my first opal and cab today (then set it in a ring)

[phishisgroovin]

I tried my super beginner luck on opal today since i got out of work a bit early.

Stopped at jerrys rock & jems and grabbed a bunch of chunks to play with.

Picked up some dop wax as well, smells like pine tree when heated.

well, here goes.

free hand oval




no, im not an artist so i faked it. hand crafted oval by the handicapped here.

ground a bit

then more


Remind you, this is my very first cab



Just like my very first Heart i made, IT BROKE!
while setting it in the ring. had a flaw i missed. didnt look closely at it through my loupe like i should have lol!



broke but put back in place for a picture.




So i started over with an opaque piece after looking through the loupe before starting, i seen no flaws or hairline cracks. So i started.

it was pouring out so my phone stayed in the house while i hit the wheel
Heres what i ended up with.


this is my second cab ever.







And one the wifes finger!


I got a HAPPY MOMMA! Happy wife = HAPPY LIFE!
Peace!
Phish.

 

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[Eu_citzen]

Opal is quite brittle and not a good choice for a first stone. Think more along the lines of Agate, chalcedony, rhyolite and other more stable materials first. Just a tip.

 

[wvwildman]

nice work man

 

[phishisgroovin]

Opal is quite brittle and not a good choice for a first stone. Think more along the lines of Agate, chalcedony, rhyolite and other more stable materials first. Just a tip.

i live on the edge man, it was cheap ($1) for what i purchased, i saved the ethiopian opal for later, this is mexican opal which even at $25 a pound, it was only shards. My efforts paid off and i learned that final polishing shouldnt be with a machine, its an elbow grease job.

i will buy a larger chunk and learn how to deal with the unstable matix on the mexican stone with small opals inside for a bracelet maybe later on.
Going to keep my hobby small and buying old scrap jewlery at pawn shops with bad stones, i need another wheel or 4 before i continue with the extremely hard agate. the shop i go to has some used wheel sets i am going to try and buy then mount on an old belt driven arbor i have and make a box for it.

 

[Bajahunter]

I cant remember the term right now but opal needs to be soaked in water for awhile before it is worked. A friend here put his opal in buckets of water for about a month.

 

[Eu_citzen]

Hahaha, worn wheels. My cabbing machine is also slowing down now. :P

Try aussie or brazilian opal, phish. Very different, quite challenging but fun.
Ethiopian opal is a good practising material, I still use it to "play" with, got 4-5 years old stock.

For wheels you might google Lopacki. I've used some of his stuff and been quite pleased for the price.

Baja,
only thing I've ever heard off is that some do that with Juniper Ridge opal. But IMO it shouldn't be needed.

Hydrophane Ethiopian opals from strange sources also can be wetted and dried, if they are unstable they'll usually crack.
The wetting and drying can be made daily. Put it wet in the morning, let dry over night. Check for cracks.

 

[gentleart]

I'm no expert, but I am a female, and I think it's BEAUTIFUL! You're wife is lucky!

I was stupid enough to wear my Ethiopian opal while rock hounding and scratched it a little. : (