Carving uncut opal with a Dremel. Tips and tricks 

I'm so glad you showed carving an opal. Thank you for keeping me laughing. I always look forward to seeing your videos. I would happily wear such a beautiful piece. Stay well and keep smiling.

A masterpiece video like this is needed in the new workshop

i thought that gem looked amazing before you carved it. WOW that thing is beautiful

You would fit in fine with our family. We do all sorts of crazy things like you do. Each one of us has more silliness than the next. We never forget someone's foibles. Absolutely nothing is scared around here. When my husband died, we all made it thru by using our silliness and funny memories to create the sweetness we needed. It is the only way to get thru hardships in life. Just keep laughing and not take the world to seriously. I love watching you carve your opals but it is your sense of humor that keeps me coming back. When I feel my energy go down, I tune you in and things get so much better. I wish you wealth, health and happiness but I think you have that already....from Chicago

This is a stunning piece! I would totally wear it as a pendant

Thats a really beautiful piece, i loved it as soon as i saw it , thanks for entertaining me when i am stuck at home.

9:57 Your just like my kids! Bloody towel on the floor! LOL I've always just been a gold guy "detecting" And since one of your videos popped up you've got me into opals! Thanks!!

I love that concave piece! Wowzers!

It's really beautiful. Definetly time and patience is required. Lots of it. Enjoyed watching and learning.

The colors in this remind me of Christmas! This the season! Very informative! Great job!

When you have the time, would love for you to talk about caring for you opal jewelry. Online I’ve read very confused advice. Some say rub the opal with oil, some say do not, some say store the opal with a moist cloth, some say to store it dry. I’m a little overwhelmed with the lack of consistency. I believe you would be the go to person with trusted advice due to the many years you have dealt with opals. Look forward to reading your thoughts. Thanks. Love your happy personality and beautiful workmanship.

Love your work... this Opal is Amazing. Love your humout!

Thanks Justin, I could do this one at home, as I have a Dremel in my tool collection 😁

I felt like I was at the dentist.lol Thank you. Andy

Just a quick word of thanks to you for brightening up our time in lock down isolation. This virus can get folk down but you and a number of other RU-vid producers stepping up to the mark to entertain and educate us is very heartwarming. Thank you so very much. Regards from Scotland.

Nice work with the DREMLIN!

Justin you were hilarious! ;D Unique stone. I can understand why you're in no hurry to finish finish it.

Great to watch 👍👍👍👍

Neat-o.looked like fun and it creates a unique piece. Keep 'em coming and stay safe.

I really like this. The older I get, the less I like over-embellished or over worked pieces. I like the stone, bone, or whatever it is one is working with, to, as you say, "speak for itself". There's been a tendency in jewellery making for people to try and remove all marks and garks and I think that's a shame. Obviously some stones are at their best when cut and polished to their ultimate point, e.g. topaz, zultanite, tanzanite but things like pounamu/NZ greenstone/jade, bone, coral, bone and IMHO some opal, can be shown to their best effect by leaving some of its history or natural provenance left in tact. It's a personal taste thing, I guess. Great video.

Glad you enjoying your food

Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge and experience with us. I’ve never worked with any stone before, but now I will start with some beginner rough and a dremel. Cheers!

really love this one as I have done this about eight to ten years ago,thank you

Gorgious gem curving stone made by a master cutter!! I very much enjoy your cutting job. Thanks.

Those greens are amazing! Entertaining, as well as informative. Glad I've subscribed. Thanks!

I feel inspired Justin, just started 14 weeks off work. I'll definitely make myself some wooden tipped attachments. Take care & all of you stay safe.

I love your"re sense of humor, i would love to be able to do what you do. You are a true artist. Opals are my daughters birthstone,she really loves them. Thanks for the fun and information.

Thanks for sharing this. I'm carving nobbies too. The color is amazing. And it's a great pastime 🖤

Been waiting for this video! 💐

Thanks dude, that's what I'm talking about. Glad you mentioned the Nova points. they're such a blessing the old school Carvers. We used to have to improvise.

Love your sense of humor. The rest is simply mesmerizing

Great video, Totally agree 🤠thanks 👍

I once carved a 3,2cm Salamander out of a mineral stone (don’t know what it is) that inspired me due the green color an S-shaped red line in the middle. I used professional gear for dental tech‘s (I am one), Diamond grinding tools, polishing rubber. I was amazed how hard that stone was, I almost gave up after 45 minutes. Felt a lot harder then titanium. It cost me a lot of diamond grinder and discs, and a lot of time. Finally I glued some little gold drops in for eyes and cast a rough nugget shape around it out of kobalt-chrom-molybdenum steel, looking like the salamander was sitting on it, with all his little toes and bumps on his back, grinning slightly😊. It turned out nice as a pendant. But took me some 11-12 hours of hard work...

I have a feeling this piece will be gorgeous!

Thank you for this video. I learn something every time I watch you.

