Slow Opal

[skywalker753]

I just chipped this off a boulder here...

[skywalker753]

Yeah, you were correct SwordfishMining----- As a subset of boulder opal the above piece of reddish rock is indeed a Queensland Fairy Opal. we will see if it turns out to be anything...LOL...
But, not today. I've sliced it to what looks to be a couple of close color bars...got it wet, bright lights, marked with a pencil with dots, and then connected the dots before quickly slicing just above and below two color bars before the pencil washed off..
As usual...we will see.

[skywalker753]

Oh, not the granite right above, the reddish rock on the prior page now is the Fairy Opal rough...

[SwordfishMining]

If I get real soft material I slice it and shape it gently to the final stage then drown it in epoxy like they do the ammolite, LOL. With woods I use Starbond, but there is no promise it will penetrate. It looks nicer polished than flow coated is all. I got some cat litter with mother of opal in it you dont want to look at sideways and some harder cobbles of ash from the Bonanza. Its white or off white. Grey tan mud with water added even if there are some flakes or sand.
Ill usually polish down to solid opal and let the sealant be in crevices or cracks. Note some woodis closed cell and the sealant will not penetrate the silicon cells. I saw what some cabs of the Mexican is going for on Opal Auctions. https://www.opalauctions.com/products/1 ... 124-410950

[skywalker753]

I got the piece I sliced of the fairy opal down to a rub size now. I still looks like a reddish rock...lol...although when its wet there's definitely a side with red, and a side with blue and green.
No color at all shows when its dry, unless its at one particular angle when I'm standing on my head while holding the desk lamp perpendicular to the sun rays outside while trying to push the "camera" icon button on my phone camera...(Yes, trying to be funny...) Hopefully as I shape it better and get it to say a 600 or 800 mesh/grit some good color will be in sight. Still don't know really.
And then, well, I gotta um, treat it. Like the Andamooka Matrix Opal treatment. We'll see!
I know people like to see the shiny gem opal!!! I do try to be a quick as I can, but doing it by hand is just flat out slow!!! And like on this piece, I won't know if its worth a hoot til after its got a prepolish and one treatment, at least...

[PinkDiamond]

No color at all shows when its dry, unless its at one particular angle when I'm standing on my head while holding the desk lamp perpendicular to the sun rays outside while trying to push the "camera" icon button on my phone camera...(Yes, trying to be funny...)

You succeeded in making me laugh, so thanks!

[SwordfishMining]

I've noticed super glue will darken some matrix & contrast the opal making a wet if not polished look. Louisianan opal tends to pull sand grains out when polishing as its the precious mother of opal holding it all together.

[skywalker753]

I've been working on a few opals the last week, nothing spectacular really, just enjoyable hobby type stuff.
The fairy opal piece I have been trying to get from rough to a finished piece has been a super challenge to do so. Wouldn't really polish beyond say 800 grit. I've tried, it only gets smaller...lol... Took TWO full treatments to darken the background matrix a bit. Next will be what I think will be three coats of epoxy 330 to get an artificial polish, and seal to it. AFTER all of that it MAY look like acceptable fairy opal. Or not, IDK yet.
Thats just the preface to say that I was looking to try to find WHY this piece was/is so difficult to work. Well, in the disclosures about the fairy opal rough, I was told that it had good color (it does). I was also told that it was oxidized material (it surely is). THAT part I kind of ignored, along with some later wording as to it being a possible "specimen" piece.... Well, I was disappointed to see that, as I have now learned to avoid specimen opal for cutting purposes, unless I am actually looking for a specimen piece (I sometimes want a specimen piece of rough just to have as is).
So, the enjoyment of opal continues, as does the learning experience as well. Ok, onward...

[SwordfishMining]

Keep the bright side up!

[skywalker753]

Yep, thats right!