How to prep a fossil crab [entry level scribe compared]
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- Опубликовано: 5 фев 2025
- I often get asked what tools I started with or what would be a good introduction to fossil prepping. The Dremel 290 engraver is what I started with and used on my first 2 crabs before I got a Suntech air scribe which I then used for 2 years. The Suntech air scribe I showed in the video takes the same stylus as the CP9361 which means it can use tungsten ones made for fossil prepping sold by a variety of places.
Let me know if you have any questions!
Mamlambo Rocks rockhounding channel: / @mamlamborocks
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Morne Mamlambo
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New Zealand
#prep #fossil #science
I’m trying to imagine how you felt the first time you used an airscribe to prep a fossil and how excited you must have been to get your own. Wow.
This video is not only full of first-rate information about fossil prep equipment for different levels of commitment/time, but also the clear explanation of the vital safety equipment is something that all should listen to. Nerve and eye damage may be permanent; thank goodness you can protect yourself. Just as you don’t offer the top of your head to heavy concretions and rockslides falling down cliffs as you hunt. So important.
Thank you for sharing Beginner tools and your expertise with the fossil Preps. Inexpensive way for anyone to try a fossil prep of their own. All the items needed for stabilization of Fossil
My pleasure SareJen!
In April this year we have our fossiling holiday booked,we fossil between seatown & lyme regis on the Jurassic coast in Dorset,our main focus is to find iron pyrite ammonites and belemnites,it's an incredible feeling to find these knowing you're the first to see them in 160 million years,this is the best time of year because the sea has spent the winter revealing these truely stunning specimens from the cliffs and mud slides,can't wait.
Sounds like an amazing experience!
Must have felt weird going back to using a Dremel after all these years with air tools! Great video
It really was! Your tungsten stylus tips made a huge difference though 😀
Very useful video. I made up my mind to prep, but I didn't know which equipment to use. I'll try it next time. Thank you.
That was a cool demonstration of both and comparison. It really depends on what you are doing with it and how much detail. The price difference is considerable! Thanks Morne!
Thanks Morne! I did have a brief crack at this, possibly with the same dremel on my half crab concretion, this video is a perfect tutorial for someone in my position, although a little more detail on knowing the plastic mix(I think you mentioned this in a separate vid), and also the planning of where to focus attention at the beginning was my issue - for my crab I wasn't even sure it was a crab. I ended up chipping off the side with a hammer, and did indeed find the bone of a leg. I'd never used a dremel before, and you're right, it got super hot, and man it does a workout on your hand. I hadn't appreciated just how much this was like stone - it sounds silly, but I had assumed it was softer - siltstone or mudstone makes you think of greywacke - but it's definitely STONE. Cheers for all your help!!!
Yeah, it's very very hard rock! Sometimes you're lucky and find a soft one, but most are very hard.
Thank you for that comparison. I found it very helpful and can't wait to get my dremel so I can start prepping some of my fossils that I've collected. Looking forward to the next update on the turtle skull
I'd be very selective, start with broken and damaged fossils 😀
@@MamlamboFossils thank you, I will. The one thing I've really picked up on whilst watching prep videos is to take your time. Slow and steady wins the race....or in this case reveals the ammonite 😂
Hi!Im a boy from spain who loves your chanel,thanks to your chanel, i am learning a lot,soon I will begin to restore fossils from the southeast of Spain
I'm glad you're enjoying the videos!
This is very informative! I am currently working with a hammer and chisel, I think the dremmel is the next logical step... I reckon I will reward myself with one if I find a nice fossil. 😎 Thanks Morne!
My pleasure Jason!
Súper video! Really helpful great information. After years of dreaming about preparing fossils and balking at air scribe prices, this has given me the confidence to go and try at an entry level and really see if it’s for me. Hope you do more on the stabilizing glue and other aspects that could help us learn. Excellent.
I'll do a video on B72 😀
I was always wondering what you were using, because it seems so easy but know time consuming just by seeing your videos but this video answered all my frustrations.
Thanks! and always awesome!
Glad it helped!!
I live totally different country but sometimes I really want to be there doing what you do.
Thanks!!! It's more than awesome!
I'm so envious of your skill, you are awesome!!
Ah thanks 😊
I just picked up a Dremel 290 and ordered the tips from Zoic! They're delayed because of an international shipping snafu with the Royal Mail, but I can't wait to try them! One thing about the Dremel is that it's very loud, much more than I expected. Probably not as loud as an air scribe, but very loud if you're in an apartment like me.
Awesome!! Yeah, they can be loud but much quieter than the air scribes!
You suggested this dremel to me a couple videos ago and I can say it works great! Thanks for the tip! I will definitely be investing in those special tips!
