How to Slice Opal with a Dremel (Detailed Guide Slicing Opal)

Slicing opal can be real hard and scary without a proper saw. Here I give a detailed guide on how to sline opal with just your dremel/rotary tool and diamond cutting disc. Its not the easiest or best method and large pieces will not be possible but if it is all you have you can make do.
Hope this helps someone.
Timestamps:
00:00 Key Steps
14:47 Slicing Opal
15:58 The Result
18:25 The Mess
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PO BOX 3011
Hilton Plaza
South Australia 5033
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[@harveybrillon6540]

Way to much bable

[@RoysRocks]

"Detailed guide", there is a 60 second version for those that have no patience or dont want any detail: kzbin.infofRCwACCXg4c?feature=share Feel free to make your own videos. 👌

[@derasnan]

"or wing it. Never wing it!" - awesome quote :)

[@RoysRocks]

I admittedly wing it often, at work and at home. Experimentation has its place if you can do it safely.

[@shawnstatzer95]

I have been wanting to cut bolder. Thanks for the tips and tricks.

[@RoysRocks]

No worries, have fun with it. It is great material so long as you are happy with the mud.

[@shawnstatzer95]

@RoysRocks I do have a recommendation where to get opals (Austalan black, Australian white, Mexican opals, Ethiopian opals, bolders, Andamooka, etcetera) at a very affordable price. I would tell you where here, but I do not want to get in trouble. I am not affiliated with that opal site, but I often do get opals through them. If interested, just let me know, and if not, I still love your informative videos. Thanks.

[@RoysRocks]

@@shawnstatzer95 I think I've got it pretty much all sorted now apart from a few of the rarer locations.

[@Mulligansmiles]

This video was amazing thank you so much for taking the time to do these.. you have no idea how much you've helped me with your video lessons

[@RoysRocks]

No worries Stephen. I always hope that each video can help one or more people out there one day.

[@CockatoobirdmanBill]

That puts a whole new meaning on to the old expression ( hears to mud in your eye ) Be well and be safe.............

[@RoysRocks]

Man thats one of the strangest expressions I have come across in a while. Never heard it before until now. Much more interesting than just saying "bottoms up". I think I'll start using it.

[@CockatoobirdmanBill]

@@RoysRocks After almost 80 years I have picked up a few.............

[@X_WAS_HERE]

Thats the best Guide out there!

[@RoysRocks]

Thanks, I try to share half decent information when I can. I dont have a trim saw so have a lot of experience with dremel cutting (my only option atm).

[@8drifit]

What a legend you are!! Helping all us newbies out 😉😂 Awsome tutorial and how too. Thank you very much, exactly what we needed to hear👂 champ.

[@RoysRocks]

Just here to help the beginners whenever I can 👍

[@8drifit]

@@RoysRocks I've found your Facebook page, and I've sent off, a request in to join champ :) I'm hoping to buy some of your ( Dimaond Sintered burrs kit & your Nova small point set of four kit. Maybe also the larger size Nova's 😅 🤘

[@RoysRocks]

@@8drifit I'll make sure you are in the facebook gang and I'll get on to restocking the novas.

[@8drifit]

@@RoysRocks thanks champ. I'm in the group now, and i have dm'd you on messenger :)

[@RoysRocks]

@@8drifit Perfect.

[@tomsaunders4332]

thank you very much for producing these quality videos for us to learn from,, thanks

[@RoysRocks]

No worries Tom happy to help if I can.

[@bonezzs3869]

Moving on to niceer cuts i see you 😍

[@RoysRocks]

Always hoping the next cut is better than the last. 😁

[@williamevans4622]

i'm truly enjoying your videos i make silverware jewelry and the stones i use i only wish they were opal in short thank you

[@RoysRocks]

Fantastic! 2021 is the year I am determined to learn how to silversmith.

[@MikeyMikeHq]

Excellent , thanks Roy

[@RoysRocks]

No worries Mike.

[@nicolemurray-jeffery7433]

Great tips, thanks 😊

[@RoysRocks]

No worries happy to help as many as I can. 👌

[@karenjones7111]

Great tips. Thank you.✌❤

[@RoysRocks]

No worries Karen. 👍

[@SpiritWarriorTim]

I’m in Minnesota USA is there a way you could send piece of it here? We don’t find it here.

[@RoysRocks]

Boulder opal, I'm getting ready to ship a bunch over to someone there soon but I've got to get up to speed on the new international shipping rules surrounding stones. I dont do it much and seems everything has gotten more strict.

