Try making a reflector by covering a large piece of cardboard with aluminum foil. That way you can create shadows if the sun isn't in the right place. Gwyneth --On Thursday, December 18, 2008 11:04 AM -0500 [email protected] wrote: > Shaving cream works very well.  Spray the lettering, then use the edge of > your hand or the edge of a piece of cardboard to remove excess. In the > event you forget your shaving cream try photographing the stone from an > angle rather than straight on as that way a shadow will be visable and > make the lettering legible if no too far gone.   > > > > > The shaving cream was a recommendation at a large genealogical conference > in VA.  We were assured that the cream would not harm the stone and would > wash away by rain.   > > > > > Bebe Fox > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Richard Ellington <[email protected]> > To: [email protected] > Sent: Thu, 18 Dec 2008 10:18 am > Subject: Re: [NCDOGS] Fw: submissions for January 2009 newsletter > > > > > > > > > Thanks to Tommy for the original suggestion and to Cleo for the great > information. It's great to have our distant "D-OGS cuzzins" contribute > to our discussions. > > Perhaps this would be a good topic for an upcoming Trading Path Journal > article or even a series of articles. Who out there in D-OGS land would > like to take on the subject? I do have some info in a short article that > I will include in the next newsletter. > > - Richard > > > Cleo wrote: >>>> Since I see so many tombstones that are hard to read I would think it >>>> might be nice to have someting in the newslatter as to how to clean >>>> them or how >>>> to read what is inscribed when it is either worn or molded over. This >>>> may not >>>> be a good i > dea but it does interest me and someone in the group may know >>>> . >>>> Thanks , Tommy Hunt >> >>>>> If you have anything that you want included in the January newsletter, >>>>> please send it to me by noon this Friday, 12/19. >>>>> -- Richard >> >> >> Here's the "fount of all knowledge" on the subject of gravestone >> preservation: http://www.gravestonestudies.org/. Prowl around on that >> site for much information! >> >> For many years, I have used with success plain table flour which, >> applied by the handful, and gently rubbed into the inscriptions, will >> bring out even very worn inscriptions, so they may be successfully >> photographed. It is organic, and avoids all the chemical objections of >> gravestone preservationists. >> >> There are those who prefer chalk or some other powder, but I find if I >> run out of my supply unexpectedly, I can replentish it at the corner >> store in Orange County! >> >> Of course, NEVER use wire brushes, or metal devices of any kind to >> "clean" the lichen off grave markers. And NEVER chemicals like purex >> or cholorox!! >> >> A new topic that has surfaced hereabouts, is the use of "divining rods" >> to locate lost graves that have no stone markers. There's controversy >> about it's effectiveness, but I've been convinced by a fellow from IL, >> who came to give a program on it at the Cheatham County [TN] Historical >> and Genealogical Association at Ashland City, TN last summer. It's an >> individual learning=2 > 0 >> experience, but seems to work! He located and platted the graves in a >> long lost family cemetery behind a house within the city, that had been >> encroached upon, and only some vinca minor remained in a tiny patch. >> Seems there were perhaps a dozen gravesites there that had been lost. >> >> Cleo Hogan, JD >> Clarksville, TN >> Past Director & Life Member, NC Gen Soc >> Founding Director, Old Buncombe Co. Gen Soc >> Desc of Hogan, Holt, King, Lloyd, Craig, Blackwood of Orange >> >> >> >> ************************* >> Visit the D-OGS web site: http://www.rootsweb.com/~ncdogs/ >> Please post all queries using the D-OGS query form: >> http://www.rootsweb.com/~ncdogs/memquery.html >> >> ------------------------------- >> To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to >> [email protected] > with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the > body of the message > > -- > =+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+= > > Richard K. Ellington > ITS Data Centers Manager > Information Technology Services > University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill > 440 W. Franklin St., CB 1150 > Chapel Hill, NC 27599-1150 > Control Center - http://control-center.unc.edu > > 919-698-8591 (voice) > 919-843-9153 (fax) > [email protected] > > > "We shall not fail or falter; we shall not weaken > or tire...Give us the tools and we will finish the job". > > -Winston Churchill > > =+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=3 > D > ************************* > Visit the D-OGS web site: http://www.rootsweb.com/~ncdogs/ > Please post all queries using the D-OGS query form: > http://www.rootsweb.com/~ncdogs/memquery.html > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message > > > > > > > > > ************************* > Visit the D-OGS web site: http://www.rootsweb.com/~ncdogs/ > Please post all queries using the D-OGS query form: > http://www.rootsweb.com/~ncdogs/memquery.html > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message ---------------------------------------------------- Gwyneth Duncan Voice: 919-660-5860 Systems Librarian Fax: 919-684-2855 Perkins Library Email: [email protected] Box 90196 Duke University Durham, NC 27708-0196