Also, I need to try and find some fossil crabs somewhere!
Nice!! Glad it's working!
Thanks! I have a tub full of tons of trilobyte-filled matrix, but the limestone has been too tough for me to use hand tools and haven't wanted to take the leap for the pricier air scribes, very helpful! Thanks!
It's worth a go!
@@MamlamboFossils The liquid is some kind of adhesive/glue/epoxy or something of that nature right
@@comic_book_emporium yeah it consolidates the fossil and can be reversed if necessary
@@MamlamboFossils What do you use specifically?
Incase you still need to know its b72 paraloid resin, a clear synthetic resin usually dissolved in acetone that can be easily removed/reversed with acetone.
This is a really good fossil to describe how to prep fossils like a crab. Even to I have a pneumatic pen and actually did prep quite a few fossils they were never a crab.
Excellent and informative video I'm thinking of trying to get my grandkids to do this thank you for sharing this with us six stars brother
My pleasure Joseph!
Sweet video, I’m currently working on my first crab from the west coast of Canada so it’s certainly helpful to see how you do it, thanks!
Hope it helps!!
When I was little, my Mom took me to the Houston Museum of Natural Science. The dinosaur exhibit was VERY cool, but small at the time. It was a slow day, so one of the employees came over and took us to an Employees Only area. There was a team of 3 people chipping away at some brand new fossils. They showed me a small bird or raptor that they had been working on for a few months. They offered to let me touch it, but I was too scared lol. When the huge new exhibit was finally done a few years later, it was awesome to see those same fossils prepped and on display.
that is incredible!! such a great experience for you!
I asked for this video among others. I really appreciate it. Thank you for the help
I still use an old Burgess vibro-tool. It is probably heavier than the Dremel and I find that just resting it in the hand and guiding it while letting the weight of the machine do the work dies the trick. I also had a piece of brass rod machined the right size to fit in the chuck. A hole in the end lets me insert a small nail which I hold in with a grub screw to do finer detailed work. The nails are cheap and quick to replace when they wear out. You can also adjust the stroke of the Burgess tool for more delicate work. You can solve the lack of airflow on the Dremel by getting some small brass tubing from a train modelling shop and clamping it to the tool with rubber bands. You can connect the tube to a cheap aquarium air pump with some fine plastic air hose. Tried looking up Zoic tools but the website isn't working.
Try this link: www.zoicpalaeotech.co.uk/
Sounds like you had engineered quite a good fossil prep kit there!
I’ve always wanted to get into fossil hunting, since I was three. I moved to a good area and have started rockhounding recently and love the tips and advice, for hopefully when I find my first fossil 🤞❤️
OH SHI-
I was totally using my grinding dremel instead of the inscriber - - that explains a lot X_X glad I learned that now before I went on to work on more projects…
Thanks so much for the upload!! Tons of helpful stuff in here!
Glad it helped!!
@@MamlamboFossils Also, when you applied the Paraloid, did you get it pre-mixed or did you dissolve it yourself? I'm trying to figure out how to go about mixing it myself(WHAT to mix it in so nothing melts, the ratios, etc.), as I can't get pre-mixed stuff shipped to me in the mail from the Zoic guys…
@@zenertia I mix it myself, usually like 20 pellets per 100ml if I had to estimate. I will do a video on it though.
@@MamlamboFossils Awesome!! Thank you so much! :D♥
As a dentist, I can vouch for the benefit of well-designed tools.
For me, it'd be like trying to do a crown prep with a rotary Dremel.
BTW, I use a Dremel a lot when I'm making my lap steel guitars, but I tend to burn up the bushings because I grip the casing so hard over the bushing covers. It only takes a few minutes with the wrong grip and bushings heat up... I had to quit using my hay-bale-lifting/tooth-pulling hand strength when holding that thing... it got expensive, lol. I did eventually buy a Foredam tool, but I haven't built any new instruments in a while...plus it's a rotary so it's a non-starter (and that flex-shaft may get heavy after a few hours) for fossil work.
I need to get out to our coastline and see what has fallen out of the cliffs.. . we've had a week of freezing nights, which usually loosens the rocks a bit.
Thanks for a great comment! I know what you mean about holding the Dremel over the bushing covers, I've done the same and it heats up super quickly! I googled what a lap steel guitar is, awesome instrument!
Love the suggestion of the Dremel. I already have other means to prep fossils.
I do however like the idea of good vibrations and the glove of love. 😂
Great video comparing these tools!
Glad you liked it!!
