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The air-abrasive technique

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 July 2017

Joseph T. Hannibal
Joseph T. Hannibal*
Affiliation:
Cleveland Museum of Natural History, Wade Oval, University Circle, Cleveland, Ohio 44106
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Extract

AIR-ABRASIVE, also called Airbrasive (a trademark of the Pennwalt S.S. White Co.), units are in effect miniature sandblasting machines. The units propel an abrasive, by means of a gas, through a flexible hose attached to a handpiece. Originally designed for dental and industrial uses, these units are now widely used for preparing fossils. The air abrasive can be used by itself or in combination with other techniques to excavate fossils from matrix, to remove matrix from areas of specimens for detailed study, and to elevate specimens above the surface of the matrix for display and photography. The technique of preparing fossils using the air abrasive has been previously described and discussed by a number of authors, notably by Stucker (1961), Stucker et al. (1965), Rixon (1976, p. 75–77), and Converse (1984, p. 42–49).

Type
Techniques for Megafossils
Information
The Paleontological Society Special Publications , Volume 4: Paleotechniques , 1989 , pp. 227 - 236
Copyright
Copyright © 1989 Paleontological Society 

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References

Converse, H. H. Jr. 1984. Handbook of Paleo-Preparation Techniques. H. H. Converse, Florida State Museum, Gainesville, Florida. 125 p.Google Scholar
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Gunther, L. F, Gunther, V.G., and Rigby, J. K. 1979. An economical miniature sandblaster for preparation of fossils. Journal of Paleontology, 53(2):506–507.Google Scholar
Hannibal, J. T., Williams, M. E., and Jackson, G. L. 1988. An inexpensive source of dolomite powder for use with Airbrasive units. Journal of Paleontology, 62(2):316.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rixon, A. E. 1976. Fossil Animal Remains: Their Preparation and Conservation. Athlone Press, London, 304 p.Google Scholar
White, S.S. [no date]. S.S. White Industrial Airbrasive UniModel F Service Manual. S. S. White, New York, 55 p.Google Scholar
Stucker, G. F. 1961. Salvaging fossils by jet. Curator, 4(4):332–340.Google Scholar
Stucker, G. F., Galusha, M. J., and McKenna, M. C. 1965. Removing matrix from fossils by miniature sandblasting, p. 273–275. In Kummel, B., and Raup, D. (eds.), Handbook of Paleontological Techniques. Freeman, San Francisco.Google Scholar