Why and How: Fossil Preparation Equipment, a basic outline.

Without a doubt, the most common questions I get through social media and my website are about preparation. An easy question to ask but a time-consuming, multi-layered one to answer. "How do I get started?", "what tools should I buy" and "send me a list of everything I need" etc. It's difficult to set another down this path without a large amount of information and explanation. In my personal opinion, a lot of research must be undertaken by the interested party themselves. Information can sometimes be hoarded by the knowledgeable like dragons on their proverbial gold. On the other hand, I know many preparators that couldn't be more gracious with their time and knowledge. The skills are hard won, the equipment costly and many of us make a sparse living applying said skills. I'm writing this blog as a kind of reference for beginners and (selfishly) a place I can direct these questions without writing a novel, long-winded response every other day. I'll start off by saying this; if you're thinking you're going to save money doing it yourself, guess again! It's not my intention to discourage or to be negative in any way but to set the stage for what is required. There's considerable cost investment in equipment as well as time investment in skill building. I also need to point out that my skillset as a preparator has not been gained from any formal education as such. My qualifications, my ever-evolving 'resume' so to speak are the specimens on this website. I've learned a lot from my betters and a great deal more from just putting the time in. Every day that I prepare a fossil I learn something new. Sometimes, this learning comes from making mistakes. Often actually. Just like playing an instrument, I'll forever be a student and expanding my competency with experience and experiment. Skills are hard won and failure is often the best teacher.

This rough diatribe is more of a guideline of my personal thoughts on equipment and my process of preparing fossils. It is also written with the Paleozoic in mind as I don't have much experience with other eras. Other preppers of merit and skill may disagree with some elements of this blog but it should all buff out in the end if you'll stick with me.

What is fossil prep?

Fossil preparation is any and all steps taken to improve the visibility, aesthetics or scientific value of a specimen. In most forms it is the removal of overburden rock, calcite or incidental fossil material overlying a specimen. This can be done mechanically, with specialized tools like rock saws, air dent/abrasion, scribes and rotary tools. Chemically, like the prep involved with exposing the famous Keichosaurus reptile fossils by using formic or acetic acids. Exposing a specimen can also be done by hand, using pin vices, dental picks and other sharp instruments to 'chip' matrix off a specimen. The method of prep required is often informed by where your fossil is from. Some matrix, such as the Smoke Creek trilobite bed layers of limestone, are relatively soft and can often be prepared to a persons satisfaction with said hand tools (though this is an example, it's VERY time consuming). Others, like the micritic limestone from Anticosti Island, Quebec, is nearly bulletproof and a series of tools and harder blasting powders are often required. Even how a fossil is cut down to size and or shaped is a part of preparing a fossil.

Why prep a fossil?

Wether you are a student of earth sciences or a hobbyist collecting fossils for display, a properly prepared fossil is an amalgamation of art and science. Though damning cries of "fake!!" echo through the Swampland of the Uneducated that is the internet, a properly prepared piece can inflame our curiosity and deepen our appreciation of these creatures from our planets deep past. Scientific value is gleaned from the process as researchers can properly record everything from growth, pathology and even behaviour from these physical snapshots of time. Prep technology has continuously improved over the years and the depth and understanding of paleozoic flora and fauna with it.

What do I need to get started?

To answer that question, it really depends on how far you want to take it. For most people, using pin vices, dental picks and hobby knives will scratch the itch. These can be found at most surplus stores or *shudder* purchased from Amazon. It's a low cost, hands on option to get started and familiar with working on a fossil. I'd also recommend getting some kind of magnifier, like the headset one with several different magnifying strengths. When you're working by hand, you can work pretty much anywhere that has good lighting. Depending on where/what you collect, I suggest experimenting on lesser fossils like brachiopods, crinoid stems and shed trilobite parts before tackling a beloved find. Always bring home non-'keeper' material for this purpose. Do a LOT of experimenting and build up your precision and understanding of how the rock is effectively removed from fossil. Each locality is a little different and so, will require different pressures and tools. We're all guilty of seeing something on the internet and going "yeah, I can do that" but like playing an instrument, it takes time and a ton of practice. Often, the finished work we see presented online is only the tip of a massive iceberg.

