Microfossils, Display And Storage

[jkfoam]

Much of this information was posted previously but it was lost in the June crash so I have decided to repost it with some additional information.

I generally display my microfossils in paleontological microscope slides and where I have multiple specimen I store the excess not displayed in 3/4 inch plastic boxes that have clear plastic lids. I also have used small vials with snap on lids to store microfossils. Labels are made and glued on to cut down 3X5 inch index cards to which I glue the 3/4 inch plastic box, or labels are glued to the paleontological slides. I like to store the 3/4 inch plastic boxes with labels in 2X2 inch paper fold-up boxes in my home made cabinets.

Sources for the paleontological slides, 3/4 inch plastic boxex, small vials, and 2X2 inch fold-up boxes are as follows.

Paleontological slides with aluminum sleeves - www.lakeside-products.com/ I use the 28 ply slides because of the greater depth. I have used the single hole slide as well as the 60 grid slide.

The paleontological slide is assembled by covering the slide with a regular 1X3 inch glass biological slide and securing the assembly with an aluminum sleeve.

3/4 inch plastic boxes and vials- Althor Products, www.thomasregister.com/olc/02653608/home.htl

2X2 inch fold-up boxes - www.rockboxes.com/

Pictures of these supplies and the finished slides are shown below;

Most of the microfossils I work with are collected in a clay marl or sand or loose dirt matrix. I wash the material on a 30 or 40 mesh seive. If a seive is not available I have made them using the finest mesh window screen available from Home Depot or the local Hardware store. After the residue left on the screen is dried I place a teaspoon of the material on a plastic coffee can lid and pick through it under a microscope. I use a 10X-40X binocular microscope, sometimes called a dissecting microscope. I usually work at the 10X power and only use higher power as I need. When I find a fossil I want to keep I pick it up using an artist fine paint brush or a sharp toothpick. Wet the brush or toothpick and touch the fossil you want to keep. The fossil will stick to the brush or toothpick.

Transfer the fossil to a storage container or prepared slide. See photos below.

To attach the fossil to the slide I have been using model airplane dope. The classic glue used by many paleontologist is a preparation of Gum Tragacanth in water and I have used it before. The problem I had was mold or fungus. When you make up the Gum Tragacanth you should add several drops of formaldehyde as a fungicide. I did that but after several years I noticed the fungi growing on my slides. The reason everyone used the Gum Tragacanth was that the fossils were easily removed from the slides by just a touch of a wet artist paint brush. I have gone to using the model airplane dope and I find the fossils are easily removed from the slide using acetone on the artist paint brush.

To mount the fossil on the slide wet the end of a toothpick with a little of the airplane dope. Then apply a small amount of dope to the place on the slide you want the fossil. Then place the fossil onto the spot wetted with the dope and set aside for several minutes to dry. Once the slide has dried then glue your label to the slide, place the cover slide over the paleontological slide, and affix an aluminum sleeve to hold the assembly together. See photos below

With a little pratice anyone can mount microfossils. If anyone has any questions just post them and I will try to respond.

JKFoam

[Gatorman]

Excellent methodology Jk, looks like you have a great system.

[Shuko]

This is AWESOME. Thank you so much for sharing these details with us! I'm going to use the references you've provided and order my paleontological slides from them. How did you make your display cabinet? I'll be needing one of those too, and I don't know the proper way to create one...

Also, about your microscope. I've been told by others that a microscope isn't really necessary, and that a mounted lighted magnifier (like this) is more than sufficient for what I'd need. However, if I decide to get a microscope like yours, do you have a brand you'd like to recommend, or at least some specs (other than the magnification power)? I don't know much about microscopes, so any information you can offer me would be a big help!

Thanks for the helpful guide!

[jkfoam]

Shuko,

My storage cabinets were patterned after a map storage cabinet. In addition to collecting fossils I fancy myself a woodworker and I made the cabinets (my wife says the woodworker part is all just fancy talk).

Heres my opinion about a microscope, if you want to do microfossils and don't want to just end up frustrated, get a microscope. When we got our first microscope about 30 years ago we found that we used it for more than just fossils. We used it to get splinters out of the kids hands and fingers, we used it everytime the boys came in with a new bug or critter or what ever, and we used it to discover the hidden beauty in everything from wildflowers,rocks, spider eyes, fish scales, mineral crystals, insect jaws, butterfly antenna, tree frog toes, etc.

The brand of microscope is not too important (That may start a discussion). I would get one that is atleast 10X and 20X power and has built in lighting. If it doesn't have built in lighting you will have to buy a microscope illuminator. If you live reasonably close to a university go by and visit with the Biology and Geology Departments. Tell them you want to talk about microscopes. Someone there will tell you more than you really wanted to know. You will probably have to insult them to get them to shut up. Many of their scopes will be very expensive but you will have an idea of what you may need or want and give you enough info to start a E-Bay search.

JKFoam

[Guest solius symbiosus]

Celestron makes good optics, and their customer service is some of the best in business. I have never owned any of their microscopes, but I have a couple of their telescopes ... for the money, they can't be beat.

Another good company is Orion.

Most any optics found any more is re-badged Chinese stuff, unless one is willing to shell out top dollar.

[Guest Cris]

Excelent post, JK.. All this talk of microfossils is starting to make me want to get into collecting them.

[Shuko]

Well, I bit the bullet and decided to splurge on a microscope. I bought this one today. I hope it's worth the money.

Link

It sounds ideal for what I need.

[Gatorman]

Looks like that might work very well, let us know how well it works.

[jkfoam]

Shuko,

I think that microscope will do you just fine. Did you get the microscope camera that was shown in the link. If you did I can't wait to see some of the photographs.