[@williamjhunter5714]

I killed a Dremel 3000 trying to cut a stone because it overheated. This is because i made a plastic water shield and as the shaft turned it took resistance from both the plastic shield and the stone. Silica still floated up if the water wasnt on it. You can feel if you breathed some. Scary and not a pleasant experience. Respirator mask needed and give the dtemel cooling breaks.

[@RoysRocks]

Struggling to visualise the water shield you are talking about... You defs dont want to create any dust or breathe it in water is 100% needed you should get mud not dust. My dremel can get through many stones without breaks other than turning it off to pick up the new stone. Some people do find that their flex shaft can get hot and that may need lubrication.

[@sick258]

Can use a 2nd hand tile table saw small one take the plate off and get a 0.006"kerf diamond blade

[@RoysRocks]

It could be done for sure.

[@AyeSedai]

“Or just wing it... never wing it” literally me. 😹😹😹😹😹

[@RoysRocks]

Glad you can relate.

[@AyeSedai]

“...Hershey’s drop... we don’t have those in Australia so I’m not going to do that” I laughed so freaking hard:

[@RoysRocks]

😂 We are deprived of all things Hersheys here in Aus.

[@silkyjohnson4519]

Girl me too. 💀

[@stevieg3078]

I have 2 small (1/2" x 1/2") little rocks that are supposedly opals. I was going to try slicing them in half and see if they look more like an opal on the inside? What do you suggest? Thanks

[@RoysRocks]

You could always send me an email with pictures and I should be able to tell pretty quickly.

[@stevieg3078]

@@RoysRocks Thank you, I will do that.

[@markraya2541]

I have these cut off wheels for my dremel and when I go to cut them with new blades it just skims across the top of the jasper im trying to cut and leaves basiclly nothing on the surfaces. 🤷‍♂️

[@RoysRocks]

Strange... Jasper is not that hard so these should slice it with no issues at all. 😮

[@OpalholicsAnonymous]

The matrix is interesting on that opal!

[@RoysRocks]

Yeah boulder opal is never not interesting in my opinion.

[@bliss_gore5194]

I'm using this as a tutorial to cut some aluminum or some kind of metal for an electronic radiator, thanks!

[@RoysRocks]

Ah cool I did do a Halloween special where a cut an aluminium can. That used a metal cutting disc rather than diamond one. That might be of interest?

[@bliss_gore5194]

@@RoysRocks sure : D

[@RoysRocks]

@@bliss_gore5194 this was the one. Cans are very thin but even for thicker metal I would still use this style of blade: kzbin.info/www/bejne/a4DQc6OIYpuDqq8

[@bliss_gore5194]

@@RoysRocks Thanks!

[@LaurentiusTriarius]

If you're handy you could turn a tile saw into a trim saw for not that much it's some work but most of the time it's as simple as trimming the body shorter to lower the cutting table.

[@RoysRocks]

Yeah I have seen it done but I will be getting a standard trim saw in the near future. Currently just borrow other peoples when I have a bunch of big stones that need a slice.

[@LaurentiusTriarius]

@@RoysRocks I wonder if I'm willing but there's a Chinese "T-2" sold under different brand names at 235$ (CDN) on amazon, integrated mandrel with accessories and a variable speed 7 trim saw... It's so cheap I'm not sure it's worth it but on the other hand it's so cheap might try it instead of my modified tile saw.

[@RoysRocks]

@@LaurentiusTriarius I've seen some pretty good cheap units just need to make sure you can switch out the blade for a standard size replacement because they always come with a terrible blade.

[@paularapley5037]

Thank you get video,would love to see you using resin to polish.and what resin would be best to use ,i have alot of boulders with holes and Poorest and dont like to polish up .doing great work love watching your clips

[@RoysRocks]

Great suggestion Paula. I am collecting many resins and superglues (from my dopping video series) and I could put them head to head in a coating/polishing competition. The best I have found so far is opticon. It can also be warmed up for the best results.

[@paularapley5037]

That be great ,i read some where that some resins go yellow with time ,ill check out that resin you mention,thank you again

[@RoysRocks]

You are correct some resins do discolour over time which obviously you want to avoid.

[@LaurentiusTriarius]

Lube it up with cedar oil. Ewww

[@ClashixTV]

Hello mate, I'm just beginning my adventure with cutting opal and was wondering if there is any way I could contact you for some advice. thankyou :)

[@RoysRocks]

Yeah I am active here, facebook and email (all in the video description).

[@jenilocke8255]

Great vid! Where did you get your splatter guard?

[@RoysRocks]

Just from kmart. They were the only ones selling a clear one. I looked around for weeks. Next time I'm going to get a glass aquarium tank.

