That's incredible! What a crazy pocket of color in that thing! If I were to be the one to work it I would cut it length wise on the side if the color bar to see how long the color bar is. Then I would worry about the other side length wise, then I'd go to expose the bottom, then the top color, because if it does bubble up it'd be a good idea to look at it from the side first. It looks like their could be a massive color bar in that boulder!
It might be incredibly tedious but I would take an angle grinder (the type with a hose attachment so you won’t end up with a bunch of danger dust) and slowly grind down the shell until I hit color and after revealing enough to know where the layers end I’d cut off any disconnected patches, from what’s visible there could potentially be hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of high grade opal inside that rock if properly cut so the extra consumption of time would be well worth the effort
I would be inclined to work the entire outside crust off, get an understanding of whats underneath, then once I hit colour, I would use that knowledge to assess where and how to slice it. What an epic piece, love it.
Please 🙏 take your time, it doesn't matter how long it takes you it will be worth it. I would definitely treat it like a huge carving at first that way you will start to understand what you have🤯🧐🤔👍
WOW!!!! THAT FIRST SLICE HAD ME DROOLING! NICE FIND, PHIL!!!!!!!! U ask what we'd do with it. Me, id pop it in a vice between two pieces of wood (to prevent damage from the vice) and hit it with an angle grinder til i found out where the borders of AMAZING crystal material are. Then id go about it just like any other opal.
Nice! Opal never ceases to suprise and amaze. I would definately have a grind on the cutoff first to see if it holds any clues. If it doesn`t reveal any then i would probably cut it down the middle with 12 inch petrol saw and go from there. Have fun! 😁
Work your way in by slicing slivers around the edges to see where the colour runs. You can expose the face later once you pick up the colour .The colour may change in the stone and may give you a better idea which way to proceed when exposing the face. All the best.
I feel this is the best way to find you intact full specimen. This is how a cutter would treat a piece that you can hold in your hand. There could be color above that big bar as well, looks like there is some blue that might open up.
Hiya Phil, I guess I would trim thin slices all the way around until I can see where the color changes from the concrete, you already know there's color at the top of the stone to the bottom, where the beautiful crystal opal is and a little down below. You can grind it off with your flat lap, it may take more time, but you can get more precise that way. I would take all the time I could on a piece like that. I hope you have a awesome blessed day mate. Cheers! Cya! 😺🐟 out!
Bloody hell!! 🎉 You must be pretty bloody excited (and nervous) about that big chunker. * As for what I'd do - pretty much the same as you. Sit there and wonder how the hell I'd attack it. 😅
helluva find within a helluva find! really bright. thanks for sharing Phil! really cool. wonder how a hammer & chisel would do at that as far as breaking up the different materials that make up that conglomerate...🤔 can't hardly wait to see the rest of this adventure 🍻 ✌️🐝➕
Maaaaate! That is absolutely awesome! I got really excited when I saw that second bit of colour do I can't imagine how you felt! Beautiful stuff. I would just spend however long it took to either Dremel it all around to map the colour or buy a couple of 240 grit sintered diamond pads for the flat lap. Just my over inflated 0.02c worth. But those colours! 😮😅
Super Awesome Phil ! Sure is Amazing what You can find in some just rock looking fairly plain . I’d being a rock hound as well as a Opalic would be tempted to hit it again with a Hammer & see what happens . (Risk take). Dale from Eagle River Alaska.
Wow that’s stunning , I bet that rock is loaded 👍 . I would start taking thing slices chasing back to it , I really think there is more inside that you can’t see at all . Very exciting
Eureka yeee Haaaa. What a situation to be in.. Well I hope 🤞 someone with experience cutting opal.. Has the right answer for you Phill. Well finally uploaded an another video of my gold trip. I definitely have to catch up with you. Till then.. Cheers 🍻⛏️
Oh, boy. Nothing worse than seeing the colour and not knowing how to get to it. You'll figure it and I'd love see how you do it. Thanks for sharing. From UK.