JKFoam

[Shuko]

Shuko,

I think that microscope will do you just fine. Did you get the microscope camera that was shown in the link. If you did I can't wait to see some of the photographs.

JKFoam

Yes, I do. I can't wait to take some. The scope looks like it has everything I need. It even has toplighting, which is what I'll need for opaque things like fossils.

[kauffy]

Awesome post JK, thanks for all the information and techniques, it will also come in very handy for me! those slides are very nice, just out of curiosity (as i want to buy some) how much did they set you back? for just the cardboard slides? how much extra are the metal protectors?

That fossil matrix you are collecting is amazing! so many many fossils in it, i wouldnt mind searching through something that fossiliferous! it looks like every bit of "rock" is a shell! COOL! :lol:

I want to buy a cheapy microscope, but if i had the money to blow i would definantly buy the same one as Shuko, that thing is neat with the camera!

I cant wait for my bone micros from Harry, im sure that it will be loads of fun going through it all and curating it. This is why i need those slides!!

Thanks again for the good post JK :Thumbs-up:

[Guest solius symbiosus]

Thanks for sharing that JK

Excelent post, JK.. All this talk of microfossils is starting to make me want to get into collecting them.

You will get a lot of use out of that scope. It's mag. is optimum for fossils. Seeing your post earlier got me "jonesing" for a new scope, so I bid on one ... hope I get it.

[Harry Pristis]

Well, I bit the bullet and decided to splurge on a microscope. I bought this one today. I hope it's worth the money.

Link

It sounds ideal for what I need.

Wow! Nice features on that 'scope! I'm eager to see your images. You are gonna' have a lot of fun with the vertebrate micro-fossils I have for you.

---------Harry Pristis

[Shuko]

Wow! Nice features on that 'scope! I'm eager to see your images. You are gonna' have a lot of fun with the vertebrate micro-fossils I have for you.

---------Harry Pristis

I hope so. ^^; Speaking of which, I mailed your cashier's check. You should be receiving it soon. The vertebrate micro-fossils will probably be the first things I scrutinize, lol.

[Shuko]

how much did they set you back? for just the cardboard slides? how much extra are the metal protectors?

I registered with their site, because it said there would be online pricing that way. Unfortunately, that is false. You actually have to call them to find out the pricing, and after calling, I understand why. It's pretty pricy. These are the prices I found out:

For the Grid slide (#28-60), it's $33 for 100 of them.

For the One Cavity (#28-1), it's $43.65 for 100 of them.

For the Metal Covers (#28-A), it's $47 for 100 of them.

For the Wood Frame Slide Case (A), it's $16.35 for one.

[Harry Pristis]

I registered with their site, because it said there would be online pricing that way. Unfortunately, that is false. You actually have to call them to find out the pricing, and after calling, I understand why. It's pretty pricy. These are the prices I found out:

For the Grid slide (#28-60), it's $33 for 100 of them.

For the One Cavity (#28-1), it's $43.65 for 100 of them.

For the Metal Covers (#28-A), it's $47 for 100 of them.

For the Wood Frame Slide Case (A), it's $16.35 for one.

Ouch! Those costs add up quickly.

Many collectors are satisfied with mylar coin-holders for their micro-mounts. I myself have only a few micro's mounted, but if I were to go in that direction, I would start off (at least) with these coin-holders.

--------Harry Pristis

[Shuko]

Ouch! Those costs add up quickly.

Many collectors are satisfied with mylar coin-holders for their micro-mounts. I myself have only a few micro's mounted, but if I were to go in that direction, I would start off (at least) with these coin-holders.

--------Harry Pristis

That's not a bad idea. Isn't there a risk of chipping them that way, though?

[jkfoam]

This link will get you to a site that lists all the suppliers of microfossil slides. http://userpage.fu-berlin.de/~palaeont/irgo/microslides.html. Or just Google "IRGO + slides".

You can also Google "Paleontological slides" and "Paleontology slides". This will net you several more suppliers if you slog through Googles list (Even one in Australia).

These slides are pricy but you can make do with out the aluminum holder. You can just scotch tape the glass cover slide on to the cardboard slide. That works just fine.

JKFoam

[Shuko]

I'm going to just go with the clear plastic boxes for now. Oh, by the way. I found out that if you want to buy from althor, they have a minimum order of $100. Go there with deep pockets and a need for lots of boxes, lol.

[ScottyP]

There's some really good supplier of micro-fossils on ebay if anyone is interested. I can't remember his name, but I got a nice "chicken tooth" from him (small undescribed bipedal dinosaur). He sells fossiliferous matrix too for reasonable prices. I'll post his ebay name if I find it :-)

[Auspex]

There's some really good supplier of micro-fossils on ebay if anyone is interested. I can't remember his name, but I got a nice "chicken tooth" from him (small undescribed bipedal dinosaur). He sells fossiliferous matrix too for reasonable prices. I'll post his ebay name if I find it :-)

Probably Larry, at Fossilsource. A great guy with great matrix (and other stuff, too).

[ScottyP]

That's him! Yeah he's a top bloke.

[Acryzona]

I'm a bit late to the thread but ...

Jkfoam, Thanks for posting your information and photos of your workbench.

Shuko, The supplies are pricey. I use the 60 square slides for storage and reserve one for "nice" finds that way they last longer. For a storage cabinet, the hardware store has those boxes with lots and lots of little drawers. You can pack in about 8 slides per drawer.

I'd advise getting the Al slide holders - too easy for tape to break, degrade or the really tiny finds to slip out through a crack. Then you've lost your hard earned finds. Come to think of it, maybe a kid in shop class at the local high school can make a bunch for you!

[Bill]

How about My link