How to polish Boulder Opal - Diamond Paste versus Nova Points

[@opalbadger9367]

Many thanks to all your great support. Appreciate all your subscribes, likes and comments. This motivates me to create more videos for you.

[@MrsDanaygasta]

I love using my Balsa wood tips. I put a drop of super glue inside the hole, waited for it to dry, then I put my bit in. It strengthens the wood and the tip is less likely to wobble. I also made 7 tips, one for each grade of paste. If sand or shards of stone become imbedded in your wood tip, just sand it down again.

[@opalbadger9367]

@@MrsDanaygasta awesome!!! Thank you for the good input! 🙏🙏

[@chanalowenthal3897]

You’re very innovative and funny. I’m smiling just picturing a cold rainy Sunday afternoon at your house with kids!🤪 but then again, my kids are grown thank God.🤣

[@elishadoyle8191]

I totally love how humble you are. You don't mind using cheaper inventions that yove set up that work, like the plastic bottle shield. I don't have money and it helps me see i can do things without expensive things. Thanks so much

[@nachtbild]

Thanks for this awesome and funny experience sharing. At some points I had to laugh - I too searched for my flying opals already.😂 Greetings from Germany 🙂👍

[@opalbadger9367]

Hey! Danke dir!!! Ich freue mich, dass es dir gefallen hat. Grüße aus Hannover

[@nachtbild]

@@opalbadger9367 Oh cool, endlich jemand aus Deutschland, der tolle Videos über Opale macht! Bitte mach weiter, ich hab noch sooo viel zu lernen! Liebe Grüße aus Datteln

[@oldmate44]

Love your sense of humour and I have learnt a lot from this video. I've recently got back from Koroit and Yowah and have some nice boulder Opal to work on. Keep up the good work.

[@opalbadger9367]

Thank you mate! Your comment makes me really happy! 🙃 Next video is in progress

[@V27RV]

Man I came back to this video again…and truly its one of the best opal videos out there.. I hope you ok Kai..and hope you bless us with a video one day again.. Liebe Grüße aus Wien

[@opalbadger9367]

Hey my friend! Thank you for this!! I'm okay but hat to solve few private stuff and Things are slowly running here. BUT I can promise you a Video is upcoming very soon maybe end of December

[@V27RV]

@@opalbadger9367 No worries Kai.. I remember from last time we chat,u told me a bit whats going on why you weren’t uploading.. Eventually life is and will be good again.. Stay safe bro

[@flyingcheff]

Hi! Kudos on being brave and humble in your sharing. Some responses: I KNOW you should not mix different grades of diamond paste on one wooden point, just like polishing metal, separate your grits. Keep your diamond paste tubes with your designated points. Clean stone in between grade changes - FOR SURE. Otherwise you are blending grits and that does not bring a polish. Also, please stop wasting your expensive diamond paste, use less and add more when you see the need, and don't wipe the excess off your finger on a paper towel and throw away, save it on the tube tip or a small plastic container, use it later. You can ways dip the wood tip into the leftover paste... economy! I use a small "to-go" sauce container with a lid, I mark it with the grit and store it with tube of paste and any polishing tips of same grit in one clean baggie.. Also, just a thought for economy (money and time), you can buy a complete 3-in1 flatlap system from Inland Craft for about $400, brand new. They are a beginner set up. Even eBay has used ones. Wayyyy easier, safer. A great start! It has a flat lap and a trim saw and easy to switch. They are tough little machines- I love mine. Youve already got hundreds in your set-up, maybe its time to use what you've learned and graduate to the next step up! Love your channel! I vote for your success!

[@opalbadger9367]

Wow, these information are so good mate!!! Thank you for sharing here. I think I will invest in a flexshaft. This will be my next upgrade, also good for upcoming jewelry processes. Your words mean a lot to me. My next boulders will be happy for the right treatment 🙏

[@leonharvey9452]

Hi mate and hi from Australia, love the videos and your sense of humour keep up the good work and looking forward too the next video

[@opalbadger9367]

Hi Leon! Comments like yours are motivating me to keep it up so many thanks for the awesome words mate! 🙃

[@BeatsByDougieT]

Like the goofy humour and also love the makeshift shield idea! Will probably have to make my own for when I use my dremel!!

[@opalbadger9367]

Thank you for watching and commenting Dougie! Always happy, when ideas get to the right people 😁

[@BeatsByDougieT]

@@opalbadger9367 making your own wooden tips was another great idea & tip I'll have to try in the future as well!

