A mostly manual job

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PinkDiamond
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Re: A mostly manual job

Post by PinkDiamond »

OpalSupreme wrote:hehe I know Foredom didn't know fordham LOL


That's right, OS, it's Foredom for the machine. Fordham is a Jesuit university in New York. ;)
https://www.fordham.edu/

I was encouraged to cut my first opal when a member on our old forum, Mike Kelley, ran a contest and told me I should participate, saying I could do it with nail files and sandpaper. I started with the files, and not owning a Dremel, I used a battery operated nail salon tool's sanding and buffing attachments and cut the very thin rough into a slightly arched heart shape that I polished with cerium oxide on leather and the salon tool, that didn't come out too bad at all for a first attempt. After I got a Dremel and a lap, I thought about making it look better, but after further consideration I decided to leave it as is to show what can be done with simple hand tools. It may have taken a lot more time to cut than they take to do now, and it definitely doesn't look like a professionally cut stone, but it did the job; it got me hooked. 8-)

OpalCuttingToolsFxResizedCropped.jpg
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PinkDiamond
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OpalSpectrum
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Re: A mostly manual job

Post by OpalSpectrum »

@Pink - before I asked I did check 'fordham' and when I saw the results I wasn't sure if he want to go there to cut stones LOL or maybe it's something else - like new machine :roll:
:lol:

I remember contest on OA :D
btw. I cut my first opals using only sand paper and hands


Artfldgr wrote:i want to try these

Mini Rubber Silicone Pin Polishers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3BBOwAbiRnE


cool thx for the info
let us know when you get it
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Artfldgr
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Re: A mostly manual job

Post by Artfldgr »

and i used to live near fordham university..
dad went to dewitt clinton
i went to bronx science...
lived around fordham road, east tremont, jerome, etc..
not a nice area... even today (which is a lot nicer than my childhood)
Artfldgr
Posts: 399
Joined: Mon Jun 08, 2015 1:46 pm

Re: A mostly manual job

Post by Artfldgr »

the files are a lot better than a dremel..
which is why i posted...
heck, i like them better to do most of the rougher work than the $400 foredom (ok? :lol: :roll: ]

and even more interesting.. you only need three of them... not the whole pack
ie. flat on one side, half round the other... full round... and full flat..
that would cover 98% of everything

i am going to put a diamond ball burr into a hand drill (ie finger drill)
Image
and that should allow me to nicely finish the round bowls..

here is what i am "planning" if i can get to it
i have those other waxes i did. and want to do more..
becvause you pay by the poor, not by the piece..
so 50 pieces in a pour cost as one pour given you make them like one piece and cut em

so, i want to try this new method of setting for this!
what i WANT to do is to kind of fill in the holes with a gold plug that is shaped to hold a diamond
so you have a flat open side w pins..
and the other side with millinial diamonds in the ditch..

then again.. maybe not
problem is i have so much work...

by the way, i also use those finger drills for cabbing
i put the opal with cyanoacruylate to a nail i sanded the top of to be flat
once dried and ready... i put the nail in the finger drill
now i have a longer stick i can switch stuff in and out, and it twirls easy...
heh
Artfldgr
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Re: A mostly manual job

Post by Artfldgr »

Sad to report that some really good stones have decided to craze... :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock:
this winter and the lack of steam heat conspired to ruin a bit of my retirement...
_KJR0109 copy.jpg


anyone have an opinion on this? but i am starting to think that if you buy them, cab em...
not one of the stones i have polished and worked on... just some rough..
there is still good stuff there and i am thinking that cutting and polishing can remove the stress

here is one that is from a pile of junk someone stuck me with at some time
you can still find things you can salvage... anyone want some practice opal with small fire? :lol: :lol: :lol:
_KJR9688 copy.jpg
_KJR9682 copy.jpg
_KJR9678 copy.jpg


lots of rainbow potch (ie potch with lots oh bits of opal)..
and a ledge... but alas, the ledge has as fracture in it...
so once i got all that crappy material off the bottom, it of course broke..
i did get a chance to work the tiny piece..
_KJR9702 copy.jpg

_KJR9715 copy.jpg
_KJR9725 copy.jpg

i get a bit of skittles opal, small and you can barely taste the rainbow... :lol: :lol:

now for the updated pics for the stone that started this thread..
voila
Artfldgr
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Re: A mostly manual job

Post by Artfldgr »

the outside of the "back" free form part..
_KJR9759 copy.jpg
_KJR9765 copy.jpg
_KJR9771 copy.jpg
_KJR9777 copy.jpg
_KJR9787 copy.jpg


the clarity in the sun and some fun art shots... [showing things in a way people might not see]
_KJR9885 copy.jpg
_KJR9879 copy.jpg
_KJR9794 copy.jpg


and in the next post, the reason i am doing this stone is the face...
its got great face...
Artfldgr
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Re: A mostly manual job

Post by Artfldgr »

_KJR9789 copy.jpg
_KJR9795 copy.jpg
_KJR9806 copy.jpg
_KJR9809 copy.jpg
_KJR9812 copy.jpg
_KJR9817 copy.jpg
_KJR9840 copy.jpg
_KJR9845 copy.jpg
_KJR9857 copy.jpg
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PinkDiamond
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Location: Ozark Mountains

Re: A mostly manual job

Post by PinkDiamond »

Gee, that's awful that the air is so dry your rough is crazing. Could it have anything to do with where or how you're storing them? Might a humidifier help? Sorry to hear that's happening, but it looks like you're salvaging whatever you can, hopefully in the nick of time. I'm glad to hear that at least the one that started the thread is still intact and looking good. Keep us posted on whether or not you can salvage much of the crazed rough. Fingers crossed for you. :)
PinkDiamond
ISG Registered Gemologist


· ´¨¨)) -:¦:-¸.·´ .·´¨¨))
((¸¸.·´ ..·´ There are miracles left for you to do .... -:¦:- -:¦:-
-:¦:- ((¸¸.·´* It all begins inside of you. ;)
Artfldgr
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Joined: Mon Jun 08, 2015 1:46 pm

Re: A mostly manual job

Post by Artfldgr »

parts will of course be saved, but as you know, the more slices the more goes away in the groove...
cant wait for .0005 laser cutters at the dollar store...
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