The start of longer fossil prep vids

I did a few live preps when I first started the channel, but now I've got an air scribe and more skill, I am aiming to do time lapse preps more regularly. This is the first relatively short prep video as I try to tweak my settings and bring the quality of both the prep and the videography as high as possible.
Enjoy and any comments (beyond get my hair/glasses out of shot) are greatly appreciated!

[@lescher8488]

Timelapse prep is fun to watch, thanks for posting it!

[@dinoskool]

Glad you enjoyed it! When I've got all the filming figured out there will be lots more of it

[@MrLandphill]

looking good

[@dinoskool]

Thanks!

[@fossilsoft]

Filming from above can be tricky, I found that the best way is to mount the camera infront of you looking down and towards you then turning the footage 180 deg's in the editing program but I have never managed to get the light right. Always tricky no matter where the camera is due to your hands getting in the way particularly on small fossils...

[@dinoskool]

Thanks for the comment. That's currently my setup. I've got a prep box and the camera is mounted above but from behind and then video flipped in editing. It is very much a challenge getting the camera right especially with a prep box as the light reflects badly from a lot of angles and small/intricate stuff gets lost when I pull out the little magnifier. I'll keep working on it and hopefully have some cleaner vids soon!

[@annetalbot9151]

Lovely prep job. How much quicker is it compared to the dremel? Looking forward to seeing some more videos like this

[@dinoskool]

I reckon a standard ammonite is 30min ish now. Big ones still take time, but I'd say 1/2-1/4 the time of the Dremel (at 30x the price for the setup). Funnily the nice Peronoceras was much quicker than that as the matrix just peeled away with the Maia. The Maia (and air scribes in general) is a lot more powerful and precise so doing both bulk removal and fine work is much easier.

[@annetalbot9151]

@@dinoskool it's funny how some are much harder to prep than others 😅

[@dinoskool]

I tried a Hildy last night which are usually super easy, but the matrix was super sticky and gave up when I realised the ammonite was incomplete. I do wonder if some of the Peronoceras species actually benefit from being kept in an unheated shed over the winter and whether the heating/cooling actually helps separate the matrix. Some of the nicest preps I've had are from worn/partial specimens that I'd not even look at collecting half the time. Still very much learning it all, and sending my rare things away for experts to prep.

[@annetalbot9151]

@dinoskool I've found that some of the really pyritic ones that I've collected benefit from drying out. I'll take a layer off and then leave it for a few days before having another go and the top layer just seems to melt away. Each one is a new lesson in preparation