[@acousticpineapple7851]

thought about building a drip system to keep it wet while you cut?

[@RoysRocks]

Yeah I do actually have one that I show in a video (kzbin.info/www/bejne/amnHoppqZ8tjjLc) but it gets in the way when filming so I tend to only use it when not recording videos.

[@RoysRocks]

Have also used the outside garden hose of mass boulder opal rubbing/slicing days.

[@Kopie0830]

I cut big gems using a wire and tile saw manually.

[@RoysRocks]

Can work well. I've never used a wire saw yet but they do look really interesting.

[@offyarocka]

🤘😍🤘

[@RoysRocks]

You'll be slicing quite a bit I reckon with your pieces.

[@offyarocka]

@@RoysRocks Going over them last night with a loupe, i think you are right in saying that. I'm going to cherry pick the easy ones to start with though hehehehehe

[@sr.skulletongrin8755]

They don't have Kisses in Australia???

[@RoysRocks]

Nah think its just an American thing 🤣

[@nancycurtis3230]

I see what you mean about the splatter guard! I could just imagine how it would be on a nice white porous wall. You'd get shot!!!!!! Lol.

[@RoysRocks]

Very quick way to cause a huge mess! Best thing about doing this youtube thing is it has made me keep my area clean and the splatter guard makes it much easier.

[@skorpiondave64]

Video start from 14:15

[@RoysRocks]

Guide starts at 00:00. If you just want to see a stone get sliced you are on the wrong video. For example under 60s: kzbin.infofRCwACCXg4c?si=JDPUawK35YkQjRiu

[@scottishwifie14]

Thanks for video I definitely need to get a splatter guard. Learned lots thank you

[@RoysRocks]

No worries. I reckon it might be the best piece of kit I have.

[@csanadbarczy9153]

Just cut my finger open when the wheel jumped. But it's fun to get to the nice part of the opal. Now I can say that my blood, sweat went into getting something pretty.

[@RoysRocks]

I still haven't managed to get bitten by this cutting disc yet. I don't think I have it spinning fast enough because I have touched it a few times.

[@csanadbarczy9153]

@@RoysRocks it was my fault, I let it bite and run around the rock. The piece was a bit large. I'm just doing this for fun, I got a bag of discarded bits and pieces from a factory about 10 years ago and now I have a few hours to play with them. I got a few gorgeous pieces out of the..

[@OpalholicsAnonymous]

So when is GemMaster going to sponsor you already and send you one! Haha :p love to see you cut something on the wheel

[@RoysRocks]

Man imagine that! Might need to have 1M+ subs before I would even get noticed.

[@OpalholicsAnonymous]

@@RoysRocks blackopaldirect doesn't even have 100k haha may not need as many as you think :p you do reviews! Review channels normally get samples to review? Your reviews involve cutting the stones! You'll get there!

[@RoysRocks]

@@OpalholicsAnonymous Well I like to take baby steps so we'll aim for 1000 and work up from there =)

[@MsPixi66]

I'm not really fond of bolder opal must say good info video.

[@RoysRocks]

Guess the method works with any other stone but I had this boulder sitting around waiting to be cut. Man it is messy material but I find it the most fun! 🙂

[@MsPixi66]

@@RoysRocks yes it's so messy I saw your screen great video ty

[@Shellchevy]

Is there a chance the track could bend? ... Not a chance my Hindu friend! Sorry for the Obscure Simpsons Quote, but something you said now has me singing “Monorail” 😂

[@RoysRocks]

Lol in the glory days of the Simpsons when I'd watch it every night.

[@TIG2MAN0]

I weld for a living, I don't think its safe to get the metal cutting blade wet.

[@RoysRocks]

It has to be used wet unless you want silicosis or have a good exhaust system. All lapidary cutting is done wet.

[@TIG2MAN0]

@@RoysRocks that makes sense, welding cutting stones are different.

[@OpalholicsAnonymous]

Slicing is great with a dremel, unless its ironstone haha wow

[@RoysRocks]

Lol its a mess.

[@Egberht]

@@RoysRocks How do you cut ironstone.

[@RoysRocks]

@@Egberht Do you mean just raw ironstone for doublet backing material?

[@Egberht]

Um srry I'm new to this and I don't know these terms but the lable says it has an opal inside.

[@patman8888]

Come play Dota with me

[@RoysRocks]

Lol surely you are not back on dotes?!

[@geoffreysantos7353]

blah blah blah..too much talk👎

[@RoysRocks]

Good luck trying to explain things in detail without talking 👍