bear-dog Posted June 5, 2010 Share Posted June 5, 2010 Actually I needed this advice years ago,but I'm trying to avoid the problem again should it pop up again. Years ago at Leisy shell pit,I ran across wood in the pit.It was in contact with the fossil layer,but on top.For some reason it wasen't fossilized.Over time I carried home the equivalent of four pick-up truck loads of the wood,trying to preserve it. When dry if you touched it it would crumblein a fine saw dust.Of the truck loads of wood I managed to save a section of tree branch 2 inches long.I had better luck with the pine cones[rare for our state,also not fossilized.]Saved 2 out of a handful using an atomizer and butvar.Next time I have to remember to buy my own atomizer,ever hear the saying hell hath no fury..... :devil: Any advise is welcome and would be greatly appreciated. Bear-dog. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seanm Posted June 5, 2010 Share Posted June 5, 2010 Ive had some luck using molten wax on wood. First dry out the wood as much as you dare then submerse it in a bath of molten bees wax. Leave it a while for the wax to soak in to the wood then remove. This is effectivley replacing the water with wax. Once cooled down put it in a hot oven for a few minutes to allow the surplus wax to melt of the out side and to and leave a nice finish. Ive used this method on wood before with a great deal of success. Sean Rock kickers of the world unite Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted June 5, 2010 Share Posted June 5, 2010 There's a terrific article in the May '10 issue of Fossil News about the Dunrobba Fossil Forest in Italy. The forest is Pliocene-Pleistocene, and is preserved in the growth position. It is also mummified, rather than mineralized; not only will it burn, but modern insects actually presented a dificulty in the preservation of the site. The site managers turned to an institute involved in the preservation of art and antiques to solve the problem; unfortunately, the article does not go into specifics about the resins that were used. I expect that the methods used to preserve ancient shipwrecks would be effective too. "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...
bear-dog Posted June 5, 2010 Author Share Posted June 5, 2010 Thanks for the great help as always.Makes me proud to be a member Bear-dog. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tracer Posted June 5, 2010 Share Posted June 5, 2010 there's some info about preserving archaeological wood from marine sites in that nautarch link i've posted before a number of times. although i haven't tried it on fragile wood, when i've found bone that was fragile and wet, i have just transferred it into a diluted emulsion of white glue and water and let it soak for quite some time, like days sometimes, hoping that the pva molecules aren't too big to osmotically penetrate the fossil. at some point i take it out and let it slowly dry and hope for the best. seem to have had fairly good luck with stabilizing stuff that way. but i definitely don't worry about it too much. i sort of figure if it was meant to be in my collection, it'll hold together, and if it wasn't, then oh well - i wasn't going to take it with me when i go anyway. but if you want to get technical Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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