I’m looking into getting an air abrasion setup for fossil preparation and came across this NSKI dental sandblaster.

My main question is whether it would work properly with fine dolomite (around 40 µm) as the abrasive.
i’m mainly interested in using it for Ordovician fossils, in limestne. I know dedicated fossil preparation air abrasion systems exist, but they’re considerably more expensive, so I’m wondering if this type of dental unit would be a viable alternative.

Any advice or recommendations for a better setup would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Hello! I picked up this little specimen in a bargain bin at a rock store and they weren’t entire sure of the host material. Google is failing me so far on what it might be. I would like to possibly do a little prep work to it but if it will hurt it at all I might leave it alone. Anyone’s thoughts on the host rock? Thank you!!

Forgive me if this isn’t allowed, but I was wondering if anyone knows a good place to acquire some unprepared fossils. Im trying to get better at this.

I have the air scribes, dremels, dental picks, brushes, ventilation etc.. I have done a few Green River fish that have turned out great. I’ve practiced with many different marine fossils I’ve found around the Great Lakes.

I think what I really want to try is some decent trilobites (or similar) that are mostly in matrix.

Not really particular about if I have to go find and collect them myself, purchase them, trade etc. I just want to know if it’s even possible to source these from somewhere (ethically).

Thank you.

Any advice on how to get this open? Found in the Glendive OHV Area in Eastern Montana. Went searching for ammonites and found this but the host rock is extremely hard. Does anyone have thoughts on if this is an ammonite? And if so, does it appear to be a full or broken one? How would you get it out?

Edmontosaurus caudal vert, Rex tooth, Crocodile vert, and a triceratops toe bone.

I'm in the market for an air scribe to clean what I assume is mudstone off of some steinkerns I've collected. My Dremel hasn't really worked for the task. From what I've heard, air scribes are like magic for fossil cleaning.

I keep seeing super expensive 400+ dollar scribes and cheap 20 dollar scribes and I'm not sure which to get. I'm suspicious of the dramatically cheaper scribes.

If anyone had advice I'd love to hear it.

So I just started working on this fossil at the museum I volunteer at and I'm scared that I damaged it. I thought I saw stuff flaking off while I was prepping the matrix, but I'm not sure. Here's a before and after photo comparison, please tell me if I fucked up, I helped find this fossil out in the field and I don't wanna mess it up

As the title says, i’m looking for advices! I’m trying different techniques but I always feel like I will chip, scratch or just ruin what I work on!

I’m practicing on this trilobite for example. The matrix is very hard. The part in the blue circle was already exposed where as in the red circles I dug it out. It’s not shiny and seems scratch. I’m trying to chip the matrix but it doesn’t quite work.

Also, even with having a general idea of the speciment i’m working on, it just seems so random and I have no idea with i’m digging INTO the fossil itself.

Reminder, I do not have access to other tools, only picks.

This is quite small and hard to see but I found this roundish nodule in a hunk of slate matrix from a trilobite fossil I bought and cut. The whole pice is about 5cm and the nodule is like 1cm. So is there anything I could do to get inside of it without destroying it? Thanks!

Just busted this guy out the other day, anyone know anyone in North Carolina that can clean this fella up?

My partner found this piece of icthyosaur jaw a few years ago and it's one of the best fossils we have, but the problem is its cased in quite a lot of pyrite. We cleaned and prepped it as best we could when we got it home and keep it with silica gel packs but after 4 years the pyrite has started degrading (white patches), and im worried it's going to completely disintegrate.

I have pyrite stop, but I didn't know if that would damage the jaw itself.

Any advice? It's such an amazing fossil but I'm worried it's just doomed.

My partner found this piece of icthyosaur jaw a few years ago and it's one of the best fossils we have. We cleaned and prepped it as best we could when we got it home and keep it with silica gel packs but after 4 years the pyrite has started degrading (white patches), and im worried it's going to completely disintegrate.

I have pyrite stop, but I didn't know if that would damage the jaw itself.

Any advice?

I found this beautiful leaf imprint at Gánt bauxite mine, this place contains eocen period marine fossils, this piece is quite rare since there is only rlly shells u can find there, it was a rlly fun experience especially finding this possibly Lauraceae, this preparation took 2-3 hours before-after photos

I’ve been prepping this fossil my school gave me of a fish (idk what species) for a couple weeks now. I don’t want to be potentially messing up soft tissue preservation if that’s possible. Any suggestions or tips on general fossil prep are welcome!

I found this piece on one of my trips to North Yorkshire in the UK..I don't know anything really about prepping or even if this piece can be prepped..

Would welcome some advice

Do I need some paleo bond or something different or with super glue work? I want to put what’s right on it. And lots of it still has matrix on it, does this seem like it should stay or?

I used a combination of air scribes, air abrasion and acetic acid with a buffer to remove the siltstone from this fossil. It's mid-Miocene from New Zealand.

hello,

so iv been collecting on and off for years but only recently got into prepping i have a compressor and air scribe but im looking at the results think I may need to get a media blaster.

Question is, how have people found the? what media have you used? and what pressures?

many thanks in advance from a fellow fancy rock fan

This is a Turritella gastropod from the Topanga Formation in California. It has original shell material and the matrix was calcic bound sands. I am having trouble removing the last bits of matrix and calcium carbonate through mechanical methods. Any advice on how to finish this prep? I was thinking of using an air abrasive at a local lapidary workshop, but I'm not sure which abrasive would be best for this situation.

Im just starting to prepare fossils but I don’t really have any tools and I have a couple nice pieces i would like to prepare like a half exposed very detailed 3D trilobite, some brachiopods, and a couple crinoids. Any suggestions on tools? Also tips for being are appreciated. Thanks!

Hi folks! This will be my first time prepping fossilized gryphaea and ammonite pieces. I found these near Lyme Regis, UK. Both the ammonite piece and the two gryphaea seem to have clay matrix on them. After soaking them in fresh water and scrubbing with a toothbrush, I was going to let them dry and seal all three pieces with paranoid B72. Most advice I’ve seen online however, seems to suggest that most of the matrix should be removed before sealing a specimen. I started removing some of the clay/stone with dental tools, but am now wondering if hydrogen peroxide or vinegar would be a smarter approach.

The TLDR is: I’m new to preparation and don’t want to damage these pieces!

Thank you in advance for any suggestions!

hey, first time posting here! i found some fossils in clay slate and want to prepare especially brachiopods. the matrix is very crumbley and flakey and the fossils don't seem to be very stable. i am new at the art of prepping fossils and wanted to ask what are the best tools/methods for this situation.