We most commonly find isolated fossil elements that are placed in bone bags or vials and brought back to the lab for screenwashing. When we discover complete or nearly complete specimens we create plaster jackets around them for protection during removal and transport. Depending on the size of the specimen, jackets are created using either plaster bandages (what the doctors use to create a cast around a broken bone) or Plaster of Paris mixed with water and strips of burlap.

Once back at the lab, this ‘bowl of matrix and fossils’ is prepared using various tools, such as dental picks, hardened with a special glue, called B-72, and eventually removed from the jacket.

Thursday, March 2nd

Rachel Narducci, Carol Sewell, and Bill Sewell create plaster jackets around two nearly complete Trachemys sp. (slider turtle) shells

Rachel, Bill, & Carol work on a trach jacket

Bill & Carol work on a trach jacket

Rachel, Bill & Carol work on a trach jacket

Rachel & Carol work on a trach jacket

Sunday, March 5th

A cluster of gomphothere bones pedestaled and waiting to be jacketed.

Cindy Lockner showing off her plastered hands

Cindy Lockner and Richard Hulbert with the completed burlap and plaster jacket around the gomphothere fossils

Friday, March 10th

Gomphothere tibia

Gomphothere tibia pedestaled and ready for jacketing

Plaster and burlap jacket around the tibia

Now that the jacket is flipped over, Carol Sewell removes excess matrix to help decrease the weight.

Saturday, March 11th