This month's "field trip" was to the garage of James Lamb, paleontologist at the University of West Alabama. He presented a hands-on workshop on how to forge your own tools of the correct firmness, hardness, and resiliency. A forge was set up, and various metals including springs were cut to size to make specialty tools. Members also brought store bought chisels and and other tools to temper them so they would last and work properly in the field. It was quite interesting learning to determine temperature and hardness based on the color of the hot metal. Members also had the opportunity to make their own screen for finding all those shark teeth hiding in the creeks! This workshop was a follow-up to the March program, titled "Paleontology on a Budget: Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap".
