RJB Posted December 5, 2008 Share Posted December 5, 2008 Hey everyone. I thought Id show you just how tuff this prepping fossils can be! That last crab I posted was in some purdy soft rock, as rock goes. This crab that I started today, (same species of crab) is in much much harder rock!!! That last crab took maybe 12 to 14 hours to prep, But this crab as you see it now, already has almost 8 hours into it already and a very long ways to go! Not only that, but if you look at the hole where I prepped inwards to find a claw, (to figure out what was dorsal/ventral) I ran into a hollow spot and had to fill it with glue, TWICE!!! Then I let it dry for days, TWICE!!! And to top all that off, there is a layer of white calcite between the shell material and the rock. I dont know if thats good or not, yet, but with the smaller crabs that ive done and found this layer of calcite, it usually means a quality crab is comin your way? I can hope. I havent prepped out too many of these, so im still learning. Im having to litteraly wear off that damed calcite by holding my air scribe at a sharp angle and do the best I can. Im hoping the air abrasive unit will clean it up purty good? The good thing is that there seems to be 3 legs on the crabs righthand side and all 4 on the left, plus, there is lots of rock on both sides, so there should be lots of leg? I will do more work on this thing for the next 3 days or so and try to get it finished and show you my progress from day to day!!! WooooooHoooooooo!!!!!! Everybody stand back!!! I dont want anyone getting hurt with all the dust and dirt, elbows and tools that start flyin when I prep!!! YeeeeeeeeeeeeeHaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!! The really good thing was,,,,, It was a balmy 38 degrees today and tomorrow will be 40!!! Its nice to not have to thaw out my equipment before i start to prep. RB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tracer Posted December 5, 2008 Share Posted December 5, 2008 i'm thinkin' it would have been easier to just cut the crab away from the rock instead of cutting the rock away from the crab. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJB Posted December 6, 2008 Author Share Posted December 6, 2008 i'm thinkin' it would have been easier to just cut the crab away from the rock instead of cutting the rock away from the crab. Tracer.. If we had a guy like you in Nasa 100 years, we would already have landed and explored the planet Pluto!!! RB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tracer Posted December 6, 2008 Share Posted December 6, 2008 Tracer.. If we had a guy like you in Nasa 100 years, we would already have landed and explored the planet Pluto!!! RB actually, a family member was fairly high up in nasa, and i told that person they should do a manned mission to the sun. the person looked at me like i was an idiot. apparently, with all their high brain power, it had never crossed their minds to go at night. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommabetts Posted December 6, 2008 Share Posted December 6, 2008 Tracer.. If we had a guy like you in Nasa 100 years, we would already have landed and explored the planet Pluto!!! RB AMEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Nicholas Posted December 6, 2008 Share Posted December 6, 2008 Good luck with that matrix! I've been there with a plant fossil which I destroyed in the process. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tracer Posted December 6, 2008 Share Posted December 6, 2008 p.s. - you do know that pluto got demoted in 2006? (i really hate breaking bad news like that to people). yeah, it seems like pluto hadn't been pulling its weight, and it got deplanetized and christened a dwarf planet. <choking up, leaving the room> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJB Posted December 6, 2008 Author Share Posted December 6, 2008 p.s. - you do know that pluto got demoted in 2006? (i really hate breaking bad news like that to people). yeah, it seems like pluto hadn't been pulling its weight, and it got deplanetized and christened a dwarf planet. <choking up, leaving the room> Jesus H krykies man!!! I thought I was funny, but you are bringing tears to my eyes man!!!! You and Auspex are quite refreshing!!! RB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tracer Posted December 6, 2008 Share Posted December 6, 2008 first of all, i was being serious. i'm always serious. secondly, what's this "me and auspex" stuff? auspex is for the birds, so he hangs with the b's. i'm one of the t's. you sees? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bone digger Posted December 6, 2008 Share Posted December 6, 2008 Took me a while to find this post again! I was looking for the crab from H E double L, not the crab from heck! Does that mean it's getting a little easier to prep RB? Anyways, sure hope it turns out great for ya! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommabetts Posted December 6, 2008 Share Posted December 6, 2008 actually, a family member was fairly high up in nasa, and i told that person they should do a manned mission to the sun. the person looked at me like i was an idiot. apparently, with all their high brain power, it had never crossed their minds to go at night. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Nicholas Posted December 6, 2008 Share Posted December 6, 2008 Took me a while to find this post again! I was looking for the crab from H E double L, not the crab from heck! Does that mean it's getting a little easier to prep RB? Anyways, sure hope it turns out great for ya! Sorry that was me, forum policy. Trying to keep the profanity down so schools will be able to access the site. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
