Fossilman
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2009
Posts: 20,680
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Post by Fossilman on Nov 1, 2015 18:52:10 GMT -5
What is the curing recipe for opal or fire opal...............I have some,but wasn't told of the recipe... Thank you..............
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spiritstone
Cave Dweller
Member since August 2014
Posts: 2,061
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Post by spiritstone on Nov 1, 2015 18:58:26 GMT -5
What is the curing recipe for opal or fire opal...............I have some,but wasn't told of the recipe... Thank you.............. Just sitting time....seriously Problems most of the time show up when its cut. Crazing or cracks. It drys out, that is when potential problems can show themselves. Where I live fossilman the air is dry and these unstable opals can show easily enough. I have had a few that went to shit after cutting also. They can be a gamble, time always tells.
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Fossilman
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2009
Posts: 20,680
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Post by Fossilman on Nov 1, 2015 20:25:56 GMT -5
Mine was in an oil base of some kind....I don't know what kind or how much... Tony had it done for me....
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spiritstone
Cave Dweller
Member since August 2014
Posts: 2,061
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Post by spiritstone on Nov 2, 2015 8:49:13 GMT -5
Mine was in an oil base of some kind....I don't know what kind or how much... Tony had it done for me.... Not to sure what to say to tell then? I dont cure them in anything. Maybe Tony can give some tips on what he does to remove it. Chances are it never absorbed the oil, but I cant say for certain.
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Post by 1dave on Nov 2, 2015 9:26:06 GMT -5
I used to keep it in glycerine but as spiritstone says, it will eventually do what it is going to do. If it formed with a lot of water in the structure, it will dry and fracture. Display almost any of them in a hot light or sun, well the water expands and . . . A lot of it is stable and never gives a problem. Set it out let it craze if it is going to. Work the stones that don't. I've had good luck with Australian and Brazilian. My favorite is Gilson man made. I cut some 50 years ago and it still is fabulous. I took photos way back then but they have disappeared. I'll try to get around to taking some more. Edit: found these photos on line. www.profoundglass.com/store/pc/catalog/jewelry-grade-rough_1744_detail.jpg
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Fossilman
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2009
Posts: 20,680
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Post by Fossilman on Nov 2, 2015 9:57:41 GMT -5
Did I say it was Fire Opal agate....
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spiritstone
Cave Dweller
Member since August 2014
Posts: 2,061
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Post by spiritstone on Nov 2, 2015 12:40:46 GMT -5
Did I say it was Fire Opal agate.... Are we talking about Agate or Opal? If its agate, disregard what is mentioned. I never heard of curing fire agate? New to me also.
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Post by 1dave on Nov 2, 2015 13:24:39 GMT -5
Did I say it was Fire Opal agate.... Are we talking about Agate or Opal? If its agate, disregard what is mentioned. I never heard of curing fire agate? New to me also. Yes, Fire Agate and Fire Opal are two totally different animals. Precious Opal is the valuable stuff. Fire Opal is red transparent common opal - no "fire."
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Post by radio on Nov 2, 2015 16:21:14 GMT -5
Most of the Aussie precious Opal is pretty stable. Andamooka Opal needs to be "Cooked" in a sugar based recipe to bring out the colors. Welo, or Ethiopian Hydrophane Opal is very "wet" and can/will crack and craze with butt kicking regularity. Virgin Valley Opal is even worse in most cases, and rarely is suitable for cutting. I have a good bit I dug at the Bonanza mine high on the ridge and it is the most stable of all the mines IMHO
I have custom cut several Ethiopian Opal cabs for customers from material they bought at shows and always warn them it isn't a matter of "If it cracks", but "When it cracks"! I will not put any of it in my pieces for that reason
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Post by 1dave on Nov 3, 2015 10:16:01 GMT -5
Mine was in an oil base of some kind....I don't know what kind or how much... Tony had it done for me.... If it was Fire Agate, it could be placed in a light oil to allow the colors to be seen, but water would probably work just as well.
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Post by 1dave on Nov 28, 2015 14:54:36 GMT -5
I used to keep it in glycerine but as spiritstone says, it will eventually do what it is going to do. If it formed with a lot of water in the structure, it will dry and fracture. Display almost any of them in a hot light or sun, well the water expands and . . . A lot of it is stable and never gives a problem. Set it out let it craze if it is going to. Work the stones that don't. I've had good luck with Australian and Brazilian. My favorite is Gilson man made. I cut some 50 years ago and it still is fabulous. I took photos way back then but they have disappeared. I'll try to get around to taking some more. Edit: found these photos on line. www.profoundglass.com/store/pc/catalog/jewelry-grade-rough_1744_detail.jpgI promised photos of the opals I cut back in the '70's. Amount, direction of light, and background make quite a difference.
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