hermesreborn Posted May 4, 2011 Share Posted May 4, 2011 Hi everyone...i am brand new to fossil hunting and think i might have got over my head the first day. anyways, i found a big block full of fossils at Hungry Hollow and intended to do some work to expose the fossils on top a bit better. A sort of experimental fossil to practice on. the problem is that i underestimated how many fossils are in it. I'm not talking ten or twenty...I'm talking tens of thousands...i have never seen anything like it, and i have no idea what to do with such an abundance of fossils all in one block. is their a way to prep and display such a thing?....or should i just leave well enough alone? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicholas Posted May 4, 2011 Share Posted May 4, 2011 When it comes to hash plates like yours I typically give them a good scrub and leave them as it. I find mortality plates with many species present are best displayed in that fashion. Yours is rather nice, and in my opinion best left as is Welcome to the forum! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted May 4, 2011 Share Posted May 4, 2011 "Hash Plates" have a fascinating beauty far greater than the sum of their parts, and are best when simply cleaned and displayed. "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...
MikeD Posted May 4, 2011 Share Posted May 4, 2011 That's an awesome hash plate. I agree with the above. A good water wash and scrub with a toothbrush or something and you are good to go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bullsnake Posted May 4, 2011 Share Posted May 4, 2011 Or...take a dental pick, extract every fossil, measure, id, then put it all back together (exactly as it was, of course). Really, awesome rock! Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steelhead9 Posted May 4, 2011 Share Posted May 4, 2011 The only thing other than a good wash to enhance this specimen would be a good microblasting with a pretty mild abrasive to remove any matrix in the cracks and spaces between fossil material. This would make the piece a bit more 3 dimensional and make the fossils stand out. Great plate any which way! Still Life Fossils Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northern Sharks Posted May 5, 2011 Share Posted May 5, 2011 I agree, the best thing you can do is a rinse and maybe gently scrub with an old toothbrush. That looks like a typical hash plate from the Arkona formation, not rare, but absolutely packed with fossils. Oh, by the way, welcome to the forum from north of Toronto There's no limit to what you can accomplish when you're supposed to be doing something else Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pleecan Posted May 5, 2011 Share Posted May 5, 2011 I pulsed clean my hash plates with an ultrasonic cleaner unit..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimB88 Posted May 5, 2011 Share Posted May 5, 2011 cool Tentaculites! Gently clean it and display that beauty! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hermesreborn Posted May 5, 2011 Author Share Posted May 5, 2011 cool, thanks guys that picture doesn't show much..its about a foot and a half long maybe i can add better pics to my gallery Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bear-dog Posted May 5, 2011 Share Posted May 5, 2011 Awesome plate.Just wash,rinse and display.Welcome to the forum from Florida. Bear-dog. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hermesreborn Posted May 5, 2011 Author Share Posted May 5, 2011 here is a better view of the overall find. it looks pretty ruff....but still pretty cool Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hermesreborn Posted May 8, 2011 Author Share Posted May 8, 2011 I did some playing around with this fossil, trying to expose more of the top layer with a pick and brush to make it a bit more presentable, and i discovered a couple things. First...the fossil is very fragile, just touching it turn pieces to dust and i don't see it surviving long. Second....the fossils are so identical in color to the matrix, you need a magnifying glass to see them. However, when you wet the rock they stand out beautifully. is there a way to preserve the "wet look" while also preventing my fossil from falling apart?...maybe a lacquer or something? (sorry about the quality of photo...had to use my phone) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted May 8, 2011 Share Posted May 8, 2011 There are a number of consolidants that, mixed thin, will prevent deterioration and enhance contrast. Common varnish, shellac, white glue, &etc. are not used by museums because they are irreversible or unstable over time. Vinac and Butvar are two widely used brands (among others). "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...
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