jasonshort
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since June 2019
Posts: 113
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Post by jasonshort on Jul 1, 2019 10:09:19 GMT -5
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Post by Peruano on Jul 1, 2019 10:37:57 GMT -5
In most cases we are lucky to identify dino bone as dino bone. Subsequent, more specific id is usually precluded because bones are incomplete, tumbled, worn, or poorly fossilized. In order to identify a bone (either what type of animal it came from or . . . what type of bone (anatomical part), detailed comparisons of finer structural aspects are needed and those details just don't exist in most dino bone that comes to the hands of lapidary folks. We are receiving a mineralized material with a bone origin, but missing most of its detailed external structure. What we are often interested in is present, i.e. the vacuoles and patterns that from in the bone, sometimes these are visible as contrasting, bright colors making a beautiful abstract pattern appealing in its own rite. Cutting (slabbing) these will show you much more of that detail and reveal how appealing they could be once shaped and polished. I hope this helps you decide what to do with them.
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jasonshort
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since June 2019
Posts: 113
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Post by jasonshort on Jul 1, 2019 12:16:07 GMT -5
Awesome feedback. I am new to this forum so I really appreciate all the feedback people provide. I have lots of pieces that are about 1/4 to 1/2 inch. Would it be better to polish them or leave them as they are?
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Post by Peruano on Jul 1, 2019 12:57:21 GMT -5
You nearly always will see more detail, and a more attractive appearance with a polished surface. Removing scratches eliminates noise, and increases shine, color intensity, and pattern visibility. You can polish one surface, facing. or you can tumble or otherwise polish all surfaces. Normally dino bone is rare enough and hence costly enough that folks slab it to get maximal surface from minimal material.
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jasonshort
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since June 2019
Posts: 113
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Post by jasonshort on Jul 1, 2019 13:06:15 GMT -5
Thank you for your input. It sounds like the best way to deal with these is cut them down to small pendant size & tumble them. I have a TV5 vib and a thumbler AR1 rotary tumbler. Can you point me in the direction of how to tumble these? Here is the photo of the original post I did. There are lots of small pieces.
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Post by rmf on Jul 1, 2019 13:20:14 GMT -5
jasonshort On image #1 that light brown crap on the bone needs to come off. It appears to be a lime concretion type material. Once that is off you may be able to see the joint end and that may give a clue as to what critter it is. The bone you have appears to not be silica replaced but mineralized similar to cretaceous bone I have found in Tennessee and Kansas. This is not suitable to polish. Dental tools work well for removing the light brown stuff. once you remove all that you practically can dry them and coat them with Butvar. the last I knew that was one of the blessed varnish types (that museums use) that does not destroy the fossil over time. If they were replaced with agate like agatized dinobone then no varnish would be needed. If you see any pyrite in the bone then you need to seal it with Cyanoacrylic glue.
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