Well done Phil, just as a thought, what if you hit it with a hammer? 😂😂😂. Actually I was thinking slice the purple stone depth off the bottom and see if that darker potch layer extends further down the stone and maybe slice it an inch or so after it ends? And then hit it with a hammer.
hi phil, we slice it into 10mm slabs, polish both sides and sell to rock/mineral collectors, or sell the whole piece, collectors love the odd weird mixes with opal in them,
I agree with @Steve-oy8mq! Work the edges and window it. You might have a small enough piece at the end where you can do the same,cut little bits off at a time with the top to find the color bar. You have some crazy color in there mate!!
By being difficult, Opal does keep a lot of slabber cabbers without a Dora the Explorer sense of style away. That being said, I always wanted a Bull Wheel to speed things up
Yeah I’m on the thin slices all around the outside-in train. See if you hit colour. I’d also be tempted to line the blade up with the dark matrix base layer (beneath the bright colour) maybe an inch below- and sawing steep angle slices that gradually arc in towards the opal…. Then if you hit the matrix level, start new angle cuts at that point the same way- outside-in…. Then if there are any weird undulating opal seams, you won’t slice through them. Maybe that will make it easier bringing in the other edges from there.
Slice the topside a good ways above color, then grind down toward color , exposing upper color while leaving dark back. Just an opinion but we all have an opinion, good luck whatever you decide, thanks for sharing
What a chunker andw ith great cour wow. I dont know you're the expert, hahaaha 😂 But i would slice off the bottom full length to see what's the go and then come down from tbe top incase thats a nice l lengtb of colour ..thanks for sharing 👌
I don't think you have any choice Phil but to cut it like a block of cheese with wax over it. Cut the wax off slowly, just some of the outer skin where you can get to, then; The last picture frame you had, your hand was on a hand sized knobbed end; I would cut that whole chunk off first. Then, I thought I saw some purple flash opposite the main colour bar? I would then cut full length so as to have some known colours & 2 large chunks. Then, yes, as you suggested, cut full length through the black potch away from your main green colour cos I doubt that the black potch moves looking at your off-cut position, fortune favours the brave. GL Paul BB from FNQld
what a stroke of luck, good going!! maybe tackle the smaller piece first it will at least give you a hint as to how things look inside it, as you said.
I would contact every cutter you know of and ask their advice… or start grinding the sand off of it working your way in slowly… there could be multiple layers of crystal potch laying within the stone not just that one…
Cut in half to see where the color goes, then grind out a gems. But I’m new to opals so don’t listen to me!!!! Looks like a great bolder opal & I’ll be hanging off a cliff waiting to see what you get from it!!!!🤞👍
At least give the outside a grind, see what can be seen. Maybe take a cut from the other end or narrow edge of the colour. But dollars and sense prevail, so any carats saved in a larger single stone won't necessarily translate to better returns. It's a pretty good problem to have so good luck with your decision
Trim the fat off the edges a bit at a time....getting to the meat gradually. Looks like there is a small fortune within that rock...well worth proceeding to find it swiftly, but carefully. You could isolate the crystal in what is visible, on both sides of that fracture line, and get some real wearable gems of great value. And that is just this end of the rock....what does the other end reveal?
That's incredible! What a crazy pocket of color in that thing! If I were to be the one to work it I would cut it length wise on the side if the color bar to see how long the color bar is. Then I would worry about the other side length wise, then I'd go to expose the bottom, then the top color, because if it does bubble up it'd be a good idea to look at it from the side first. It looks like their could be a massive color bar in that boulder!
It might be incredibly tedious but I would take an angle grinder (the type with a hose attachment so you won’t end up with a bunch of danger dust) and slowly grind down the shell until I hit color and after revealing enough to know where the layers end I’d cut off any disconnected patches, from what’s visible there could potentially be hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of high grade opal inside that rock if properly cut so the extra consumption of time would be well worth the effort
I would be inclined to work the entire outside crust off, get an understanding of whats underneath, then once I hit colour, I would use that knowledge to assess where and how to slice it. What an epic piece, love it.
Please 🙏 take your time, it doesn't matter how long it takes you it will be worth it. I would definitely treat it like a huge carving at first that way you will start to understand what you have🤯🧐🤔👍
Super exciting, certainly. This will be an interesting job. Good luck, Phil!
