I don't know if any one has noticed but this stone reminds me of a sandy shoreline in the Caribbean. There's the sandy shore with inlets of very light green and blue. The further away from the shore the deeper the colors become. The undulating colors of green and blue more like a turquoise gives it the appearance of gentle waves. The sandy patches look like sand bars. As it progresses outward the blue deepens simulating deeper waters with rocky patches reaching up. The purples look like coral reefs on the ocean floor. Amazing stone.
Oh wow. I have always leaned toward the unusual. I even like the flaws in them!!!! I couldn't believe the price that you mentioned for that big chunk. Oh hell, Roy, it is big enough for my fingers to be able to hold and cheap enough to be able to afford, not to mention that every piece is totally unique. Winner, winner. Chicken dinner!!!!!!!! Lol. Have a good one.
@@RoysRocks I'm really going to have to do some research and find me a place where I can get a couple pieces of that. I really want to try my hand at it it's so pretty
Its a hershey kiss haha. You could try to carve the ironstone into a hoop to wrap. Then the color doesn't get wrapped and you get a cool handle for your gem
I have thought about cutting a groove around the piece to hide a wire. It is quite thick so I may have to try that out. Worst case scenario I just cut it off.
Waiting on my first batch of nick hoops boulder ....he def has pretty stuff....very excited ...also just wondering ....will you slice some off the back looks pretty thick ? Nice colours though!!
Oh I wish you well Carol I'm sure he will send you quality! I have never had anything disappointing from a Nick Hoops parcel. You are indeed correct, this is definitely not the final thickness and will be ground back by quite a lot (50%+).
Yeah it kind of is... I have a lot of US viewers so I should keep in mind the possibility to carve pieces into each state... might even be able to build up the whole country in opal! That is a 10/10 joke. :)
Nice video, I also have some from Nick Hoops That I'm about to start, I was wondering when your moving to finer and finer grit nova, are you worried about the sandy mud ruining the current polish as it spreads over the stone?
@@mikeplitnick5051 Not sure what you mean by uneven drying? I will do a treatment video in the near future if that is of interest. I typically dont treat my stones but happy to do it for the educational content.
Depends on where you are located around the world. Some places it seems the only choice is to order from the USA but then the postage is more than the individual unit price.
Bought a beginner's parcel from 53frogs and he referred me to your channel! Thanks for all the instructional videos, I'd be quite quite lost without them :D I'm now trying to gather some bits, and I saw two very different shapes of nova, the cylindrical type and cone type and I'm not quite sure which to buy now. Why do you use the cone one, is there a difference? (Edit: wait lemme go check your other vids lol)
Hi Lee Shu Yun, Welcome to the channel. The cylindrical is alright but I find the versatility of the bullet shape much better. It is much easier to get into uneven surfaces when doing freeform shapes. The cylinders are good for more even shapes like standard cabs.
@@RoysRocks I see! I'm trying to make wedding rings for me and my husband from scratch, and haven't quite decided if I should carve or make a cab for the rings. Seems like the bullet shape's a better bet if I change my mind! Thanks for the advice ^_^ (hope I don't mess it up, bought the parcel, saw your videos, then realised LR wasn't exactly the easiest material to start with. I just wanted the deep blue, it's my husband's favourite colour... Fingers crossed!)
Glad you like it. I almost didn't upload this one and deleted the channel the other day. Was having one of those days but comments like this make me more determined to push through.
I think youtube goes crazy on adds for longer videos. I have been trying to restrict them to 1 at the start and one in the middle but I've heard sometimes there are 4 or more on some!
I don't know if any one has noticed but this stone reminds me of a sandy shoreline in the Caribbean. There's the sandy shore with inlets of very light green and blue. The further away from the shore the deeper the colors become. The undulating colors of green and blue more like a turquoise gives it the appearance of gentle waves. The sandy patches look like sand bars. As it progresses outward the blue deepens simulating deeper waters with rocky patches reaching up. The purples look like coral reefs on the ocean floor. Amazing stone.
Nick Hoops has done a few paintings that have made me think the same thing.
Dude, that's gorgeous! I'd definitely investigate the back more with the diamond tips.
It sure is a nice one. Still on my desk right now.
Thanks Roy for the class
No worries Chris. Anytime.
love that you enjoy rough non-gem opals too!
Im a fan of all things opal but picture stones are still some of my faves. Doesn't have to be a gem to be cool.
Oh wow. I have always leaned toward the unusual. I even like the flaws in them!!!! I couldn't believe the price that you mentioned for that big chunk. Oh hell, Roy, it is big enough for my fingers to be able to hold and cheap enough to be able to afford, not to mention that every piece is totally unique. Winner, winner. Chicken dinner!!!!!!!! Lol. Have a good one.
Lol boulder opal is a hell of a stone. You are right, not to expensive and very unusual. You can get much bigger chunks than this to.
That was a beautiful boulder..✌❤
Ah yeah I still have him on my desk because I got it out to sort my collection out a little bit more. The Boulder case is looking pretty good.
@@RoysRocks I'm really going to have to do some research and find me a place where I can get a couple pieces of that. I really want to try my hand at it it's so pretty
@@karenjones7111 Its good fun but can be messy to be prepared.
Was the first thing that broke me up about it. I remember going out to your place at Horseshoe bend. It was uncanny that was on a rock.
Ah yeah the old house. I wonder how it is now? Was young but remember 4 generations of Lehmann building that house.
One minute and twenty seconds. "I see a river"..("Horseshoe bend"........?).Lol. I will watch the rest of it now.
