I have treated some pieces of matrix after watching Phil on the opal mills channel and they came out looking amazing, one piece of 29 carats looks like some that I have seen for sale at a couple of thousand dollars, but I paid less than a hundred for it, maybe $50 . I just bought a bottle of sulphuric acid toilet cleaner to do more. I cooked it in a slow cooker for days. First it's in the sugar for three days and then I.rinsed it and put it in a jar covered it in the drain cleaner and I put that in the slow cooker, which I had clean water in. I was really startled by how colourful some of it came out. I just have to find out what untreated matrix to buy, it's only a couple of hundred per kilo. But it comes in different grades, some is like sandstone, some almost looks like quartz or marble, I like that type but it has to be porous enough to absorb the sugar and then the acid, which some really won't. It's very beautiful and interesting material that anyone can afford. I love it.
good to hear you have done it . i really think it is the way to go and it is way undervalued for the color it shows. It will have its time in the lime light so I am stocking up while its cheap:) thank you for letting us know
Never been but when I was in Europe I supported the flames late 80s got a cup i think in 89 and early 2000s was good for you guys . Hope oilers bring it in but its a mountain to claim the Panthers are very very good all around.
Brilliant stuff!! Love seeing people enjoying Matrix. You did an awesome job. Try some of the Queensland matrix in the future if you can, thats a fun journey :D
@@AusOpal You just use the same half sugar and water ratio to cook it in a slow cooker. Then wrap them in aluminum foil and cook it over a fire to carbonized the sandstone to darken the host rock and show the natural colour. It's pretty fun to work with and beautiful colour. The difficulty is that it's soft/porous and it is best to stabilize. Best of luck buddy and keep it up!
good question Rob, I cant really answer this yet as i have not sold and when people say this is going for x amount per carat it means nothing to me, i only value it by what is sell it for. Also what you buy it for. That parcel on the vid cost me $200 lets say it takes you bit of resources like sugar, acid power etc your time in solid hours before they are done polished you would spend a day lets say 8 hours what is your time worth? The risk is you dont know how it will treat . Those on the vid you get about 100 usable carats of good colour some black. you would think 20 to 25 per carat would be an easy sale ? 2000 to 2500 seems worth doing. If you end up with treatment like the one i am showing on vid the high quality should be able to get 150 per carat so they tell me . this is me just working it out as i go as i am novice at this
Awesome transformation. If you used a pressure cooker for the sugar solution, would it force it into the matrix further? And would that be of any benifit? Nice work Tom, love the blue one
thanks Scott good question i will investigate , def not for the acid :) but sugar maybe. Blue one is awesome with that black. Such different shades of blue compared with other opals
I have treated some pieces of matrix after watching Phil on the opal mills channel and they came out looking amazing, one piece of 29 carats looks like some that I have seen for sale at a couple of thousand dollars, but I paid less than a hundred for it, maybe $50 . I just bought a bottle of sulphuric acid toilet cleaner to do more. I cooked it in a slow cooker for days. First it's in the sugar for three days and then I.rinsed it and put it in a jar covered it in the drain cleaner and I put that in the slow cooker, which I had clean water in. I was really startled by how colourful some of it came out. I just have to find out what untreated matrix to buy, it's only a couple of hundred per kilo. But it comes in different grades, some is like sandstone, some almost looks like quartz or marble, I like that type but it has to be porous enough to absorb the sugar and then the acid, which some really won't. It's very beautiful and interesting material that anyone can afford. I love it.
good to hear you have done it . i really think it is the way to go and it is way undervalued for the color it shows. It will have its time in the lime light so I am stocking up while its cheap:) thank you for letting us know
Nice treatment system. Gee I really love the two grey rectangles at the end of the video!
Hey Ty thank you you like those good to know
From Canada, in Calgary. Our Flames had a nasty year so cheering for the Oilers now - but just a little bit.
Never been but when I was in Europe I supported the flames late 80s got a cup i think in 89 and early 2000s was good for you guys . Hope oilers bring it in but its a mountain to claim the Panthers are very very good all around.
Spectacular indeed Friend! Thanks always for sharing these beauties!
Thank you for watching Queen they are fit for a queen :)
great results for the first foray. Keep it up!
Thank You Don it worked out ok looking forward seeing them in a wire jewellery pieces
Brilliant stuff!! Love seeing people enjoying Matrix. You did an awesome job. Try some of the Queensland matrix in the future if you can, thats a fun journey :D
thank you glad you enjoy it. Love the suggestion i am looking for qld matrix is it different to treat?
@@AusOpal You just use the same half sugar and water ratio to cook it in a slow cooker. Then wrap them in aluminum foil and cook it over a fire to carbonized the sandstone to darken the host rock and show the natural colour.
It's pretty fun to work with and beautiful colour. The difficulty is that it's soft/porous and it is best to stabilize. Best of luck buddy and keep it up!
@@muffyart thanks I will do that see how that works :)
I really love the blue one your treated! Came out great mate! Nice to see you experimenting!
thank you William i am loving this the colours are in say and the blue is special for sure
Can’t stay up that late, but I’ll see you tomorrow. I’ll just funny.
time zones hey thank you it will be there hope you find it useful
😎
thanks Scott hope you like it
@@AusOpal sure do
@@scottvanderwerf3391 thank you Scott
Nice Tommy what do you think about the time and labour involved vers the return and value.
good question Rob, I cant really answer this yet as i have not sold and when people say this is going for x amount per carat it means nothing to me, i only value it by what is sell it for. Also what you buy it for. That parcel on the vid cost me $200 lets say it takes you bit of resources like sugar, acid power etc your time in solid hours before they are done polished you would spend a day lets say 8 hours what is your time worth? The risk is you dont know how it will treat . Those on the vid you get about 100 usable carats of good colour some black. you would think 20 to 25 per carat would be an easy sale ? 2000 to 2500 seems worth doing. If you end up with treatment like the one i am showing on vid the high quality should be able to get 150 per carat so they tell me . this is me just working it out as i go as i am novice at this
That was a good video. I’m getting interested in cooking some matrix. I thought you did a good job. What do I know?Lol
thanks Jeff appreciate it hopefully this helps you with cooking it yourself :)
Awesome transformation.
If you used a pressure cooker for the sugar solution, would it force it into the matrix further?
And would that be of any benifit?
Nice work Tom, love the blue one
Yup. Just for the sugar boil
thanks Scott good question i will investigate , def not for the acid :) but sugar maybe. Blue one is awesome with that black. Such different shades of blue compared with other opals
@@The_Opal_Leprechaun cheers fella
Wow amazing. I’m not an acid fan either. I got some gold ore I would like etch but not having it.
thanks Al
@@AusOpal I have premiere in hour
@@Algoldprospecting hey Al was 2 am here fast asleep i rewatch it soon