Man, i wish I lived somewhere with lots of fossils like NZ. Norway is mostly bedrock, and the very few places with fossils are either microscopic algae and stuff, or plants and shells that are illegal to collect privately. I would love to try my hand at prepping those crabs you seem to find everywhere you turn
I work as a stonemason in Norways largest tombstone company, i found this channel today and are facinated about this. I guess i will look for rocks at shores now😅
This timelapse are very relaxing to watch 🙂
Here's another of my favourite ones: ruclips.net/video/yjdER2xAQRg/видео.html
Fantastic instructional video. Thank you.
Glad you enjoyed it!!
Thanks for this video. Saved it as a favorite :)
Yay! Glad you enjoyed it!
Cool. I found a gastropod that popped out of the host in our dry river bed. Did a short video on it with black light was nice.
Great video, never knew you could prep a fossil with one of does cheaper scribes. Might try that for my trilobite
Great video very informative, nice way to get started thanks for that
Glad it was helpful!
An air scribe like the one you have pays for itself after the first or second fossil you do. Just for the comfort alone I wouldn’t do the dremel. Too bad it didn’t come with a flex shaft and had more power. Fatigue is disheartening. It took a time to build up the strength to work for longer periods of time. I just bought a new dremel and the flex shaft handle end is 25mm diameter. I like the thinner pen sized ones. I get cramps slightly from using this new one. I guess I will get used to it. Love your channel, peace out!
Yeah, it's worth it if you're going to be prepping lots of fossils!
great comparison, im conviced 200%:))
Thanks!!
Great tutorial.. Thanks Morne 👍
My pleasure!!
thank you for sharing friend
Very interesting
Thank you
Great information Mahalo for sharing
My pleasure!
Very good instruction plus with the different tips. Thanks again! Wanting to try with some crinoids and shells to start (nothing really interesting in my area). 🍻
I hope it works out!!
@@MamlamboFossils thank you kind Sir 🤠
Awesome video, thank you! A quick question, what are you putting on the crab with the brush?
B72 paraloid
@@MamlamboFossils Thank you so much! Do you recommend that? I have some shells I'm currently prepping, brand new to this, and not sure what's best for preserving them and making them pop
Great video on difference.
Glad you enjoyed it!
This is probably a long shot but I'm looking for a left handed anti-vibration glove. Do you have any brand recommendations or specifics I should look out for?
Great video thanks for sharing the tools.
My pleasure!
My first crab is sooo sticky haha this looks more enjoyable. where did you get the glove??
Thanks for another wicked video
I got the gloves from NZ Safety Blackwoods
Is the Air Scribe as loud as the electric one? Not including the compressor. Do you know of any compressors that are quiet? Love your work.
The air scribe is probably 2 or 3 times louder. There are quiet compressors but I don't know enough about them. I've built a little soundproof area in my garage
Fantastic video man!
I have a question do u think B72 can be replaced for something else?
Thanks for the info! I’ve wondered about many of those things.
Does the B72 affect how well the material separates from the fossil?
It does sometimes, it affects acid prepping quite a bit and can make it slower so you have to be careful with it.
Thanks for this video! I was thinking about getting into prepping for a long time but everywhere I searched for tips for beginner equipment I was told confusing conflicting info. With this demonstration I feel like I got a much clearer picture of what I am getting, if I were to buy this dremel - and I think I will buy it.
What B72 paraloid solution are you using? I find solid pellets and different percentages and solvents online.
Also: I have a few very delicate fossils from the Lagerstätten Solnhofen (very light brown limestone organised in thin horizontal plates) and some less delicate ones from Buttenheim (a clay pit). Do you have any specific recommendations/tips for equipment or technique regarding these fossils?
Thanks in advance!
I use the solid pellets as well, I make a very dilute mixture - it you paint it on a piece of paper, it should evaporate very quickly and leave behind a thin layer of plastic.
@@MamlamboFossils Ah, thanks. Which solvent are you using? :)
Thanks for share
Im using that Dremel and the tip from ZOIC, couldnt be happier.
Nice!!!
Very useful information thanks! Curious about the fluid solution that you dipped the fossil rock into, please help..
B72 paraloid 😀 I also used some CA glue
@@MamlamboFossils You are the best my man.. thanks a ton
How important is it to apply that B72? /What happens if you dont? 🤤
And when & where do you decide to also use superglue?
Hiya Jason, I put the B72 on if there are cracks in the crab as the air and vibration can cause it to break apart and fly off. It's being safe rather than sorry in my case. superglue is when something is already broken and needs fixing.
