Yes, I'm like you, Janice. I believe, like Rick, a good photo, taken at different angles, should get you a good picture, which can be scanned into the computer, and enlarged to read the dates and writings on the stones. Though, there are some that just can't be read, in which cases you need the actual records of the funeral homes, or church records, to find out who is buried there. Mike takes his really good camera, and I take instant cameras. With instant cameras, you can get just about 6 to even 3 inches away, and they come out GREAT, but try it first. I know it worked for me, because I didn't know I was that close, approaching the tombstone with the camera at my face :o) I took the picture, and when I lowered the camera, I jumped, not expecting something that close to my face. Any closer and I would have eaten the stone :o) I was glad it was just Mike and I at the cemetery that day. He heard me YIP, and asked if a ghost got me ;o) Lynn Janice wrote: The only safe method I have heard about is to use a popcicle stick with a rounded end on it. You just gently pry the gunk off the stone---not hard. I just cringe whenever someone talks about doing rubbings, etc. The stones that are old are soooo fragile, they can have the whole front of the stone slide right off, if people are too rough with the stones. Makes me shudder to think about it!! The best thing is to leave the stones alone---you could just really make a mess of them if you tinker with them!! Janice in Iowa Rick wrote: > > I'll have to go back into my files, but as long as you're not using a > chemical based product its OK. Its not recommended to do any rubbings on > the stone of any kind as it further deteriorates the already fragile and > worn inscription. > > The approach that works best for me is taking a picture of the inscription > with a good digital camera or a high end 35 mm camera. I use a Cannon > AE-1 that my parents bought me in 1981. Another way is using a mirror > reflecting on the inscription. > > I do have a question for anyone that might know. What's the safest way to > remove moss and mildew from a tombstone? I've encountered this on > numerous trips to cemeteries with my ancestor's stones covered in the > stuff. > > Thanks! > > Rick B > ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to PADUTCH-LIFE-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message

I agree too. Pour or squirt plain water and it comes out much clearer. Also, towards the end of the day sometimes works better. I guess what I mean is when the sun does not shine directly on the stone. And I've found that taking black and white pictures sometimes works better than taking colored pictures. I always take several pictures of each stone using both my digital and 35mm. My friend Lois and I were visiting cemeteries this past week in Miami Co. Ohio. We found a few stones in this one cemetery where someone had done rubbings. Lois said right away, oh oh...... How could she tell I asked? Because we saw colors on the stones, and she knew the colors didn't belong there. I haven't done this, so please don't yell at me..... but I have a question please: would a soft toothbrush with just plain water help take off the algea and the dirt, at the "bottom" of some tombstones? Any type of really really soft brush?? I'm thinking soft like a makeup brush?? Or just stick with water? I know Lois and her family just paid for some company to come from Cincinnati to clean and repair stones in a family cemetery they had found just this year. It was thought to be lost, but Lois and another lady found it on private property, and the family there has been very good about allowing them to clean it up. They(several ladies) did an excellent job. They cleared out years of weeds and also found some stones that were knocked over and buried several inches underground. When the stones were found and unearthed, it also provided dates for research that they didn't have before. Needless to say, they are very happy campers. :) All of our children think we are nuts! ;) We would almost rather go visit cemeteries than go shopping!! But we never forget to go to go to lunch. :) That's my cemetery story from Ohio. Regards... Kathy L. Piqua, Ohio ----- Original Message ----- From: "Lynn Vondran" <lynnvondran@att.net> To: <padutch-life@rootsweb.com> Sent: Wednesday, September 05, 2007 10:20 AM Subject: Re: [PD-LIFE] Tombstone Reading > Yes, I'm like you, Janice. > I believe, like Rick, a good photo, taken at different angles, should get > you a good picture, which can be scanned into the computer, and enlarged > to read the dates and writings on the stones. Though, there are some that > just can't be read, in which cases you need the actual records of the > funeral homes, or church records, to find out who is buried there. > Mike takes his really good camera, and I take instant cameras. With > instant cameras, you can get just about 6 to even 3 inches away, and they > come out GREAT, but try it first. I know it worked for me, because I > didn't know I was that close, approaching the tombstone with the camera at > my face :o) I took the picture, and when I lowered the camera, I jumped, > not expecting something that close to my face. Any closer and I would > have eaten the stone :o) I was glad it was just Mike and I at the > cemetery that day. He heard me YIP, and asked if a ghost got me ;o) > Lynn > > Janice wrote: > > The only safe method I have heard about is to use a popcicle stick with a > rounded end on it. You just gently pry the gunk off the stone---not > hard. > I just cringe whenever someone talks about doing rubbings, etc. The > stones > that are old are soooo fragile, they can have the whole front of the > stone > slide right off, if people are too rough with the stones. Makes me > shudder > to think about it!! > > The best thing is to leave the stones alone---you could just really make > a > mess of them if you tinker with them!! > > Janice in Iowa > > Rick wrote: > > > > I'll have to go back into my files, but as long as you're not using a > > chemical based product its OK. Its not recommended to do any rubbings > on > > the stone of any kind as it further deteriorates the already fragile > and > > worn inscription. > > > > The approach that works best for me is taking a picture of the > inscription > > with a good digital camera or a high end 35 mm camera. I use a Cannon > > AE-1 that my parents bought me in 1981. Another way is using a mirror > > reflecting on the inscription. > > > > I do have a question for anyone that might know. What's the safest way > to > > remove moss and mildew from a tombstone? I've encountered this on > > numerous trips to cemeteries with my ancestor's stones covered in the > > stuff. > > > > Thanks! > > > > Rick B > > > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > PADUTCH-LIFE-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > PADUTCH-LIFE-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message >