Operation Skeleton!

[Guest Nicholas]

Okay well I've been pondering this for a while now and I've decided I'm going to go all out and build a fossil skeleton. I just want the input of others on the forum first. I need to know a few things, like what to build? I've heard fossilized deer bones are fairly intact, and can be cheap. I want to go for great here but I want to do it without going into debt. I was wondering if anyone could recommend any other plentiful cheap animal I could build. Now I know this isn't an over night project and I'm willing to spend years on it if necessary I just want to complete one fossil skeleton in my life. I'll keep collecting and hunting, but this will be a side project preferably during the winter when I can't hunt at all. So if anyone has any input on different animals I could try or some methods of putting things together please don't hold back. I need all the help I can get.

My current options of animal are:

Deer

Tapir

Thanks,

Nicholas

[ebrocklds]

Nicholas,

havin mountied several skeletons of complete incomplete and composite animals, mostly dinosaurs, i would suggest you start with something that was found as a partial skeleton. the reason is if you try to assembel a skeleton one piece at a time you will spend far more money and time for an inferior result. size bone quality and color are never going to match up. just to get enough materail to be able to make one animal you will end up with 3-5 time more bones than you use. i am not trying to discourage you. on the contrary, i encourage you and will help you out all i can. i would suggest that you start with an oligocene mammal fron the white river formation. they can be purchased unprepared for a few thousand USD and then be prepared and mounted, usually fairly complete. missing elements are then easy to find or sculpt to give you a very nice final product. i will be going to the tucson show the first of february and would happily look for one there if you want.

be prepared for alot of work.

here are a few that i have done

Maiasaura peeblesorum a real bone composite 80% complete. many bones were not used. this skeleton was assembled from a collection of about 3 thousand bones or more.

http://picasaweb.google.com/ebrocklds/Pale...185087560604482

a cast of a baby mammoth from russia

http://picasaweb.google.com/ebrocklds/Pale...185989503736738

and a cast of an incomplete composite of Majugasaurus from Madagascar.

http://picasaweb.google.com/ebrocklds/Pale...186479130008498

good luck

Brock

[Guest Nicholas]

Absolutely amazing work Brock, I admire it a lot. I am fully prepared for the work load I know that given my current financial burdens(University) among other things is really going to be a challenge but I'm up for it. Even if it takes me a couple of years to finish my first skeleton I would really enjoy every moment of it....even the really frustrating parts. I'm a beginner in this field of collecting and hunting on my own but I've researched hours upon hours for many years. I have a great local Archaeologist, who branches out onto Paleontology on his own who is willing to give me any necessary help. When I find a good animal available animal I plan on getting all the parts from one source, that is why I need to find a really common animal that the complete skeleton can be found over one general area. As far as discoloration, I don't mind a little variation as long as it reasonable. I would very much appreciate any help you could offer.

Thanks,

Nicholas

[Gatorman]

Wow Brock nice work