Prepping Positive/negative Nodule

[clemsonskulls]

Do any members have actual experience in recombining the positive and negative halves of a Santana Formation fish nodule (vinctifer or tharrias)and prepping it from one side to expose the fish? I sure would like to hear about your experiences, problems, techniques, etc. before I consider any attempts at this. Actual photos would also be great.

Clemsonskulls

[oilshale]

Do any members have actual experience in recombining the positive and negative halves of a Santana Formation fish nodule (vinctifer or tharrias)and prepping it from one side to expose the fish? I sure would like to hear about your experiences, problems, techniques, etc. before I consider any attempts at this. Actual photos would also be great.

Clemsonskulls

I am doing this from time to time, but I wouldn't dare to start with a Tharrias. The scales are too soft. A Vinctifer should be ok. Here is an Araripelepidotes temnurus, Agassiz 1841. Length is about 51cm or 20".

As usual from this site, I got the fish as a split geode. So I glued it together and used a grinding machine to remove as much as possible. Normally I am using a polyester glue with low viscosity. The glue (Akemi) is available in two versions: clear (slightly yellow) and filled (exactly with the color of Solnhofen slabs, but much higher in viscosity).

Then I prepped the fish from above with a pneumatic air scribe under a binocular.

The fish is not finished yet - I will still need another 20 to 50 hours or so.

Thomas

Edited December 16, 2010 by oilshale

[piranha]

Spectacular fossil and superior prep Thomas!

Look forward to seeing the end result.

Thanks for showing us!