RWA3006
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Post by RWA3006 on Dec 10, 2022 10:48:29 GMT -5
Dang jasoninsd You're getting really good at this wrapping stuff. I'm impressed. I wrapped some barbed wire around an old juniper post once. Somehow it didn't look like what you do.
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RWA3006
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Member since March 2009
Posts: 4,241
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Post by RWA3006 on Dec 9, 2022 22:58:04 GMT -5
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RWA3006
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Posts: 4,241
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Post by RWA3006 on Dec 9, 2022 22:54:37 GMT -5
That's very beautiful and if it's coprolite I'd rate it as museum grade as jasoninsd indicated. My opinion is it's definitely not bone and if it's wood it would probably be some kind of vascular plant or some oddball species. At first I thought it was cycad or something weird, but after really looking at it I have to opine that it's coprolite because of the dung beetle burrows that filled with red agate. The rest of the specimen is hard to identify, but the bug tunnels are so blatantly stereotypical of such that I conclude they are the smoking gun that points to coprolite. If you look at the shape and other characteristics of beetle burrows in poop you will begin to notice they have certain ratios and traits that are mostly exclusive compared to other rocks. Another thing that really points to coprolite is you will notice that some of the tunnels go around the edges of discrete structures within the specimen. I know that these turds were not perfectly homogeneous but had components that were less digested than the matrix surrounding them. An example would be a less digested limb within the softer poo surrounding it. When beetles burrow and encounter a tougher tree limb they will be deflected to burrow past the side of the limb rather than try to cut through it. I'm fairly confident I can see this in your specimen. Congratulations on a very nice piece and my opinion is it has more value as a specimen displaying an entire cross section than if you were to cut it up. I would also be inclined to believe it came from that band of country that goes from Las Vegas eastward towards the Colorado border, very likely from just South of the Henry mountains in Utah.
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RWA3006
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Member since March 2009
Posts: 4,241
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Post by RWA3006 on Dec 8, 2022 22:38:52 GMT -5
I had a long day manufacturing ammunition.
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RWA3006
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Member since March 2009
Posts: 4,241
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Post by RWA3006 on Dec 8, 2022 22:25:57 GMT -5
Condolences. Glad you got to see the good side of humanity. Like you, I've been able to see many wonderful people in action and it reminds me that the sensational bad hijacks too much of our attention and energy. God works in mysterious ways.
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RWA3006
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Member since March 2009
Posts: 4,241
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Post by RWA3006 on Dec 8, 2022 14:31:42 GMT -5
That last one is a beauty! The size of the ghost limb has me thinking again. Always a dangerous proposition, but here goes my thought. The size of the ghost limbs relative to the overall size of the coprolites can be impressively large and I would imagine difficult to pass. Could it be that the original dropping was significantly larger than the fossilized coprolite? These dinos must have had strong digestive tracts to support their diets, but the size of some of the limbs seems very large to pass through. On the other hand, the pelletized poops where the pellets are visible from the exterior would suggest that the final fossilized poop was pretty much unaltered from the original. But then you wouldn’t have those large limb ghosts in the small pellets. And the pelletized poo would suggest that the pellets may be harder (less water content) than the other types of poop. I’m thinking the difference between deer pellets and a cow patty on that one. If the poops with limb ghosts are wetter than the pelletized poo, then it could stand to reason that the coprolite is not necessarily the same as the fresh dropping given the chance to erode or shrinkage due to drying. Clearly spending way to much time pondering prehistoric poo… Exactly. And now you've got me thinking... I'm not sure I can remember big limbs occuring within specimens that are highly pelletized. Now I have an excuse to go back through the collection and see.
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RWA3006
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Post by RWA3006 on Dec 8, 2022 7:53:06 GMT -5
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RWA3006
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Member since March 2009
Posts: 4,241
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Post by RWA3006 on Dec 7, 2022 9:43:48 GMT -5
Nice way to sweeten the pot! The one in the photo above is on loan to a science department, but I'll select rough that has full potential to be as high of caliber as that one. Of course, coprolites are like a box of chocolates. You never know what will be inside till you cut it.
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RWA3006
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Member since March 2009
Posts: 4,241
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Post by RWA3006 on Dec 7, 2022 8:00:22 GMT -5
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RWA3006
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Post by RWA3006 on Dec 7, 2022 8:00:00 GMT -5
I really appreciate everyone's participation in this auction. I have a special pile of coprolite rough where I've placed only the best material with the highest potential of museum grade specimens.