WOW!!!! THAT FIRST SLICE HAD ME DROOLING! NICE FIND, PHIL!!!!!!!! U ask what we'd do with it. Me, id pop it in a vice between two pieces of wood (to prevent damage from the vice) and hit it with an angle grinder til i found out where the borders of AMAZING crystal material are. Then id go about it just like any other opal.
Nice! Opal never ceases to suprise and amaze. I would definately have a grind on the cutoff first to see if it holds any clues. If it doesn`t reveal any then i would probably cut it down the middle with 12 inch petrol saw and go from there. Have fun! 😁
Slice it from the other end until you find colour. Awesome find... Congrats
that is what I was thinking, just slice about 3 cm each slice.
Yep, my uneducated suggestion too
Work your way in by slicing slivers around the edges to see where the colour runs.
You can expose the face later once you pick up the colour .The colour may change in the stone and may give you a better idea which way to proceed when exposing the face.
All the best.
I feel this is the best way to find you intact full specimen. This is how a cutter would treat a piece that you can hold in your hand. There could be color above that big bar as well, looks like there is some blue that might open up.
Hiya Phil, I guess I would trim thin slices all the way around until I can see where the color changes from the concrete, you already know there's color at the top of the stone to the bottom, where the beautiful crystal opal is and a little down below.
You can grind it off with your flat lap, it may take more time, but you can get more precise that way.
I would take all the time I could on a piece like that. I hope you have a awesome blessed day mate. Cheers! Cya!
😺🐟 out!
Bravo 👏 well done Phil I hope it’s full of it for you m8 you deserve it 🪨👍
🤪👍
Bloody hell!! 🎉 You must be pretty bloody excited (and nervous) about that big chunker.
* As for what I'd do - pretty much the same as you. Sit there and wonder how the hell I'd attack it. 😅
helluva find within a helluva find! really bright. thanks for sharing Phil! really cool. wonder how a hammer & chisel would do at that as far as breaking up the different materials that make up that conglomerate...🤔 can't hardly wait to see the rest of this adventure
🍻
✌️🐝➕
Cant wait to see the results ! Awesome
It's big and it's cheesy 😂🤣 Very nice colour in there, hope it turns out well for ya 🤘👍
Maaaaate! That is absolutely awesome! I got really excited when I saw that second bit of colour do I can't imagine how you felt! Beautiful stuff. I would just spend however long it took to either Dremel it all around to map the colour or buy a couple of 240 grit sintered diamond pads for the flat lap. Just my over inflated 0.02c worth. But those colours! 😮😅
wow what a nice kinder supersize mate one in a life time rock
Wow! Congrats dude! I would take it on the roughest cabbing wheel I have and just start slowly bringing it in all around 👍
Super Awesome Phil ! Sure is Amazing what You can find in some just rock looking fairly plain . I’d being a rock hound as well as a Opalic would be tempted to hit it again with a Hammer & see what happens . (Risk take). Dale from Eagle River Alaska.
Thats bloody brilliant! Hoping for the best
Wow that’s stunning , I bet that rock is loaded 👍 . I would start taking thing slices chasing back to it , I really think there is more inside that you can’t see at all . Very exciting
🤪👍
Eureka yeee Haaaa.
What a situation to be in..
Well I hope 🤞 someone with experience cutting opal..
Has the right answer for you Phill.
Well finally uploaded an another video of my gold trip.
I definitely have to catch up with you.
Till then..
Cheers 🍻⛏️
Super happy for you, well deserved. However, now I have to take a hammer.or saw to everything I see.😮
Oh, boy. Nothing worse than seeing the colour and not knowing how to get to it. You'll figure it and I'd love see how you do it. Thanks for sharing. From UK.
That’s awesome, I’m so happy for you.
Well done Phil, just as a thought, what if you hit it with a hammer? 😂😂😂. Actually I was thinking slice the purple stone depth off the bottom and see if that darker potch layer extends further down the stone and maybe slice it an inch or so after it ends? And then hit it with a hammer.
🤣👍
That is special thanks for sharing love it
hi phil, we slice it into 10mm slabs, polish both sides and sell to rock/mineral collectors, or sell the whole piece, collectors love the odd weird mixes with opal in them,
Noice! I would do exactly what you said, cut the slice to find out how to work the chunk. Good luck 🤞. Can't wait to see the results!
