12 tips to cut and polish a better opal by blackopaldirect.com
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 24 ก.ย. 2024
- See Justin from Black Opal Direct show you the 12 secrets to cutting a better opal. Justin will take you through the stages for cutting opal from roughing all the way down to polishing.
This is one of your best instructional videos. Deep blue with flashes of green, my absolute favorite, Thank you!
Justin, has by far the best cutting videos I have seen on youtube. And I should know 35 years of experience in the opal industry and the only man still alive that has a Opal mine that is heritage listed in Australia .
I just subscribed to your channel!
I must have devoured about 10-20 hours of your videos now I feel.
Thank you so much for posting on hand polishing as the biggest thing holding me back off buying a rough beginners parcel was my lack of equipment.
Now I can see that while it makes it faster and easier; if I'm just starting out I can learn and practice to a good quality finish via hand methods until I can afford the proper cabbing machine.
I use a dremel but yeah….that’s right now.
Thank you for the really nice comments :-)
I appreciate these older video's. There more instructional and for a new cutter like myself I need all the information I can get. Thank you.
Plenty of older ones to watch
It's a lot of work to cut an opal. The result a beautiful and colorful gem. Gorgeous!!
I could watch you do this all day long. I love it!
Thank you haha by the time you watch all of my videos you will be sick of seeing my bald head
Amazing to see the growth you’ve experienced as a content creator over last 8years, I’m more of a recent fan so having seen videos the last year or so now seeing a video from 8 years ago it’s like wow!!
🙏thank you
Justin, you should always film in that light. It makes you look younger than you already are. Also, your face is more handsome than normal when you shave. Love all your videos. Love from Kitchener, Ontario, Canada.
Haha thank you. This video is from a while ago. That’s why I look younger 😆 ❤️
I learned how to cut cabs using Obsidian many years ago...Opal cuts much the same!
Obsidian is a lot more brittle, tends to chip at the edges.
Both stones are silica: one fused by heat and the other a solidified gel.
Waiting on my second parcel; doing all the cutting by hand with diamond hones.
I love a challenge!
That one goes deep! Nice colour bits on the sides too!
Justin, this is by far one of the best cutting videos I have seen. I would suggest you creating videos for sale on this subject (including cutting some amazing stones) to show how you approach various common cutting problems with opal. Lots of people would buy that video
10 years later, neon lights, "I'm going in"
Thank YOU Justin! Thank you so much for your videos. I have a fascination with opals and have made my fair share of mistakes working with these beautiful stones. My gem business is beginning to take off in large part to your informational videos. Good job!
+Eric Moen AWESOME buddy I am very happy to hear you are doing well. :-)
I don't have a nice saw like this, so I use a dremel with small diamond blades. I put the Opal on a dopstick with a LOT of wax so I can easily guide it. I do this tool in 1 hand, dopstick in other. The wax holds the pieces so they don't fly off. I lose the ability to rotate the opal a lot, but I'm still an amateur with smaller pieces.
Thanks Justine, a most informative video.
I am new to polishing stones and your video has answered many of my questions.
Again thank you
Beautiful as always!
Hi Justin. Excellent instructional video. Thanks for your upload.
Great video, thanks for sharing.
I wish you had shown how you set the opal.
I enjoyed watching you cut and polish this beautiful opal. Unfortunately I will need to make sure my sister never sees your website or she would probably buy everything you have in stock!
Haha better not show her :-)
Hey Justin and watching you for a long time you sure did that Stone Justiceyou brought out the beauty in it like no one else can keep up the good work 👍
Thank you
Beautiful stone and fantastic polishing job! It makes the stone look like the night's sky... It even has a green half moon in it!
Thank you yes the moon is called palette pattern
Beautiful colors, love it! ths for sharing this video....
Spectacular!
Really love your videos. Please keep them coming. Hope some day I can get a machine and start polish opals.
I love the dark blue ones the colour really looks beautiful against the dark blue 😀
That's really helpful ,thank you .
Your welcome mate anytime
Nice video and amazing opal! Thanks for sharing
Love your"wrench" Justin! Sweet opal man. So wanna have your skills man. And your nerve, to cut a stone that cost 5g takes some big ones if ya get my drift!