Though I believe starting with hand-tools is not only satisfying but important for building hand/fossil coordination, it will not do for many of you. Some will want to go the full monty and get into mechanical preparation. Mechanical preparation is all about air and your first major purchase should be a good air compressor. First and foremost you want to get an oil-free compressor! This is very important as you do not want oil getting into your carefully maintained system. There's a ton of options out there for oil-free machines including some that run quiet, perfect for apartments etc. A consideration will be size of your compressor and this really depends on your living situation, how much and how hard you want to run it. I've got a 20gallon, El-cheapo one that I've been running hard for about 6 years. The more that your unit has to refill, the harder the motor will be running, the hotter the air, the shorter the lifespan of your machine. Hot air is full of moisture. I usually would advise against using those little airgun-nailer, pancake compressors but I know several folks who use them without too much issue. Good deals can be found on compressors at stores like Canadian Tire (If you're Canadian) or Harbour Freight. Social media marketplaces can be a great spot to get a deal as well but just make sure it's an 'oil-free' model.

So you've got a compressor, now what? Consideration #1 is that moisture is not your friend. Depending on your climate and the time of year, moisture can be a huge problem. Not only will moisture rust your equipment, shorten the life of your tools and connectors, it will also make air abrasion an incredibly frustrating process. Many blasting powders (especially Sodium bicarbonate and Dolomite), are hydrophilic. This means that they readily absorb moisture from the air. If you're pushing wet air through your system, you are going to have a bad time. Someone living in, let's say, Utah, will have an immensely easier time with their prep lab as the relative humidity is quite low. As I write this in the last days of August from SW Ontario, Canada- the humidity is terrible. Nearly 70 percent. Because of this, I use several 'pipe bomb' style desiccant units in series to help get that number down as much as possible. I use long airlines (50') and have them go up and across the ceiling. This helps keep water at a low point in the airflow of the system. Emptying your desiccant water-traps and draining the water from your compressors drain line should be done every day. I also run a dehumidifier in my lab so that the air taken in by the system is a little drier than the ambient humidity. One fellow preparator I know keeps a coil of his airline in a bucket of cold water which will force the air to 'sweat' out the water at that lower point in the line. Better living through physics. With some form of desiccant in your air path, you'll also want to add a dirt/dust/oil filter before the air gets into your prep station. This will prevent any errant particles or desiccant from getting lodged into your blaster or scribes and extend their lifetimes.

Work station: You will need an enclosed workstation to keep the dust from escaping into your lungs/house/apartment/family's lungs/dogs lungs. These can be bought fully assembled or easily built with a little woodworking skill and planning. This station should be at a comfortable working height (especially if you spend long hours at it like I do) and fully sealed except for your arm holes, suction port and access door. I have used both pre-assembled and homemade ones and it's up to personal taste and your needs. Personally I like the homemade kind. I built a 4' wide station that is useful for larger prep-jobs. You'll need a glass top to see what you're working on as plastic will scratch too easily. I've seen workstations built from plastic bins, scrap wood, taped together parts and cheap glass panels from dollar store picture frames. It's a budget vs free-time vs application kind of thing and there's no wrong way as long as it's sealed and you can see what your working on! Light: You will need more light than you think. Luckily, the cost of high output LED lights has really come down in the last few years and you should be able to kit your workstation out with some serious lumens. For context, I'm running around 20,000 lumens on my system. The better quality your scope head, the less light you'll need. I suppose that may inform as to the quality of my scope head (not the best/not the worst).

Consideration #2: This is a big one as it directly involves your health and it's one that is never taken as seriously as it should be (I have been guilty of this in the past). Whether you are using a scribe, air-dent or both, you will need negative air pressure in your work station to remove active particles from the station. Even when using a scribe, micro-particles of rock flower will be breathed in while you work. Over time, this WILL lead to health problems. The worst offender is dolomite powder which is known to cause cancer when continuously breathed in. Option #1: The right way. Using a purpose-built dust collector with fine filtration/HEPA filters and external outdoor exhaust is unquestionably the best thing for fossil prep. The cost of such units is enough to make the average hobbyist scramble for one of those aforementioned dental picks and forget the whole damn mechanical-prep thing. If you're lucky enough to afford one, get one. For the rest of us mortals, we need to get a little creative. I have to reiterate here, these are just guidelines and I am only explaining what I do/have done. In matters of health, I can't stress it enough, you'll be working in a hazardous environment and any money saved isn't worth shortening your life over. That said, enter the noble Shop-vac. Shop-vac's can be used for dust collection with some modifications. Firstly, you'll want to use the fine (usually blue) filter in the unit to prevent these small micron particles from making it into the air. Secondly, Shop-vac's typically have an exhaust. This will contain micro-particles you definitely don't want to be breathing in and must be vented outside. I also have built a few 'cyclone' water traps in series to help cut down on the dust making it to the vacuum. Those hydrophilic particles I mentioned can be greatly reduced by doing this. Extending the life of your vacuum and reducing any potential particle leaks is a win/win. Consistency with cleaning out your filter will also extend the life of your unit. I have bought a LOT of shop-vacs over the years so I recommend this. Using fine-particle filter bags is also a good idea though they are pricy and don't last too many sessions before 'blowing' out. Don't take chances with your health! Consider also using an air quality sensor to maintain good working conditions. If it spikes, you've got a leak somewhere.