screweduptexan Posted December 6, 2008 Share Posted December 6, 2008 Gawd tracer....I see you've been funny like this for a while....You crack me up! I can't come up with anything clever enough for my signature...yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tracer Posted December 6, 2008 Share Posted December 6, 2008 schools?! wait, you mean i'm influencing kids with what i say here?! no pressure there. sheesh, ok, random kid joke - two muffins were in an oven baking. first muffin says to the second muffin, "man, it's hot in here, huh?" second muffin screams, "AHHHH!!! a talking muffin!!" ok, kids, now, only five things you need to know. #1. work very, very hard, because older people are leaving you a pretty messed-up world to fix. #2. fossils are very cool, but fossil collectors are very weird, so become a fossil collector, because who cares if you're weird if you have very cool stuff. #3. make sure any fossilized poop is really fossilized before you pick it up. #4. never tell people everything you know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronbo Posted December 6, 2008 Share Posted December 6, 2008 man the thing looks to be pretty big, Looking forward to seeing more and more of it.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tracer Posted December 6, 2008 Share Posted December 6, 2008 yeah, chip out that crab! <singing> "weeee willllll, weeee, willlll, derock you!" <snoopy moonwalking> cold weather makes me frisky. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJB Posted December 6, 2008 Author Share Posted December 6, 2008 What a VERY long day today!!! I couldnt sleep and kept on tossing and turning so I got up. It was just after 3 am! I had a small breakfast and decided to go out to the garage start prepping. It was 30 degrees already, so not too cold. I started taking off rock and soon started finding lots of stuff and getting excited. Every thing was purty much right were it was supposed to be. I thought there was only 3 legs on the right side, but Wow,,, There was 4! The bad thing was that I had to go into town, but I drove quickly and came back and got started again. I got back to work at just after 10 so I still had plenty more time to get a big chunk of the left side. Again, I started finding things where they were supposed to be. I was as excited as I could be! Its been one 'heck' (hows that for cussing?) a long time since ive put in that many hours of prep, but Man-O-Man did I get a lot done. I took a pic before I left for town ane then another picture just a little while ago. Here are two update photo's. Tomorrow I begin the arguous task of getting this thing as 3-D as possible. Not sure if I can get it all done in one day, but I will try. Enjoy RB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tracer Posted December 6, 2008 Share Posted December 6, 2008 rb, you're one dedicated prepper. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bone digger Posted December 7, 2008 Share Posted December 7, 2008 looking awesome RB, can't wait to see it all done! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gatorman Posted December 7, 2008 Share Posted December 7, 2008 Keep it goin Ron! Lookin Sweet! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimmy1971 Posted December 7, 2008 Share Posted December 7, 2008 I'm sure your incredible patience will be rewarded soon. Awesome job! Don't forget to post the finished product. I would love to see it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJB Posted December 7, 2008 Author Share Posted December 7, 2008 Thanks everyone. The fossil gods always seem to smile apon me. Where ever I go, what ever I do, I seem to end up with some realy cool stuff. RB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted December 7, 2008 Share Posted December 7, 2008 You're the real Dr. Prepper (chippin' stone at 10, 2 & 4)! I'm pretty excited about this one "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...
RJB Posted December 7, 2008 Author Share Posted December 7, 2008 You're the real Dr. Prepper (chippin' stone at 10, 2 & 4)!I'm pretty excited about this one Hey Auspex, Ive been called a lot of things im my life, but Dr pepper is a first. Thanks for being so kind. Its realy neat to know that you are excited about this crab. Im sooooooooo excited I can hardly stand it. Its not very often that I come across a fossil that 'may' go into my collection, but this one is lookin 'Darn' good!!! May the fossil gods give me the strength, the energy, the want and even some good luck to get this super crab done? RB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tracer Posted December 7, 2008 Share Posted December 7, 2008 you're not mainlining those energy drinks, are you? and darn it, auspex, i've got that stupid dr. pepper ad jingle stuck in my head now from like 45 years ago because of you. "...at 10, 2, and 4, you always want more, more, more..." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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