I was a little worried because Paleobond is what I used to glue together a baculite that needs prepping. I gather from others that for larger items they would use epoxy because the superglue wouldn't cut it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJB Posted April 15, 2016 Author Share Posted April 15, 2016 Hey Wrangellian, DLB is right, its from starbond. Also, I use different viscosities. Thicker stuff for bigger pieces and the thin stuff for hairline fractures and such. RB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJB Posted April 15, 2016 Author Share Posted April 15, 2016 Well Crud!! Its now looking like it gots some real problems! Dang!!! Im thinkin of putting this one aside for awhile now? Right claw has major problems, antenna was just a little tiny piece, tail end has bigger problems than I thought and a few other problems also. Uuuuuugh!!! I think there is a lobster Murphy in the sky lookin down apon me? Ha!! RB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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