Okay, can I prep now?

I've purposely covered a lot of the 'boring' subjects like compressors, dust collectors and health first as the real costs are in your equipment. When I was starting out on fossil prep I bought the cheapest, worst and silliest equipment I could to save a few bucks. It has never worked out in the short or long run. Any mechanic, technician or musician will tell you that you live and die by the quality of your tools. My favourite aphorism from my musician days is "Your sound is only as good as your weakest link". A 59' Les Paul will still sound like shit through a Walmart guitar amp. Good prep equipment is NOT cheap. I'll provide some decent, lower-cost options when I can but prepare to spend some hard-earned cash on equipment. Firstly, you need a scope. A good scope is often what sets a good prepper from a great one. The quality of your elements and the amount of light it lets in will literally change how you see your work. Contrary to what some may believe, you don't want a lot of magnification on your scope head. 10x eye pieces and an objective/Barlow lens (to increase your working distance) suit most. Olympus and Leica brand scope-heads are good go-to's. Cheap scope heads can often be found on eBay as many labs will liquidate or upgrade their gear. The scope should also be of the stereoscope variety, two eyepieces and a single element body. The multi-head ones we all used in high-school wont cut it here.

Air Abrasion

The blaster will be one of, if not your biggest investment. A good one will make prep fun and efficient. A bad one will make for a very frustrating afternoon. Let's start with the pro-units: Swamblaster (MV series), Comco (MB series), SS White (Model K) and Kreativ (Mach 4) are all excellent units. The SS White and Swam units in particular are amazing for prep work. The SS White units are absolute tanks. Simple and efficient, these units haven't been built for years but are the workhorse of prep labs the world over. The way these four brands work is essentially the same: Powder is placed in the media cup, a foot-pedal activates a vibrating motor below said chamber, air and blast media is sent through the system to a hand-piece (with switchable tip sizes). These units all have a variable 'particle control' knob which lets you adjust how much or how little abrasive hits your fossil. If you hunt eBay/marketplace/equipment liquidation websites you can sometimes get lucky and grab a used unit. Luckily, most of these machines are so dependable that even a unit that has been worked hard will most likely work just as well for you. The cost of a new Swamblaster for instance (last time I checked, pre-covid), is around $4500usd. My recommendation, such as it is, is to be patient and spend time hunting a used unit.

One of the most common purchases would-be preppers make is one of those inexpensive handheld Paasche units. Save yourself the disappointment and trouble and don't buy one of these things. I know many people who have and there is always regret. They are borderline useless. I do have an actual useful suggestion in regards to an inexpensive blaster and that is the Vaniman blaster units. These machines are extremely simple, easy to use and considerably less expensive than the fab four brands. I used a SandStorm Professional 80401 (current price $771.53usd) for many years before moving to a Kreativ unit and then a Swamblaster. This particular unit is great to start out on as it has the workstation, air filter and lights built in! Once I decided that I needed more space, I simply removed the blaster unit and attached it to a bigger work station. The SandStorm Mobile ($378.74), is a great choice as well if you plan on building your own workstation out of the gate. Some advice on the Vaniman units- make sure you order the small particle size tank (25-50 micron). This makes it easier to run smaller particle sizes which are very important in the detailed work required for fossils. You should also request their smallest tip size (yellow) and their standard size (green). You can't beat these for the money. I should mention a couple drawbacks though. These units are fully air powered which means that when you depress the foot pedal, air agitates the powder to be drawn into the hand-piece, not vibration. There's no 'powder flow' control and no pinch valve assemblies to stop the powder flow when the pedal is released. There is typically free flow of powder between pedal actuations. This is a relatively minor drawback when considering costs. In addition, because these units are air powered, it will be crucial to have very dry air and dry powder for the best efficiency and ease of use. Finding a source for good blasting powder is also a bit of a subject. This depends on where you are in the world. Many of us bake and sift our powder to keep it dry and working smoothly in our machines. Types of powder and their uses are something I wont be going in to here, this blog is starting to run a little long as it is!