[@opalbadger9367]

@@BeatsByDougieT appreciate that! This really helped me out here. What I have to add here: you have to use one for each grit. Just cleaning will not be good enough to get a high grade polish and also waste paste. That's what people told me in the comments here.

[@frostypop934]

Please, make more videos! I love them.

[@opalbadger9367]

Thank you so much!!!! Next one will be online in one or two weeks 😉

[@tattoofthesun]

Dude I have this same exact setup at home except I have a dust box and need this here drip station you’ve got

[@opalbadger9367]

😁 Happy to read this! Always like when people are cutting gems with setups, they invented by themselves. Also the big mashines are freaking expensive

[@jeffholmes1362]

Papa Smurf was just upset with you for bagging out Master Yoda. And he was right too 😂😂😂

[@opalbadger9367]

😂😂😂 The Yedi will return again in one of the next videos, that's for sure 😉

[@coreymerrill3257]

One thing is ,you need a different tip for each paste to avoid cross contamination of grit size. Which will make a cloudier polish than if not crossed. The cheap pastes are usually 7 percent diamond concentration at most. So you need to coat your to be polished item , but you can get up to 50 percent concentration from certain name brands . It takes roughly an hour to use the pastes. This is what I have recently learned. Ty for sharing

[@opalbadger9367]

Corey, thank you that's awesome! Yeah next boulders will be done with more professional polishing 😅👍

[@offyarocka]

Very cool video, some awesome info shared,rad little grinding workstation and funny AF hahahahaha smurf poop had me in stitches

[@opalbadger9367]

I'm so happy to read your words!! They mean a lot to me! Thanks for that and really glad I could help with this experimental shit 😅

[@offyarocka]

@@opalbadger9367 🤪🤪🤪 All good!!! Oh yeah i good tip i learnt yesterday with the smurf poop is to put a little dab on the stone instead of the dowl, it will save you money for more stones hehehehehehe

[@gumbyHTFU]

Awesome video and thank you for your time and effort. The only thing I've been told is to change each felt tip per different diamond paste and shouldn't use 1 tip for all as there are different grits. Other than that they look amazing

[@roberttyrrell2250]

I recommend a foot peddle for your dremel. I got an carbon rod peddle from a sewing machine $15 Ebay. Better than electronic peddle that breaks often.

[@opalbadger9367]

Thank you Robert! Yeah, my setup is quiet basic and from the tecnical point of view I often have not a clue about any possibilities to improve it. I am actually working on a better setup and will keep your recommendation in mind my friend

[@roberttyrrell2250]

@@opalbadger9367 I do a lot with my dremel 4000. I'm a artisan hobby jeweler too. Have the flex shaft. I don't have too worry about water damaging my dremel. Even made mini wet saw set up for reinforced cut off blades. Working on building a real cabbing machine.

[@opalbadger9367]

@@roberttyrrell2250 thats awesome mate! When you've finished your cabbing mashine you should make a video about that 😉

[@vitali-opal-and-gem]

You made me laugh, thank you for this experiment. Subscribed

[@opalbadger9367]

Thank you! 🙏 thats awesome

[@willikrichbaum2263]

Hallo Kai, du musst nach jeder Diamant Paste auch den Polieraufsatz wechseln sonst bekommst du nie eine Hochglanz Politur hin weil sich noch Reste von der groben Paste aus dem Aufsatz befindet die bekommst du auch mit abwischen nicht mehr runter den sie Setzt sich fest also pro Körnung immer ein neuer Aufsatz und viel hilft nicht viel auch auf den Schleifaufsatz kannst du einen Tropfen Öl darauf machen und 10min. Einziehen lassen. Den die Paste ist auf Öl basis und das Holz saugt das Öl auf einziehen lassen ist das ging der dinge da wird die Paste geschmeidiger und haftet besser, so verschwendest du nur von der Teuren Diamant-Paste.... Grüße aus Deutschland

[@opalbadger9367]

Hey Willi! Ich danke dir für die Hilfe! Die beste Erklärung die ich hierzu bekommen habe, also echt fettes Dankeschön!!! 🙃 Der Tipp mit dem Öl ist ja auch richtig gut, das wird alles bei den nächsten Boulderopalen ausprobiert! 🙏

[@willikrichbaum2263]

@@opalbadger9367 Nimm von den Hart Filz Poliraufsätzen das ist das Beste. Viel Spaß und Erfolg drücke dir die Daumen👍🏻

[@glennsowacke9752]

Great video! Learned a lot!!!

[@chanalowenthal3897]

Use the fingers cut from thin leather gloves (single gloves from thrift store or friends’ closets are best)😉 and you need to use a different nova point for each compound or it’s like using different colors of markers one over the other - none of them end up working. But good to you for trying this. I haven’t tried polishing yet. If these are still for your girlfriend I hope she appreciates your combining your love for her and love for trying jewelry making.

