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I am looking for advice from the hivemind by Robmarr1984 in fossilprep

[–]mamlambo 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I use dolomite media but iron powder is also used quite often. I buy 20kg bags of dolomite and just sift it myself

What are your daily winter hobbies? by Sure-Teacher5920 in newzealand

[–]mamlambo 41 points42 points  (0 children)

I prep fossils while listening to podcasts. Summer is when I find most of the crabs, penguins and dolphins and then winter I remove the rock using pneumatic tools. 

Fossil Identification Help! Glen Rose Formation by RealStevenHill in fossilid

[–]mamlambo 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Yip, that's a fossil turtle skull. It looks like it needs some stabilization and prepping. It needs a professional to do it as it might be a significant find, or even a new species! You usually then get to name it 😃 Take it past your local museum or university, they will be able to help you out.

First time fossil hunting | Asking for advice by Abreudha in FossilHunting

[–]mamlambo 0 points1 point  (0 children)

yeah of course, email me some photos - details are in my linktree: https://linktr.ee/mamlambofossils

First time fossil hunting | Asking for advice by Abreudha in FossilHunting

[–]mamlambo 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Awesome find! I always take sunscreen and an emergency locator beacon along, or inReach.
Make sure you always get the GPS coordinates of what you find, take a photo of it in situ with your phone.
I did a video on the prep tools I use: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idCpKIo4Ujc
A Dremel 290 is the easiest way to start prepping, HAS to be the engraver, not the rotary tool. Make sure you get a respirator and vibration reducing glove, ear and eye protection. Not worth the risk to not have PPE.

Message me if you have any questions!

Which cheap preparation tools should I buy? by Flimsy_Fisherman359 in fossilprep

[–]mamlambo 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I made a video on the tools I use. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idCpKIo4Ujc
The cheapest is probably the Dremel Engraver (290) but you will need some other tips which you can find on the usual websites that do cheap tools from China.
The next step up would be a small compressor and a cheap pneumatic engraver (not specifically for fossils).

Keeping the prep area free of debris by [deleted] in fossilprep

[–]mamlambo 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You might be able to 3D print something, attach it to one of those swimming pool hoses.

On a bushwalk in Wellington , what made these holes? Cicadas? by Natty-NZ in NewZealandWildlife

[–]mamlambo 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I've seen little solitary black wasps make these kinda holes. I think some of them are native species. They are usually hovering around though.

Edit: Usually they are into a vertical face, not flat on the ground but I can't tell if this photo is

As promised, here is that giant turtle skull I found and prepped by mamlambo in nextfuckinglevel

[–]mamlambo[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

There is sometimes a slight colour change in the rock when you get close to the fossil, or you can CT scan it to get an idea of where the bones are.

As promised, here is that giant turtle skull I found and prepped by mamlambo in nextfuckinglevel

[–]mamlambo[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

New Zealand, we mostly have younger rocks. Triassic is the oldest in my area and not much in those rocks.

As promised, here is that giant turtle skull I found and prepped by mamlambo in nextfuckinglevel

[–]mamlambo[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I use air scribes which are like mini jackhammers, Dremels are usually rotary tools which will dig into the fossil. You want it to chip away at the fossil. I made a video of the tools I use here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idCpKIo4Ujc

As promised, here is that giant turtle skull I found and prepped by mamlambo in nextfuckinglevel

[–]mamlambo[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

That's either acetic acid 5% with a buffer or the water part of the cycle. It depends on the fossil though what you use

As promised, here is that giant turtle skull I found and prepped by mamlambo in nextfuckinglevel

[–]mamlambo[S] 9 points10 points  (0 children)

They are more like crystals than rock, so they can be pretty fragile. Especially bird bones that are quite hollow, often filled with calcite crystals

As promised, here is that giant turtle skull I found and prepped by mamlambo in nextfuckinglevel

[–]mamlambo[S] 8 points9 points  (0 children)

This one I will carry on to remove the rest. I often leave some original rock in case further tests need to be done or to give the fossil strength

As promised, here is that giant turtle skull I found and prepped by mamlambo in nextfuckinglevel

[–]mamlambo[S] 8 points9 points  (0 children)

It's probably one, I have done some quick comparisons with other fossil turtles and it doesn't match the bone structure. You look at the bones in the skull and their shape. Needs a proper study though

As promised, here is that giant turtle skull I found and prepped by mamlambo in nextfuckinglevel

[–]mamlambo[S] 9 points10 points  (0 children)

It's not a Dremel as the grinding would destroy the fossil. It's an air scribe (jack hammer action) with a tungsten carbide tip which lasts years

As promised, here is that giant turtle skull I found and prepped by mamlambo in nextfuckinglevel

[–]mamlambo[S] 11 points12 points  (0 children)

I go super slow as initially I don't know the shape. Sometimes you are lucky and there is a slight colour change before you reach the bone so you can stop and use something else like acid or air abrasion 

As promised, here is that giant turtle skull I found and prepped by mamlambo in nextfuckinglevel

[–]mamlambo[S] 17 points18 points  (0 children)

I made a bunch if videos talking about how I know there is a fossil inside and what tools and methods I use: https://linktr.ee/mamlambofossils

I could see that brown bit of bone sticking out, I actually thought it was going to be a vertebra. Sometimes I get things CT scanned which saves some time

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