You've come a long way 😉👍
Great video, but doesn't rounding the back make it very difficult to set this stone for a jeweller?
a fair amount different than cabbing star sapphire, you have to keep the pressure pretty firm for most of the process and of course only diamond belts throughout. The farther along the polishing process the firmer the touch.
in indonesia, first we cut the stone like you did even the machine is kinda different,then if we want shape the stone, we dirrectly use 2000 grit stone, its an efective way to shape your stone.when its time to pollish usually we use hand grind machine with sand papper on it, from 150 grit and up to 5000 grit sand paper, and the result is almost the same as yours.nice tips btw and sorry for the bad english :D
Sounds good yes sandpaper if worn down properly can polish opal very well
yes of course
Very informative
Yes that is correct as the sapphire is much harder than opal
Your a top teacher, peace and love from toowoomba qld
Justin from reading the comments I might not be able to do what I just thought about, but thought I would ask. The pixie I have has so many more wheels. To polish I have to bolt on the polishing wheel and remove water tray. It came with a plastic stand in tray. I still at a loss for what it's used for, does not steady hands.
Question is going to try Dremmel work station on potch to try and cut with a water bath. Would the pixie spin to fast to add a cutting blade where I usually remove water tray and add polishing wheel? Just sounds to easy but thought I would ask your thoughts. I not taken Dremmel and all attachments including the flexible shaft and workstation out of the boxes yet. The cost for Dremmel 4000 and attachments was 277.00. I have a bunch of tips in cases from old cordless Dremmel I bought, but never tried to cut a stone with it because I knew I would not be able to hold it steady enough. Your saw makes it look so much easier than what I be trying to do,
Awesome - l learned a tonne here. Thanks!
Thanks justin I am learning a lot from this video :-]
Hi Justin.This vedio is very helpful! I just got some rough stones of fossil opal. Can you make a vedio of polishing fossil opals? Or give some advices? Thank you!
What do you do with scrap pieces that still have just a touch of color? If you don’t save or use them would you be willing to send a few out?
epic video very well done
My son has just started polishing opals and we watch your videos nearly every day. With your end polishing wheel, did you buy it like that with the grooves or have you made them like that your self? The bit where you’re polishing with the Cerium Oxide. Thanks!
They form over time.
That's awesome.
genial amigo, trabaja muy bien. Me puede informar el costo de las herramientas y maquinas que utiliza.
Encore! Thank you Justin :)
Great video where is the best place to buy the equipment.
I have a few rough opals. I don't have a grinding wheel. Can I wet sand them to get sand off? What type of paper would be best? Love your videos!
Yes I am working on that :-)
I'm just starting my journey into cutting and polishing opal. Your videos have been very informative and you have very beautiful work. I hope to be able to brag about my work someday, but for now I'll be in awe and learn all I can. Thank you!!!
Really clear and useful thanks :-)
Hello Justin, I wonder if the 280 and 600 grit wheel are sintered? So without foam under the grinding layer?
They sound like they are but I'm not very sure.
Would you prefer, or, recommend these grits as sintered or "normal" Nova wheels with foam?
Thank you very much in advance!
Great video! Thank you!
Excellent Job
proud to see indonesian stone black opal all around the wolrd, its origin indonesian stone
great work, thank you. you process went smoothly. question....i bought opal from Australia and some came in a bag wet and some did not. i heard some will craze. how do i treat them?
Keep them in water but if they are from Australia then they shouldn't craze
Loving the vids the more i watch.
Glad you are watching Jason. I am glad someone is :-)
wow love opal.... amazing
Stunning.
Interesting and pedagogical Justin. If I want to try something similar with opals, where can buy the original stones (i.e. the potch, original opal material)?
Gorgeous!!
In Oct 2018 you sliced an opal into about 10 slices. Where is the following video? How did all the slices turn out?
Henna du plessis you are right and the video will be out on Wednesday on that. I totally forgot to post it 😬
Please tell us where we can see this video. No hearts, just the information please.
The new video is up now
thanx..the tutorial is great..
Nice video. I tried polishing an Ethiopian Shewa nodule opal (those reddish "chocolate" types in a nodule). I am a novice. I got the stone to polish to a very smooth but matte finish. No matter what I try it never takes on the nice glassy polish like the one in the video, it always stays matte. I tried the cerium on a small felt wheel (type you put on a handheld tool) but no go. What am I missing, is it the hardness of the stone or the wheel?