[@milagaddy2458]

Love your videos

[@opalbadger9367]

I love your words 🙏🙏🙏 thank you!

[@V27RV]

Love your Videos man Always looking forward to seeing videos Lg

[@opalbadger9367]

🙏🙏🙏 It's much fun, so I keep on 😅. It's also much work doing all this, that's why I actually can't post a video every week. Planning to do one video each month.

[@V27RV]

@@opalbadger9367 Yes man..I completely understand what you saying.. So like always I appreciate your videos and the effort you put in. Looking forward to more content from you Kai Mit freundlichen Grüßen

[@greekozygirl599]

After 3000 nova The best way I found to polish boulder opal is Aluminium Oxide powder.. Mix = 1 desert spoon to 1 cup of water.. felt tip. Keep dabbing liquid on the boulder. Don't let liquid dry or burn out while using felt..keep dipping or dabbing boulder into liquid, and soak felt After 5 mins do the same but with water until polish is gone. Hard glass Finnish.

[@drfill9210]

Just pointing out, you ground away a few mm with the trim saw blade. That's probably thick enough to cut a small slice and have 2 opals, if you are careful.. also I have slipped and accidentally pushed my fingers into the dremel trim saw blade. It didn't cut me, not that I'm suggesting you try it!!

[@opalbadger9367]

I always struggle with the trimsaw. Hopefully things will go right in future 😅

[@johnbashkov1446]

If you do not have variable speed Dremel buy a riostat plug into your tool you can slow down or speed up your tool! Secondly you want to use a different polish wheel with each diamond paste! You do not want rsdual lower diamond paste to cary over as it will scratch!

[@opalbadger9367]

Thank you mate!! Yessss absolutly! Will never be so rude to my Boulder Opal.!

[@V27RV]

Greetings Kai Ma Guy✌🏽 Again big Dankeschön for your awesome vids man.. Seeing that we don’t live so far apart Deutschland und Österreich 😹 I can’t seem to find the proper green dopping wax..at the moment I’m using letter sealer wax which works ok-ish What kind and where did you get your dopping wax? Vielen Dank mein Freund

[@opalbadger9367]

You are awesome Fariq! Here's the shop in Germany, where I found the wax I use. www.aquarus.net/shop/artikeldet.php?suchspeicher=1001001632&proid=920&bez=Dop%20Wax%20green,%20ca.30%20g&sid=f517ca1edbf9caff64a1942d7055f16d I think they will ship to Austria. They have also nova points 😁

[@V27RV]

@@opalbadger9367 ahh awesome man🤗

[@glennsowacke9752]

Where did you buy the attachment for the wood dowel that turned into a point for polishing. What is it called?

[@elishadoyle8191]

Please make a video on how to put the wax on the dop stick

[@simbaoo2219]

Awesome man!

[@opalbadger9367]

Knobibrudi! Appreciate!!!

[@contryer6821]

Hello! What is that thing that you use to adhere the opal to the little metal rod? the thing like wax

[@opalbadger9367]

Hey there! 🦡 That's called dop wax, that you can find at several lapidary shops round the internet

[@tattoofthesun]

I do the same just with turquoise lol. Same exact setup and e sry thing. I bought some Ethiopian Opal and some Australian black Opal but immediately realized I was dealing with something out of my league: it’s just sitting around. Also I have those head glasses too

[@opalbadger9367]

😂 😂 😂 You made my day! Hope some parts of the videos helped you out or at least made you laugh. Thanks for watching and commenting 🙏🙏🙏

[@jenilocke8255]

Omg Smurf poop, cracked me up. I have diamond paste and nova points but hadn't tried the paste on opal. I actually think the paste result might just have been worth the hassle, but you could maybe use the Nova's then do a final polish with one or two of the finest grade diamond pastes to get a great result with much less hassle? Just a thought. Thanks for the video it was very enjoyable.

[@opalbadger9367]

Jeni, thank you ❤️!!! Definetley a better result with the paste. The preshaping with the Nova Points works very well. With 1200grit I had some troubles. I tried out to give it a good polish with 1200 and 3000 grit, but I think in may case the rpm was a greatest issue. So I think an upgrade to a flexshaft would help a lot. Always try to figure out, what is possible and what is just dumb 😅.

[@betsygiddins6553]

That is what I do. Cerium seems to get stuck in the cracks.