I like how you handled your critic

perfect for while i wait till some real equipment comes LOVE YA WORK

Justin, thank you for all your hard work to provide content for we viewers. You are one of the only channels I watch that has no commercials to provide income. That in my book is awesome and makes every video that much more enjoyable. You work your business and still make time for us. I just wanted you to know that you are appreciated for making content for us. I do worry about your health, you sound so tired at times and that can lower your immune system (remember that nasty virus that has/is affecting everyone). Just know how much you and your beautiful wife are appreciated! Stay safe and be well my Aussie friend 🙏✌💜💙💚😎

Thanks for sharing 🍻😎

Thank you Justin for sharing

YOU ARE LITERALLY MY FAVORITE RU-vidR EVER THANK YOU SO MUCH I HAVE SUCH AN APPRECIATION FOR YOU AND YOUR CONTENT !!!! 10/10

That is a stunning rock bro, thumbs up. Peace and love from toowoomba sunny Queensland.

Nicely done ! That nobby sure has a lot of character. And it’s nice to see that maybe someone with limited equipment could cut an opal. Love the content as always, and please don’t lose that sense of humor 😂, it’s dang near as polished as some of the gems you create lol

Cool video dude. 😎✌️

This was a real helpful video for me because I don't have anything except a Dremel. I really appreciate you doing this

Thank you Sir!

nice nugget :) and 'fluffy' pattern is very cool most people don't realize how long it takes to make carving good work as always cheers

I love your videos keep it up iam so inspired to do this one day God willing

So pretty :) reminds me of my old pocket pebble, had a similar shape where i would hold it in the crook of my index finer and rest my thumb on the smooth bit. Rub for luck lol

Bon appétit , so funky, and watt a color opalicius opal color i would say .❤❤❤❤❤❤

totally love the humour :)

EXcellent lesson! Great closeups, good organization (tools req), just the right amount of jolly times, and good "play by play." Short of an Italian girl in lingerie, what better way to spend your "shelter in place social distancing" time than by creating a stunning gem! 5 stars!

Awesome

aqua regia can dissolve noble metals but hydrofluoric can dissolve most silicates. The wonderful world of acid. Looks beautiful!

I have carved a lot of opal, and I do more steps with carving burs before moving to leather wheels, felt wheels, Nova points etc. Carving burs, usually 170, 320, 600 grit, as these steps get rid of the marks from the rougher burs. Thanks for the videos - I enjoy them a lot.

It is time for a beer... Cheers. Need a lime with my Corona virus. Ha😅 !!! So the carving .... With the curve in the stone, might be cool to sculpt into a fish. New Zealand trout. That's a whole other art form and more tools probably. Thanks for sharing. Cool video. Much love from California.

Hey Justin love you work this came out really beautiful dont worry what the haters have to say you've been doing it long enough to know what opals can and can't do so keep soldering ahead and thanks for the great laughs with the depressing times that we've got a head of us ps i would love to learn more about opals I do gold prospecting and would love to get into opals cheers

Thanks! Love opals and love dremels. I came across a box full of rough opals, mostly white so of no real value, but there are a couple black ones and some red ones and a blue one!

Funny, I have a boulder opal in acetone right now, without knowing abut this video. You had me worried for a minute. Trying to remove a quartz doublet where epoxy was not quite clear enough. Thanks sharing your knowledge!!

For other mining districts - make sure your re-hydrate your opal by rinsing it in clean water several times after the solvent is done. If not, the solvent evaporates fast leaving the stone dry and it could craze by drying as fast as it can without re-hydration from the air. If you are using the solvent to carry in resin or a filler, that is not an issue.

I stumbled upon this trying to find something relaxing to watch as I self quarantine in the Southern US & try to forget our president here suggested we drink bleach...(yes, he did) and I gotta say it's so relaxing before sleep & entirely fascinating! THANK U from the USA. I burned thru your entire playlist! Stay safe!

Carving is definitely an art. Takes a lot of patience that's for sure.

Hi Justin, We are in lockdown due to COVID19 situation, Your videos are saviour in these tough time. Love watching them, they are very satisfying. 😊 Prakash Pune, INDIA.

Nice work ..Great video .. Hopefully will help me carving some Cooper pedy shell opal ..Cheers

Cool

Jajajaja muy divertido 😆

You are awesome sir🤠 Thank You very much👍 Btw, I have just started polish Stones with my 4 kids. The way Master Justin doinit🤩. By sandpaper{wet stuff). And ITS alot messy, but fun😃 Flint is really hard stuff😊

I'll have to go online to find those bits. My local lapidary supply store is now a weed dispensary. Such are the times.

Amazing ... your father taught you well Justin. 😀😀😀

That is the sort of shape i like my opals.

Craftsman!!