Good old horseshoe bend. I remember when I lived out there as a kid.
Awesome, thanks for videos. !! 🇦🇺
No worries Mike. Gotta keep you entertained. :)
These bolder opals are the stuff of imagination.
Nature makes the most interesting stones.
Its a hershey kiss haha. You could try to carve the ironstone into a hoop to wrap. Then the color doesn't get wrapped and you get a cool handle for your gem
I have thought about cutting a groove around the piece to hide a wire. It is quite thick so I may have to try that out. Worst case scenario I just cut it off.
I see soo many patterns in it. I see a face a arm and a bird.
I never saw a bird until you mentioned it...
Waiting on my first batch of nick hoops boulder ....he def has pretty stuff....very excited ...also just wondering ....will you slice some off the back looks pretty thick ? Nice colours though!!
Oh I wish you well Carol I'm sure he will send you quality! I have never had anything disappointing from a Nick Hoops parcel.
You are indeed correct, this is definitely not the final thickness and will be ground back by quite a lot (50%+).
shaped like the state of Nevada....I was married to a Nova once...she was quite abrasive also... 😂
Yeah it kind of is... I have a lot of US viewers so I should keep in mind the possibility to carve pieces into each state... might even be able to build up the whole country in opal!
That is a 10/10 joke. :)
It is stunning. Does anyone know the proper thickness for this size stone?
Depends on what you are going to do with it.
Most go with a bezel setting so you make the thickness slightly smaller than your metal ribbon.
Nice video, I also have some from Nick Hoops That I'm about to start, I was wondering when your moving to finer and finer grit nova, are you worried about the sandy mud ruining the current polish as it spreads over the stone?
Sometimes when it is really grainy I do get worried but in those cases I use running water which keeps it out of the way.
@@RoysRocks . I just did one nice piece, and it dried very uneven, so I was wondering about what you mentioned with the resin, Any videos on that?
@@mikeplitnick5051 Not sure what you mean by uneven drying?
I will do a treatment video in the near future if that is of interest. I typically dont treat my stones but happy to do it for the educational content.
Quick question, does boulder opal sanded down produce much dust?
I wet cut everything so just a mud but if it were dry yeah there would be a lot of brown dust everywhere.
Hello! thank you so much for your videos!
Where can you buy a 280 grid nova? I've check your tool video and I wasn't sure.
Depends on where you are located around the world. Some places it seems the only choice is to order from the USA but then the postage is more than the individual unit price.
Roys Rocks Thank for the quick answer.
Maybe on eBay?
I’m in Europe.
In a below comment Leroy shared a link to an Italian website that stocks them.
Maybe worth a shot?
Oh wait that was a different video. I will find the link... www.gemmarum.it/en/product/177-resin-bond-polishing-points.html
Bit of a price hike compared to the USA but seems that is common everywhere.
Mother earth is amazing.
Sure is. No human can replicate mother nature's designs.
You have a new subscriber...... it's me!!!
Welcome Frank!!!
@@RoysRocks thank you.
Truth is I haven’t been an admirer of Boulder opal. You have changed my opinion.
Wow. This isn't even a top quality piece!
Stay tuned and I'll show you how good a boulder opal can be...
Bought a beginner's parcel from 53frogs and he referred me to your channel! Thanks for all the instructional videos, I'd be quite quite lost without them :D I'm now trying to gather some bits, and I saw two very different shapes of nova, the cylindrical type and cone type and I'm not quite sure which to buy now. Why do you use the cone one, is there a difference? (Edit: wait lemme go check your other vids lol)
Hi Lee Shu Yun,
Welcome to the channel.
The cylindrical is alright but I find the versatility of the bullet shape much better.
It is much easier to get into uneven surfaces when doing freeform shapes. The cylinders are good for more even shapes like standard cabs.
@@RoysRocks I see! I'm trying to make wedding rings for me and my husband from scratch, and haven't quite decided if I should carve or make a cab for the rings. Seems like the bullet shape's a better bet if I change my mind! Thanks for the advice ^_^ (hope I don't mess it up, bought the parcel, saw your videos, then realised LR wasn't exactly the easiest material to start with. I just wanted the deep blue, it's my husband's favourite colour... Fingers crossed!)
@@PortMyName I'll cross my fingers for you as well.
Good luck, I'm sure you'll do very well.
Is it opalized fossilized wood?
Could be. I'm not sure where this one was from exactly. Could be from the yowah region.
Click the bell folks :) this is gold !
Glad you like it. I almost didn't upload this one and deleted the channel the other day. Was having one of those days but comments like this make me more determined to push through.
[hits pause] This already looks like a map of the coastline of a continent on an alter-Earth. swoon [hits play]
Did look a bit like a coastline. I need to dig this one back up. It ain't finished yet.
@@RoysRocks that would explain why I could find the video! Hahahaha
Couldn't. Couldn't find lol
Also kind of has a face in it - the mouth at the bottom, hair line at the top
I will have to have another look. That could be a cool carving if there is a face since I haven't shaped it yet.
Why don't you just sell it to me the way it is?
Ah this one got a little better since the end of this video. I still plan to make it into a pendant one day.
얼굴에 때만 씻고 옷은 거지처럼 입으면 어쩌나?
돌의 4면을 깨끗이 정리해줘야지...
Sorry google translate seems to struggle with your comment and I can't read Korean.
Way too many adds on your vids man
I think youtube goes crazy on adds for longer videos. I have been trying to restrict them to 1 at the start and one in the middle but I've heard sometimes there are 4 or more on some!