Fossil Hunt South Dakota 2017

[RJB]

@Wrangellian.   A really good thing to do before you glue on an opposing piece of rock with shell material on it, is to 'torch' it first.  Ya gots to be careful and not over do it, but by heating it up you will hear some 'popping' sounds.  Thats the shell material starting to pop off the rock.  Then glue it on with a clamp and let cure for a day or two.  You should be able to 'put back on' some of the opposing shell.   Sometimes it works great, sometimes not so great.

 

RB

[RJB]

  Ok, I did a heck of a lot of 'pre-prep' on several specimens, some filled in with Rock-Ite in order to hopefully get a couple of good specimens but only time will tell.   My son came over today with one if his buddy's and the first thing they notice it this firery little jem sittin in the back of my prep bench.  The picture does not do it justice but its a real gem for sure.  Ive still got to cut it so it has a nice base so it sits nice and expose the other side, im hoping that the other side is better. Like most of this ammo stuff, its got problems.  we'll see. 

 

RB

[Wrangellian]

16 hours ago, RJB said:

@Wrangellian.   A really good thing to do before you glue on an opposing piece of rock with shell material on it, is to 'torch' it first.  Ya gots to be careful and not over do it, but by heating it up you will hear some 'popping' sounds.  Thats the shell material starting to pop off the rock.  Then glue it on with a clamp and let cure for a day or two.  You should be able to 'put back on' some of the opposing shell.   Sometimes it works great, sometimes not so great.

 

RB

Interesting idea... but wouldn't the separation just make a gap for the glue to go soaking into when you glue it back on, defeating the purpose?

The local Paleo society's newsletter some years ago featured an article about prepping V.I. ammo concretions by soaking them in water then nuking them in an old 'beater' microwave until they exploded. (They recommended against using your good house microwave!) Some good results were obtained, but of course there would be some gluing involved. Probably wouldn't work so well with any of those nacreous Prairie (or even Hornby Island) ammos if their shell is at all flaky! Even for the Haslam stuff which the technique was used on, seems too risky to me (results weren't always ideal), but I guess it's an idea for people who don't have the tools like you have or someone like you to do the work for them... and who have lots of conc's to go thru!

[RJB]

Hi @Wrangellian,  you will see what I mean once I post what im working on with a better explination and some photos.  If it works out that is.  Right now, I can only see part of the ammo with no guarantee that it is complete?

 

RB

[JohnBrewer]

6 hours ago, RJB said:

Hi @Wrangellian,  you will see what I mean once I post what im working on with a better explination and some photos.  If it works out that is.  Right now, I can only see part of the ammo with no guarantee that it is complete?

 

RB

[Wrangellian]

Will be watching

[RJB]

Ok, my son came over again and he did lots more rock cutting for me.  Now Ive got more work to do.  Beside some stuff sittin on the floor, here is what is right now sittin on my prep bench.  These all need some prep, but these are all purty dang good ammos! 

 

RB

[RJB]

Here is a rock that looked like an absolute piece of cow poop!   I filled it in with some Rock-ite and let it cure for 3 days.  I then, (with fingers crossed) went on the prep attack to see if I could remove the intire ammo in one piece?   Wow!!  Worked out purty darn nice!   I guess one would call this a 'One sider'.  Ha!!!   Still, not good enough for me and its already sold to a buddy of mine.  The thing is, this is Scaphites spedini, and its huge at 5 inches.  Not common.   Amazing what can come off the outside of a rock.  

 

RB

[Ptychodus04]

 Those are some beautiful ammonites sir. Quality prep!

[Wrangellian]

What did you do with those other ammos next to the but one that you removed?

[RJB]

Thanks @Ptychodus04

 

@Wrangellian,  im still working on those.  Those are all in need of some nice prep. 

 

RB

[JohnBrewer]

Waiting with baited breath....

[Crann]

Loving this thread... Some beautiful Ammonites... Well done... all you have to do now is pack them up and send us one each to display in your honour so we can pray to it every night ! Hail Ron !

[JohnBrewer]

3 hours ago, Crann said:

Loving this thread... Some beautiful Ammonites... Well done... all you have to do now is pack them up and send us one each to display in your honour so we can pray to it every night ! Hail Ron !

[Crann]

22 minutes ago, JohnBrewer said:

If he loves us he will... and cement his legacy in the minds of us all and whoever gaze at the beauty that is ... Rons Creations, the true creator ! Hail Ron ! Hail Ron ! (Ok that's enough begging)

[JohnBrewer]

Just now, Crann said:

If he loves us he will... and cement his legacy in the minds of us all and whoever gaze at the beauty that is ... Rons Creations, the true creator ! Hail Ron ! Hail Ron ! (Ok that's enough begging)

Beg as much as you want dude. Ron and I have red telephones like the ones presidents and prime ministers have to make direct calls. He calls me to see if I want it, if I say no he's allowed to put it up for grabs.... 

[Crann]

Just now, JohnBrewer said:

Beg as much as you want dude. Ron and I have red telephones like the ones presidents and prime ministers have to make direct calls. He calls me to see if I want it, if I say no he's allowed to put it up for grabs.... 

And the red phones are right next to the toilet ? Spectacular Ammonites though, where do you travel to gather your delights ?

[JohnBrewer]

6 minutes ago, Crann said:

And the red phones are right next to the toilet ? Spectacular Ammonites though, where do you travel to gather your delights ?

Ron's house....

[Crann]

10 minutes ago, JohnBrewer said:

Ron's house....

Oh Jeez...

[lcordova]

Hey Ron, Ive been following the tread and either I miss something or you yet have to show the turtle.....

[RJB]

@JohnBrewer and @Crann,  some funny guys for sure.   My son and I really did purty good this last trip.  We both will end up with 4 or 5 specimens each for our collections.  

 

@Icordova,  I started one of those tortoises 2 days ago.  I had no idea it was going to be sooooooo difficult to prep out.  Gunna take me some serious time.  Pictures soon

 

RB

[FossilDAWG]

Hey Ron,

 

Did you find whatever the "rare fossils you've been looking for for years" was on that trip?

 

Don

[RJB]

@FossilDAWG.  Hey Don.  Yes I did.  Still working on it.  A very small but very rare crab known as Homolopsis puntata.   We only found two little crab concretions that had crabs in them for sure.  Ive started the other one and it is also some kind of rare crab.  I was looking to get Dakotacanser but instead seemed to have found crabs that are even rarer!   Quite the feat to say the least.

 

RB

[FossilDAWG]

Somehow I had a notion you were after crabs.  Glad you had some success.

 

I have one nice little Dakoticancer overanus from the old exposures near Mobridge SD.  I recall reading somewhere that the exposures that produced these crabs by the thousands are no longer accessible, so I'm happy to have one.

 

Don

[RJB]

Hey @FossilDAWG, Ive heard of two different sites that had those Dakotacancer crabs, but always a carapace or a piece of a carapace.  May I ask what you have? 

 

RB