Thanks for a extremely informative video!! Question for you---you pointed out to either go with what the stone gives you or force things, potentially losing color. Realizing every stone is different, although want to ask big picture philosophy question of when you might consider the loss of color worth "forcing it"? Oh, and with the things you did with eating and the other parts, you made it really clear carving can be VERY tedious! LOL

I wish you were closer. I have a sample from idaho. One ive been wprking on slowly trying to save tge color to show you. It's fingerr mail thin and I'm poor lol so my machine is home made and yeah flat lap which I suggest no one ever try lol great for classic gem cuts. Not for cabs. Anyways just thank you for the videos. And hopfully fingers crossed I'll be loading video of idaho opal :) it's in basalt not sure what type I know color becomes prominent after dryinf

👏🏻👏🏻

That little dremel looks nifty, what model is it ? Really enjoy watching you at work 👍

Have you ever played around with satin or matte finishes on opals? I think it might work quite well on the right stone. Much less surface reflection to distract from the colour. Also unique. Probably a tricky finish to get, but fine media blasting could work, or fine Scotch Brite. Love your videos

Definitely one great thing to do at home whilst the Pandemic keeps us there

Fun y how are using a Dremel! I suggested it a while back...just bc I saw sand -bits that needed to without damaging a stone! I was just wondering if u used it? And now that I see you have...I will shut-up! Beautiful work sir!

She came out looking great Justin, you earned that beer! Thank you for the video. Quick question, what happen to that really big chunk of opal you were debating on chopping up or keeping as a specimen? I wouldn't mind seeing an update on it. Thanks again Justin 👍

I use acetone to remove my Ethiopians from the dop which I use lock tight to hold it on.

I wonder if you carved from the other side, would you have been able to get the nice dome you love so much. Oh and yes it can take days to carve a freeform. You should try doing a harder stone like quartz.

Good day

Enjoying all your wonderful experiments and loved watching the carving, thanks. I am presuming though that doublets or triplets might not be a good idea for soaking in solutions? The opal slither is likely to be fine, but the rest could possibly fall apart?

I was fascinated to see your process. I have been polishing gold lipped pearl oysters and thought some of the methods you use could be transferable. Can I email you to show you?

Thanks for making this video! I did a similar carving and it looks very similar, I called mine "melted gummy bear" :-) I'm curious if you have any thoughts on using the other Nova tips in the process, for example, instead of the wood+paste use the 1200 nova tip? What I've been trying is sintered bits 100#, 220#, 320# and then go to nova bits 280#, 600#, 1200#, 3000#, 8000# -- but, I don't think I spend enough time on some stages, easy to get impatient with all the steps. Another thing that I realized to be cautious about is with wear on those felt tips, I was using those with some coarser grit pastes and before I knew it the top of the felt had worn through to the metal shaft and that's no bueno. Thanks again for all the info!

All I need now is a nobby lol

Omg what. This ending .. I think I’ve been day drinking for too long 🤣

Klasse :-)

Walkalator HAHAHA - it’s called a travelator. I would hate to be your cleaner there, it sounds like a death trap behind that counter bench. I do house cleaning but I’m currently in lockdown, like most others. Didn’t want to carry germs from house to house so got time to make YT videos & watch some like yours. Stay safe Justin & keep your family safe. Hope Melinda can come back once you have sterilised that ‘walkalater’ 😂

😎🤙🦅

You can use a powder acid to remove sand spots.. I will try and find name. No dremel just fizz

This is exactly what I want to do. Please sell me a piece to try this.

Hi Justin. thanks so much for your videos. learn a lot from them. I have a question. Do yóu use "Diamond Pacific Nova Miniature Sanding & Polishing Points " or can you recommend them or somethink other Nova Points.? Thanks for your help

good pcs poch

That was really tedious I can see why it's not your favorite. It's much more exciting grinding on the wheels your rewarded with beautiful color so much faster!!!!!!! Finding that hint of color and then bringing it out to shine is so exciting there's nothing more beautiful to me than a black opal

I love these videos. Can you get a valuable piece out of carving?

Great result and congrats on your patience. Looked kinda cool to start with too. I use superglue gel, be interesting to hear your thoughts on that. I was using acetone to get them off the stick, but a cutter from the US told me to try just water and it worked fine after a couple of hours. Been sent some wax, but the superglue gel is working fine, maybe not the time you get with wax positioning the opal, but not bad.

Hi Justin. Tks for the entertainment during this isolation period. I've been looking for a drop down type slab saw like you have, but can only find ones that protrude up through the table. I'm in Canada, and there seems to be very limited lap equipment available here. Any suggestions? I've even thought of trying to make my own from a bench grinder, but I'm not sure of rotation speeds needed, or arbor sizes for the blades etc.

In your opinion what would be a good opal to replace my class ring opal that is really nice and cheap (ish) price? After watching your videos in like, omg my opal is plain. I mean I've gotten many compliments on it because in America I don't think it's a very common stone to see in jewelry but I really would like my ring to be reset with a very nice one with alot of flash in it. I was thumbing throb your website and you gave some GORGEOUS stones but some of them are like way way out of my range. If you take into consideration, if you would, a regular make class ring for an XL hand size, I forget my ring size exactly but I have large hands. I wish we could pin pictures to these comments. I scratched my opal all up since it's a wear everywhere ring, I was thinking about getting it reground but instead I may just get it replaced with a beautiful one instead.

I'd sand/grind the backside of that down flat so it'd naturally sit up on it's own in a display case. I don't think I'd call this carving though, that's just polishing with a dremel instead of your wheel.. To me carving is when you make something out of it like a figure.. Like how they carve lions and stuff out of jade.