When it comes to half-mask respirators for longer sessions, I cannot recommend the 3M 4255+ enough. HUUUGE urestricted filter surface area w/ internal 1-way valves and good size exhale vent, so in terms of restriction you barely notice it's there at all, even doing hard manual labor. It super comfortable for a half-mask, very soft and conforming silicone against the skin, and in my experience it is among the best sealing half-masks if you have a beard. Minimal interference with glasses, headset, otger headgear (i'm just a sample group of 1 so can't say *_"NO_*_ interference)._ Does a good and clever job of collecting moisture from your breath ajs very easy to drain and clean, just "empty it out" before setting the mask somewhere "face" (filters) down. Oh and since the filters aren't canisters sticking out but sit fairly close to your face, I've found they don't leverage your head down/forwards x causing necknpain. And they're less in the way when in cramped space like under vehicles, inside ventilation etc.
It's one of those "maintenance free" (aka, filters not replaceable) types, but I used one doing demolition and dry concrete work every day for over a year and didn't really notice any difference.
The 4255+ id A2P3 rated, meaning protection against organics gases and vapors, plus dust/mechanical, oil and smoke/droplet/fog protection down to 99.95-99.99% effectiveness at 0.3 micron. Like a HEPA filter for your face :)
Don't mean to sound like a frickin advertisement, I'm just a _very_ satisfied customer.
Started with it too
Very beautiful my brother
Thanks!
What brand of gloves are those? Really want to avoid damaging any nerves and the like!
Really nice thank you!
This video was perfect for the info I needed - thank you so much for taking the time to make it!
Glad you found it helpful!
Thank you for the video, I have the same Dremel engraver and I am currently working on a sea urchin. What do you reccomend to seal the fossil after preparation to stabilize it? I would use super glue for glueing it together, but it migth be nice to seal it once it's done.
I would not add the b72 if not needed but if you're going to be handling it or if it starts flaking I would add a coating
3:55 это какая-то специальная жидкость для укрепления?
I foind a ammonite fossil in lake Michigan. I have only tell because I can see a swirl from the shell. Is this the kind of tool I would use to expose that?
Yeah, this could work
@MamlamboFossils okay thank you.
Sorry for the super hard to read comment lol.
I’m really struggling to find anywhere in the uk that has any unprocessed crabs, do you think I could buy one from you ?
@kieronsutherland34 sorry, I don't send any crabs outside of NZ otherwise I would have given you one
Thank you for telling the difference between Dremel and an air scribe.
I’m curious how you record this?
Do you ever find other fossils preserved within these crab rocks?
Yeah! I just finished a penguin and found a turtle skull recently. Here is the penguin video: ruclips.net/video/eBc82mnlZBU/видео.html
@@MamlamboFossils awesome! I’ll have to check it out. I’m new to the channel and haven’t caught a lot of your previous content, so thanks for the link. 👍
Hi there! I was wondering what percent of paraloid B-72 you use to consolidate your fossil as you prep?
I think its between 5 and 10 percent, but Start with less as you can add more beads
Awesome! Thank you for the response. I’ll do exactly that
@@MamlamboFossilshey, thanks for answering my question months ago! Now I have a new question. I know you wear a mask for PPE, but I know my wife has issues with me even attempting this because the mask technically shouldn’t form a good seal with a beard (which both you and I have). Do you were anything over your face and then apply your mask or do you think it’s safe enough with the appropriate mask?
Love the content. Thank you for reading
Introduce a real crab to the fossil. I don't know why..but it'll change the cosmic trajectory that we are all travelling on.
I have a couple of fossils. How can I find out what they are?
Take them in to your local museum / university. Someone should know!
What's the glue that you're using?
B72 paraloid usually
Remember to keep your workstation clean. If you do chip the fossil you can find it 😅
Oh, I've learnt the hard way! 😂
I have a question where would I get un prept fossils
You will have to go find some, or look on ebay
Kids! This is what happens if you do not take bath for millionsof years. Bath everyday.
Wow that's what I call a thick glove
Yes wear gloves I ran air tools for 47 years as a sheetmetal worker and I have raynauds in my fingers now also .
Greetings from Ukraine! I have a question. How cost prepared crab of mid size? + -
Sorry, I don't sell any fossils. I hope you stay safe bro
@@MamlamboFossilsok, thank u for answer. Here (in Lviv city) we have few volounteers from New Zeland. They helped on a kitchen, we make a food for our troops. Very good guys they are! Thank to New Zeland!
У меня был Dremel,но он 2 года поработал и испортился,но у меня была бор-машинка
does your hand go numb?
No, not when I wear the glove!
Great video. Would you sell me a small concretion with a crab in it for me? are you from USA? thanks
Mamlambo , YOU can find crab , даже , если он спрятался миллион лет назад .( translate from russian ) .....
😃👍
Yike, they are so expensive. 😲
A lot of people who build the free energy with an alternate..save their money from electric bill.
nois finger gap b'wo
Hey man, love your videos but can't stand those "shorts". Unsubscribed.
All good bro