What if you don't have alot of those machines you have,and you want to make opal pendants,but try to keep the natural shape or close to the rough opal shape,but get all the color out of it,what can I use
I really like that stone. 🤗
When you say mistakes happen I was thinking of ground down skin, bone and fingers, ouch!
Yes my fingers do get worn down often :-)
Oh well at least you don't have to pay for manicures!
@@blackopaldirect
There must be a way to minimize ground down fingers whilst still keeping the "feel".
Where do you get the thin blades for slicing please?
oh goodness i absolutely love all the videos you do! This one scared the hell out of me for some reason on my mac book the videos audio causes my right speaker to play out static noise instead of the audio. Works fine with other videos just a very weird occurrence :D thanks again dude for all the amazing videos you put out! I hope one day i can start cutting and shaping like you do!
You did not weigh and price this opal. Was there any reason why you did not do it this time. That opal is magnificent! I was wondering what the price and weight is?
NO reason I am just lazy sometimes or I forget
Good introduction for the beginner. But I have a quibble with your definition of cabochon. A cabochon is a stone that has been polished, but not faceted. Whether the top is flat or domed does not matter, although they are usually domed to some degree. Generally, the sides are just a continuation of the top down to the base.
you are correct
For some rock that looks amazing. How much are these? I could stare at one for days.
Muahahahahaha!! One miiiiilllllion dollars! Im one biiiiiiillion dollars! You look like a young happy version of Dr. evil in this video Ha ha ha I love you justin thanks for all your hard work
Is there something for seal
Great job
Thank you sorry for the slow reply :-)
how much would worth such a fine opal?
Do you polish for customers?
Is there a tool one could use to keep their fingers at a safer distance from the blade when cutting the stone in half?
Neon Peon I believe these lapidary saws are a much different blade than one might think. You'd have to press to slice yourself badly, as it's an abrasion blade as opposed to a broad-tooth blade.
can anyone tell me where can i find from that wax ?? to fix the stone with the stick ??
ive been working with black opal i got from Honduras for about a week now, i have about 3 kilos so i have plenty to practice with, but man its brittle, cant go below 400 grit without cracking or cratering the stones, no machines tho, all by hand and sandpaper... maybe i pressing to hard and getting frustrated, i think you said that in another video not to do that lol
zephur6788 yeah it will crack when dry also
How can I contact you? I have an old mexican ring with an agate stone , thats dried and cracked can you help me shape a new one for my ring? I can send you pics. Thanks for your help.
how can i get this wheel's....and how much is the entire set -320-600-1200...??
You will have to buy them from a lapidary store near you or an online shop regards Justin
What would be the cost of such stone on average please ?
Oh yeah on your wheels try p/b blaster and I bet you it will be quite
BLACK OPAL MADE IN RANGKAS BITUNG ,INDONESIA
What was the value of that gem?
I want to know how cost gemstone like this
What is the price of this ?
why do opals have to be dome shaped and curved? aren't other geometries - say square or triangle - good as well? thanks
Ivan Capitani you can most definitely
Muito linda
Hey Justin, how much does it cost to equip with all the polishing and cutting tools?
It will cost around $4k for new equipment
hi justin how do i get the wax off the rough side after dropping it in the pot accidently whoops ??
put it in the freezer and it will make it all brittle except the opal
Merci 😁
Good Day Justin, my name is Horst Mathies and I coming to Australia in 1960 lived in Fairfield/NSW . I joined the Garmen/Austrian Club in Cabramatta , and got to know a few german People. After going to L.R. a few times, on long weekends , holidays and sick days etc., I met a GErman gay in the Club from somewhere around Penrith. His Name was Willy (Bill) Glogauer, He was known in L.R. as little Hitler ,starting a soccer team in L.R., and also He started the drinking Hole in a new Opal Field(forgot the Name). I just saw Your Vidieo where You introduced Your father. SAying that he came to L.R. around1960. I am very sorry about not meeting up with him, but we were only part-timers. I never had the guts to stay full time. We are still coming to L.R. and we (my wife & myself plus our doggie) would love to meet up with You and Your Dad. Regards Horst Mathies (now from Melbourne).
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Linda vc é Mestre nas opala eu quero uma presente
Hey Justin what wheel machine are you using ? Brand?
All Gemmasta equipment
The best black opal is "kalimaya" from my country
great video! i really like how cheap you are, no offense! i know how much all the equipment and consumables cost. im saving up to get all this stuff and its tough....
Muito bom legal