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Post by hummingbirdstones2 on Feb 23, 2021 22:58:48 GMT -5
Here are pics of what might be the best piece of rough I've put to a wheel. Won't know 'till it's done, and won't be in a hurry with it.
It's been run up to 3000 grit to remove most of the coarse grit marks and show the color. Color rolls evenly between the two sides. Maybe... .
Will hope to post cab pics someday on that board.
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Post by jasoninsd on Feb 23, 2021 23:21:29 GMT -5
Vince, it's a good thing my wife just went to bed! She would be extremely envious of the blues coming through on that one! (Not to say that I'm not! LOL)
I really do appreciate you posting pics of the opals that you work. They really are fascinating to me...as a spectator...no desire to work them...yet! LOL
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Post by hummingbirdstones2 on Feb 24, 2021 9:10:20 GMT -5
Thanks Jason. Good opal rough is becoming increasingly difficult to get. Very little is found now compared to how it used to be, and the prices for what is found put it out of the reach of most of us. All of our sources for any affordable rough like this are long gone.
Posting these pics is kinda' like documenting other "old stock" rocks. If you ever see a pile of opal rough - especially black - at a really low price anywhere you should have a closer look. If you see anything interesting in it you should consider picking it up. It's more fun than going to the casino. Results are usually about the same, but I have more fun sitting at a lapidary machine.
There's a video online of a big-time Aussie cutter buying a single piece directly from the miner in Lightning Ridge. It wasn't much bigger than this one, and the miner held firm on his price of AU $5,000. His was a better grade of rough, but we still couldn't pay US $3,750 for a single rock. You have to have a steady base of buyers for the finished goods to do that. Even that guy was worried he was going to lose money on that piece of rough until he got it cut and polished.
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Brian
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since July 2020
Posts: 1,512
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Post by Brian on Feb 24, 2021 9:19:32 GMT -5
That is looking beautiful already! Those blues are incredible.
It sounds like opals are almost pricing themselves out of the market. If the prices are that high for the rough, only the most experienced and talented artisans will even be willing to bite. Which seems like it would only lead to driving prices up more. I can’t imagine someone new even having the guts to risk trying with stakes that high.
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Post by hummingbirdstones2 on Feb 24, 2021 9:48:57 GMT -5
Yeah, Brian, that's the sad part. There is still affordable rough out there, though, and opal is just another rock as far as cutting goes. It doesn't like a lot of heat, pressure, or vibration or chatter from poorly balanced equipment - but other than that it's a lot tougher than one might think.
It isn't any more difficult to cut than anything else. Finding the color bars by grinding around the sides is easy enough. Next thing is flipping it around with a bright light coming directly over your shoulder to see which direction the color seems brightest. That can be tricky, but you can always round an edge over to the color bar to see if you've decided on the best orientation. Then it's all about grinding slowly and lightly - stopping to look a lot - down to the color. Going to the next higher grit a bit sooner than you might think is good. You can always go back down if necessary.
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Post by miket on Feb 24, 2021 10:23:20 GMT -5
Very nice, Vince. I can't wait to see that one finished! Although, I'll bet it looks even better in person- maybe you should send it this way so I can get a better look...
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standles
spending too much on rocks
Well all I got was a rock ... Cool!
Member since February 2021
Posts: 325 
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Post by standles on Feb 24, 2021 10:32:28 GMT -5
Beautiful. I watch the YT channel Black Opal Direct and am always fascinated but the stones coming alive on the wheel. Personally I would be a nervous wreck first off paying those prices for rough unknown quality stones and then scared I would destroy it in the process.
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Post by hummingbirdstones on Feb 24, 2021 10:44:00 GMT -5
Very nice, Vince. I can't wait to see that one finished! Although, I'll bet it looks even better in person- maybe you should send it this way so I can get a better look...
Good try, Mike! 
Maybe I'll just try to take a video of it for you.  |
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Post by hummingbirdstones2 on Feb 24, 2021 10:51:46 GMT -5
standles - That's where we saw the expensive single piece bought from the miner.
He was nervous about losing money when he started cutting it. But then you saw the valuation he put on the finished opals. We definitely don't have buyers in that price range, so we couldn't afford to pay that much for rough, either.
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Post by opalpyrexia on Feb 24, 2021 11:49:20 GMT -5
Looking good, Vince. I'm crossing my fingers for you...
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gemfeller
Cave Dweller 
Member since June 2011
Posts: 4,047
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Post by gemfeller on Feb 24, 2021 15:35:56 GMT -5
When you see red and multicolors showing in black rough, things suddenly become "real." Happy grinding Vince and may the Force be with you. Brian , The opal market is just like any other market for commodities: supply and demand. The truth is that Americans don't place the same value on precious opal as other cultures, especially Japan other parts of Asia. They're willing to spend big $$$ for fine stones, especially now when supplies are tightening. |
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Fossilman
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2009
Posts: 20,718
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Post by Fossilman on Feb 24, 2021 16:18:46 GMT -5
Excellent work.. Nothing like some good Opal..
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quartzilla
Cave Dweller
Member since April 2020
Posts: 1,240
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Post by quartzilla on Feb 25, 2021 21:39:53 GMT -5
Wow that looks like every single Infinity Stone rolled into one. Can’t wait to see how it turns out!
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Post by hummingbirdstones on Feb 25, 2021 21:52:49 GMT -5
Wow that looks like every single Infinity Stone rolled into one. Can’t wait to see how it turns out! I had to look up what Infinity Stones were. |
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saxplayer
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since March 2018
Posts: 1,327
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Post by saxplayer on Feb 25, 2021 22:03:44 GMT -5
Love the blues!
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Post by beefjello on Mar 1, 2021 21:42:21 GMT -5
Yowza.. what a color garden!  |
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Post by hummingbirdstones2 on Mar 6, 2021 22:46:17 GMT -5
Couldn't stand it any longer. Did some very cautious cleanup on this one. These pics aren't in sunlight, so not as "flashy" as the first round.
They do show that the multi-color flash is still there, chips are gone from the surface, and only one shallow inclusion remains. Had to stop again at this point to make sure I didn't get so fixated on one thing that I might do something dumb in another area.
Thanks for looking.
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saxplayer
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since March 2018
Posts: 1,327
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Post by saxplayer on Mar 6, 2021 23:07:22 GMT -5
I think it is great now!
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Post by jasoninsd on Mar 7, 2021 2:31:40 GMT -5
Vince, that is looking absolutely stellar!
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Post by fernwood on Mar 7, 2021 5:50:29 GMT -5
Coming along nicely.
Thanks for the update. I was wondering.
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