A Swamblaster MV-2L and my much-abused Kreativ Mach 4

Scribes

Scribes are essentially tiny jackhammers powered by air. Model to model, they are typically similar in design with hardened tip, strike plate, O-ring, springs and a main body with an on/off control. Different scribes will have a set operating PSI, a small inline regulator is a useful addition to manage this. Despite most scribes being similar, the difference in quality between brands is shocking. A bad scribe (I'm looking at you CP eBay knockoffs) is all but guaranteed to destroy your beloved fossil. I have heard many a horror story and even banged up a few good bugs myself using an over-powered/under-engineered scribe. Poor workmanship, materials and design will make prep a white knuckle experience. Too much vibration is bad for the fossil AND your hands. Since I'm talking about the Paleozoic in this blog, consider that a scribe used to prep a Tyrannosaur is likely not the type of unit you want to touch your precious Silurian lichid with. Look for a fine, detail scribe to start with. Most folks seem to go right to the CP and bulk scribes with disastrous results. Like the previous paragraph, I'll talk about my favourites first. Hardy Winkler, a German scribe builder, in my opinion, makes the best tools available. I Personally use a HW322 and a HW70 as my two main workhorses. They are beautifully designed, adjustable, have multiple heads and I think I might love them. They also have a max operating pressure of 35 PSI, underlining their efficiency. We get attached to our tools so to speak. The main drawback is pricing- quality is expensive. These aren't factory produced but built by a true craftsman. If you're interested, the US distributor is a company called Stone Co. FYI I don't get kickbacks, I'm not that predatory- I like what I like and I'm happy to tell you about it.

Some of my peers are speaking highly of Belaur and ZOIC though I don't have hands on experience with these tools. I have owned a number of PaleoTool's scribes including some their microjack series and the heavy ME9100 unit. Although I really like PaleoTools business model, providing a real service to preppers, I have found their scribes to have short lifespans vs their cost. A plastic manifold on my microjack split and became unusable within 2 years. Even after a rather expensive tool service, my ME9100 has never worked properly. On the other hand, they happen to sell a great starter scribe called the PaleoAro. This scribe is designed off of the Aro scribe, a Swedish built unit that you can usually find in most prep labs as a general workhorse. I'd normally suggest attempting to find a Swedish built unit via eBay but the PaleoTool version is likely a better bet as they sell the support parts for it. Scribes often get run hard and are rarely serviced, keep this in mind when buying used. Again, dry air is going to make your life a lot easier and extend the life of your tools.

HW322 and HW70 fine/bulk scribes

Art and Fossil

Once you have all your pieces in place, this only takes care of the technical elements. Prep work requires patience, steady hands and an artistic eye. Prep styles are varied and different collectors expect different things in how their pieces are presented. Don't let the negative comments get you down, figure out your style and adapt. Getting comfortable with scribe and blaster is essential and much like the section on hand-tools, you'll want to practice on partials and lesser specimens before taking a swing at your top shelf pieces. Scribing under great magnification and blasting obliquely at low pressures are technical elements you'll learn to apply in artistic ways. I like to try and pre-visualize what the final piece will look like and plan my prep accordingly. It's a bit like that old joke on how to carve an owl out of a block of wood; Just carve away the f**king bits that aren't the owl! In summation, prep requires a fair bit of expense, time and other considerations. If you've made it to the end of this blog, I thank you and wish you the best of luck in setting up your own lab. Being able to prepare your own fossil finds is a true joy.

PS: One last note. Most preparators I know are really good about sharing their expertise and knowledge with beginners. They're generally friendly and forthcoming. My humble request to you, who is just starting out, is to be grateful for what they tell you. This information isn't owed to you, it's been hard won and paid for by those who do it for a living. I have never turned down a request to answer questions thoroughly on the subject but I'm rarely (if ever!) thanked for it.

I'd like to once again thank every single pro who helped me out early on in my prep career, especially MJM who made me judge my work with a critical, artistic eye. Thanks for reading, I hope this is helpful to the greater community in small way!

Mike Meacher - August 31st, 2024