[@tigeralbatros1388]

Hey Welche Aufsätze nimmst und wo Kaufst du sie ein gehen die auch für den original Dremel und woher ist die passte

[@opalbadger9367]

Hey, die passen auch für den original dremel. In Deutschland habe ich nur diesen Shop gefunden für die Nova Points: www.aquarus.net/shop/artikeldet.php?proid=2020&sid=a0af60b78d04e3072975328ec72e3838 Die paste ist irgendwas billiges von Amazon 😅

[@tigeralbatros1388]

Danke dir

[@senolaydin8562]

Nice Video!!

[@milagaddy2458]

Funny! Love it

[@opalbadger9367]

🙏🙏🙏

[@keatoncreates]

ahhh forget all the paste, best way ive found is car cut and polish after working upto just 2000 grit, its also what i use for all my opals, and since its made to polish glass and clear coat you get a really nice finish. I think use jewellers rouge compound to seal it off with soft cloth dremel wheel (not felt one)

[@opalbadger9367]

Hey thank you! Always good to have some expert advise 🙏🙏🙏Will try this!

[@keatoncreates]

@@opalbadger9367 No worries, im a couple years too late hahaha but only just started getting recommended/watching some of your vids, something to try next time none the less! Happy cutting to you and anyone reading in future =)

[@V27RV]

Geil the Badger is back

[@opalbadger9367]

🤣🤣🤣 Long time no see

[@V27RV]

@@opalbadger9367 hahahaha Way to long Digga;)) I see you on FB in Roy’s community

[@kenoathiog1156]

The broken head lamp…? One word - cat 🐈 That cat may have perfect comedy timing… but I know there’s a dark side 🤔

[@opalbadger9367]

😂 Yeah, they destroy nearly everything! But they made life so much more funny 😁. Thanks for watching my videos mate!!!! That's awesome!!

[@denisehrlich8621]

Last month I ordered that same set of diamond paste. Great thanks to china 14€ :-D I ran in all that same problems, with too soft polishing tips. In the end I worked with silicone tips instead of balsa wood. It was much easier to get rid of that diamond paste earlier before i changed the colour to next finer grid. But all in all in the end I need to complain: 1)it is a little bit hairy work, changing the tips and pastes, all that cleaning and wasting paste, so verry much useless work 2) my ethiopian opals became that same colour as the diamind paste. Because one of the most finest diamond paste colours is red, my opal ist now red coloured: so be careful, these pastes are based on oil, which means death for many white and clear opals. 3) working with cerium oxide on leather is much easier and i think also the result is much better. I think even in your two videos you'll see big differences in the clearance of the surface between the stones polished with diamond paste and that video you polished the stone with cerium oxide

[@opalbadger9367]

Thank you for sharing your experience! That will help a lot. I will try cerium on leather! I generally prefer my nova points because i am just lazy and I am always happy with the result.

[@410connects]

sand paper and alumin oxide and also you gotta change your bits per grit

[@opalbadger9367]

Hey Jack! Thank you for sharing these informations here! Hopefully people will not copy my mistakes 😅

[@410connects]

No problem n it's all good when you use the same you never get all the grit off so you will never get a good polish

[@chanalowenthal3897]

Instead of the black plastic you had to cut, and Re-cut😉, use a black permanent marker to color the backplate. It will save frustration 🤪

[@opalbadger9367]

Yeah, that was stupid 😅. I'm like: if it works in the end, nobody will ask me how I did it 😂

[@SmithnWesson]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/sGSpn5yofrKSotUsi=jr6Y5soBdZZqQe4C Black Opal direct. He only does Crystal opal. He does not do Boulder opal. He cuts up to the 1200 grit Nova. Then he goes straight to the cerium oxide. In the video link, you'll see him talking about cerium oxide.

[@rebeccaherth1194]

🥰🥰🥰🥰

[@SmithnWesson]

This guy uses a different approach where he polishes dry. However, you must have a very good vacuum for that to vacuum away all the dust. kzbin.info/www/bejne/g3zbpIyFi5Kdfsksi=wSbgHflPUX7Qid3J

[@georgdieterle5350]

Hallo 👋

[@opalbadger9367]

Moin moin 😅

[@alquimiavsmetalica5250]

Google Keyboard Translator . Friend, I use precision diamond discs, it is capable of easily cutting obsidian, the opal is soft in comparison, I create tiles of the desired thickness to make the most of the gem in the bud. Disc thickness 0.7mm tolerance 0.9mm diameter radius 10.35mm total disc 22.03mm . Smooth minimal rough opal cut 1mm to 3mm cut seat obsidian 1mm gem seat other mineral gem seat stone iron tiger eye 1mm thick