I will be pulling the auction winner's prize from this pile and there will be duds in the box but there is also bound to be something really special that will go in the MFRB.
The photo below is what I consider to be a museum grade specimen.
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RWA3006
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Post by RWA3006 on Dec 6, 2022 20:37:15 GMT -5
Did you guys notice all the stuff going on in this last one? It looks like there was a void in the middle that started to fill in as evidenced by the chalcedony fortification lines, then it finished filling with calcite crystal. I also noticed the reddish plug of dung beetle poo that was left in the cavity that I suppose was made by a bug. A coprolite within a coprolite, as it were.
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RWA3006
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Post by RWA3006 on Dec 6, 2022 8:35:13 GMT -5
#2 is a quartzite nodule. I find many with this particular weathering pattern in Wyoming. I'd cut #3, 4.
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RWA3006
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Post by RWA3006 on Dec 6, 2022 7:42:29 GMT -5
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RWA3006
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Post by RWA3006 on Dec 5, 2022 22:52:58 GMT -5
Here's another good one.
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RWA3006
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Post by RWA3006 on Dec 5, 2022 22:39:23 GMT -5
Some ridges in Utah are called reefs because the steep cliffs block travel across land, like a coral reef impedes ships. Bless you Dave! I've always wondered why they were called reefs and now I know. They really do block passage don't they? I've hiked across some and it's tough going even on foot.
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RWA3006
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Member since March 2009
Posts: 4,241
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Post by RWA3006 on Dec 5, 2022 22:08:17 GMT -5
I will pack a MFRB full of high grade coprolite rough which usually amounts to at least 20 pounds. I'll also custom select the coprolite for either cutting rough or specimen purposes according to the wishes of the auction winner. I'll cover domestic shipping expenses and also cherry pick the material for best odds of something really special inside. Let's close this auction at midnight mountain standard time Saturday Dec. 10th. Payment can be made directly to Stonemon's fund and I'll send the box right after that. If you need to get an idea of what you would be bidding for you can check out forum.rocktumblinghobby.com/thread/92117/coprolite?page=1Thank you for considering a good cause. Randy Thank you, Randy! Is there an opening bid? Let's start low at $40 so everyone feels tempted.
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RWA3006
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Member since March 2009
Posts: 4,241
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Post by RWA3006 on Dec 5, 2022 22:05:37 GMT -5
Ladies and gentlemen, I'd like you to consider bidding on a medium flat rate box full of coprolite rough that I'm putting up for auction to help Stonemon with some medical expenses. All proceeds will go to him and I'll cover shipping expenses. I'm going to pick out over 20 pounds of the highest quality coprolite rough that should promise some excellent results, but of course you never know till you cut them open. Go to the link for details and thank you. Randy forum.rocktumblinghobby.com/thread/101025/benefit-auction-stonemon-coprolite
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RWA3006
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Member since March 2009
Posts: 4,241
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Post by RWA3006 on Dec 5, 2022 21:56:14 GMT -5
I will pack a MFRB full of high grade coprolite rough which usually amounts to at least 20 pounds. I'll also custom select the coprolite for either cutting rough or specimen purposes according to the wishes of the auction winner. I'll cover domestic shipping expenses and also cherry pick the material for best odds of something really special inside. Let's close this auction at midnight mountain standard time Saturday Dec. 10th. Payment can be made directly to Stonemon's fund and I'll send the box right after that. If you need to get an idea of what you would be bidding for you can check out forum.rocktumblinghobby.com/thread/92117/coprolite?page=1Thank you for considering a good cause. Randy
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RWA3006
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Member since March 2009
Posts: 4,241
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Post by RWA3006 on Dec 3, 2022 11:46:54 GMT -5
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RWA3006
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Post by RWA3006 on Dec 3, 2022 11:37:06 GMT -5
Interesting. Reminds me of when I used to run a lumber sawmill with a 52" blade. The beast had a 3/8" kerf and a giant German diesel engine to drive it. I quickly learned why band saw style mills rendered my mill obsolete, because any slight shifting or twisting would bind the blade and warp it from heat building up.
Another issue is it's really hard to load the carriage with such heavy stock without knocking it out of alignment or damaging it.
My gut tells me this new saw might be too much of a good thing and something like a band saw, or wire saw might be more practical.
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