Ptychodus04’s Fossil Fish Prepapalooza

[Kane]

Just now, Ptychodus04 said:

Only after there are so many seasons that the viewers don’t care anymore.

But then the network introduces a spin-off sitcom featuring Diplos. 

[Ptychodus04]

2 hours ago, Kane said:

But then the network introduces a spin-off sitcom featuring Diplos. 

[Tidgy's Dad]

3 hours ago, Kane said:

But then the network introduces a spin-off sitcom featuring Diplos. 

"The Next Genusation." 

[Ptychodus04]

And the Cockerelites continue… 

 

 

 

[Ptychodus04]

This is getting redundant…

 

[Randyw]

Wish my cockers came out that good! Whoever you’re doing them for should be really happy with them!

[Ptychodus04]

9 hours ago, Randyw said:

Wish my cockers came out that good!

After prepping a couple hundred of these, you start to get a pretty good feel for how they are going to want to be prepped. It’s a process. Your preps are coming out very well.

[Ptychodus04]

We interrupt your normal Cockerelites content for a test of the Diplomystus Broadcasting System.

 

 

This was only a test. Had this been a real Diplomystus, you would have seen a much nicer fish. 

[Ptychodus04]

We now return you to your originally scheduled Cockerelites programming.

 

[Ptychodus04]

This fish had a hard afterlife.

 

[Ptychodus04]

2 more Cockerelites… I started working on a large diplo and Cockerelites plate this weekend, a nice change from the singles.

 

 

[Ptychodus04]

1 hour ago, SPrice said:

deleted and sent to Randy.

 

Now, I must know what was sent... 

[Ptychodus04]

Here’s an oddity. As I started prepping one of the fish above, I noticed abrasive gathering on the matrix but preferentially above the fish. This continued until I wiped it off. Afterward, the abrasive was evenly distributed on the plate for the rest of the prep. I can’t figure out if there was some odd magnetism or a positive charge present. Iron powder tends to build a slight static charge as it moves through the system (I can feel the discharge in my forearm if I lay it on the tube as I’m working).

 

Whatever it was, wiping the surface with my gloved hand took it away.

 

[SPrice]

Kris - so weird....I clicked to see your latest post  above and it opened midway down the first page. Regarding Randy's health you made an offer to hook him up with some unprepped fossils.

 

This - "That stinks a lot. I'm sure I can hook you up with some unprepped stuff in the near future. It's all crazy hard stuff so it can't be done with hand tools but if you're tooled up for prep I'm sure I'll have some I don't want to deal with."

 

My response on your thread was basically this  - Same here, I can UPS Randy some concretions.  And an apology to you for side tracking the topic which I would take to PM with Randy. 

 

So that was the cleanup response you got. 

[Randyw]

On 9/20/2023 at 10:35 PM, Ptychodus04 said:

This fish had a hard afterlife.

LOL! Now that looks more like the fish I prep! You ever notice how many fish have blown out chests and/or even missing heads? I’ve heard a theory that it’s because of the swim bladder swelling up and bursting. I was doubtful at first but after cleaning a bunch I’m beginning to believe it. You’ve cleaned about 10-100 times as many as I have so I was wondering what your thoughts were about it! I think the pathology of these less then perfect fish make them even more interesting for instance the missing tail piece was it a bite? scavenging after death? Kind of brings their life (and death) more “real” if you will.
I’m betting there was a bit of a charge right there and you neutralized it when you brushed it or maybe a bit of your powder is getting magnetized and attracted some more but it still seems like an interesting phenomenon.

@SPrice wow! That was a moldy oldie of a post! Must be what 5 years old or so? There’s been a lot of fossils passed under my tools since then. Im pretty much past the begging for fossils to prep point although I’m always looking for more prep material LOL!

we’ll talk over p.m. when I get off. I’m at work and my lunch is over!

Edited September 25, 2023 by Randyw

[Ptychodus04]

@SPrice that was definitely an older post! @Randyw has taken a metric ton of unprepped fossils off my hands. That being said, he's still pretty easy when it comes to unprepped material. 

 

The abrasive event was weird for sure. I'm thinking that the static charge picked up in the system allowed the finer material to attract to microscopic differences in the surface of the matrix. Either way, it was good confirmation of a complete specimen underneath!

 

There's definitely some P&P (putrification and popping) going on in this environment. There's no evidence of scavenging in the GRF that I'm aware of. Missing bits tend to be due to decomposition. Predation is well documented with bits of fin growing back on some specimens. 

[Sjfriend]

On 9/20/2023 at 11:35 PM, Ptychodus04 said:

This fish had a hard afterlife.

 

He heard who was gonna prep him and it blew his mind 

[Randyw]

3 hours ago, Sjfriend said:

He heard who was gonna prep him and it blew his mind 

[Randyw]

4 hours ago, Ptychodus04 said:

That being said, he's still pretty easy when it comes to unprepped material. 

LOL! Just because most of my fossil budget has ended up in your pocket doesn’t make me easy….well …..ok maybe it does! 

I can’t help it that I’m always looking for more to prep! Especially when it’s normally quality pieces like what you’ve supplied!

[Ptychodus04]

14 hours ago, Randyw said:

LOL! Just because most of my fossil budget has ended up in your pocket doesn’t make me easy….well …..ok maybe it does! 

I can’t help it that I’m always looking for more to prep! Especially when it’s normally quality pieces like what you’ve supplied!

 

You can rationalize your addiction however you need to.  My personal rationalization was starting a business. Now, I at least have a pseudo-legitimate excuse with my wife when I spend money on tools.

[Randyw]

Hi. My name is Randy and I'm a fossil prepping addict.......

[Ptychodus04]

I got a little surprise whilst prepping this Diplomystus/Cockerelites plate last night. While working on the tail, I uncovered a bit of bone about 5mm below the surface of the plate. I prepped it in the direction of travel on the diplo’s tail to see if it was a scrap or something more complete. It turned out to be another Diplomystus. Since it is aligned with the larger tail, the telltale ridge for the smaller fish wasn’t obvious.

 

It’s not often that I get surprised by random fish. Good thing I don’t prep fast or I would have scribed right through the skull!

 

Edited September 28, 2023 by Ptychodus04

[daves64]

AAwww... what a cute little nibbler.. 

[Ptychodus04]

32 minutes ago, daves64 said:

AAwww... what a cute little nibbler.. 

 

It's a nightmare prep. The little guy is pretty flaky.

[Randyw]

44 minutes ago, daves64 said:

AAwww... what a cute little nibbler.. 

actually it does look like it’s nibbling the tail! LOL! ( I know it’s not)…