I agree with @Steve-oy8mq! Work the edges and window it. You might have a small enough piece at the end where you can do the same,cut little bits off at a time with the top to find the color bar.
You have some crazy color in there mate!!
Sweet 👌 now we’re all wondering what’s inside 🤪
exciting days ahead!
Looks like you've got 12 months on the Dremel mate, 😂😂😂 Can't wait too see results.
🤣👍
and only a hundred bits!
By being difficult, Opal does keep a lot of slabber cabbers without a Dora the Explorer sense of style away. That being said, I always wanted a Bull Wheel to speed things up
Wow! Congrats. Just start grinding from the top. That should keep you busy for a while. :)
Yeah I’m on the thin slices all around the outside-in train. See if you hit colour. I’d also be tempted to line the blade up with the dark matrix base layer (beneath the bright colour) maybe an inch below- and sawing steep angle slices that gradually arc in towards the opal…. Then if you hit the matrix level, start new angle cuts at that point the same way- outside-in…. Then if there are any weird undulating opal seams, you won’t slice through them. Maybe that will make it easier bringing in the other edges from there.
I need more!
Take your slab piece and work it from either side to get a feel for the larger part.
Slice the topside a good ways above color, then grind down toward color , exposing upper color while leaving dark back. Just an opinion but we all have an opinion, good luck whatever you decide, thanks for sharing
Slice it in sections if it still runs you'll have large beautiful stones and if it dips up and down you won't miss it by going over or under!
What a chunker andw ith great cour wow. I dont know you're the expert, hahaaha 😂
But i would slice off the bottom full length to see what's the go and then come down from tbe top incase thats a nice l lengtb of colour ..thanks for sharing 👌
Amazing Phil....congrats :)
Move over one inch and make one more cut same as the first ...........Best of all ..........be well and be safe!🦜Bill
I don't think you have any choice Phil but to cut it like a block of cheese with wax over it. Cut the wax off slowly, just some of the outer skin where you can get to, then; The last picture frame you had, your hand was on a hand sized knobbed end; I would cut that whole chunk off first. Then, I thought I saw some purple flash opposite the main colour bar? I would then cut full length so as to have some known colours & 2 large chunks. Then, yes, as you suggested, cut full length through the black potch away from your main green colour cos I doubt that the black potch moves looking at your off-cut position, fortune favours the brave. GL Paul BB from FNQld
what a stroke of luck, good going!! maybe tackle the smaller piece first it will at least give you a hint as to how things look inside it, as you said.
Think id start taking 1" slices off from the other end
Put in a vise and use a disc grinder to grind the cap off.
Awesome. Any ideas on how that opal formed so deep inside the boulder?
Go to the other side end and take a slice work back you'll know if it travels, might blob up in the middle if your lucky 👍 luck
Sounds like a 40 year dremmel job.
I would contact every cutter you know of and ask their advice… or start grinding the sand off of it working your way in slowly… there could be multiple layers of crystal potch laying within the stone not just that one…
Cut in half to see where the color goes, then grind out a gems. But I’m new to opals so don’t listen to me!!!! Looks like a great bolder opal & I’ll be hanging off a cliff waiting to see what you get from it!!!!🤞👍
Take slices from the opposite end till you hit colour
At least give the outside a grind, see what can be seen. Maybe take a cut from the other end or narrow edge of the colour.
But dollars and sense prevail, so any carats saved in a larger single stone won't necessarily translate to better returns.
It's a pretty good problem to have so good luck with your decision
WOW😮😮!
Trim the fat off the edges a bit at a time....getting to the meat gradually. Looks like there is a small fortune within that rock...well worth proceeding to find it swiftly, but carefully.
You could isolate the crystal in what is visible, on both sides of that fracture line, and get some real wearable gems of great value. And that is just this end of the rock....what does the other end reveal?
Take the crust off and see if you can see anything on the outside first
start carving Phil.
Sand it down from the top
Take away all the edges, see how far on the outside it extends....
Yeah cut it again Phil.
carve it
Get a dremel and chew the f out of the top and work your way down to the MOTHER LOAD.!!