Opal cutting: Dremel v Andamooka opal.

[@carlynscolorfulcreations]

The final results are fantastic! I love the sand paper on a brick method, and the final stone has such a awesome pattern. Thank you for the shout out aswell! Its great to hear that what im doing is good, and your videos are what inspired me to start making videos myself. Shouting out a small channel like me is a huge deal aswell, thank you again!

[@theopalmills]

🤪👍

[@samanthasimental3788]

Thanks for explaining the importance of clean stones. I always thought it was just about money and never thought about longevity.

[@AusOpal]

Good work Phil, Enjoyed watching this and explanation about importance of clean stones. I like suing Dremel and free forms so this is great thank you. It is also awesome for those who cannot afford a cabbing machine and its cost effective way too get into the opal artistry

[@Jaireeopal]

Fantastic phil ,im still using my dremel and it was great see someone use that burr instead of a sinterd and nova types and paper becos to me i love that its possible ,that its not neccessary to have all the burrs and bits ....i have some of these ,yes they work but sourching them is a pain , not everyone can afford it ..i appreciate you explaining about the waste ,ive learnt so much from your channel Great job and Beautiful cut stone too .thank you 👌

[@RelOKeefe]

Fantastic result. As a new rotary tool cutter / polisher I learned heaps from your vid, thank you 🙏

[@jeffholmes1362]

Not everyone can afford wheels, so well done Phil, but boy that’s a hard way to make a stone. I like my dremel, but for a non free form stone, the flat lap will win out. Nice to see a video gain Phil, hope you get some mining this season.

[@ThatOpalGuy]

he uses a flat lap, technically not wheels, but it is more expensive than a dremel but cheaper than an arbor.

[@bbisyy4u]

I learned about your channel from Roy. It was nice to see you Dremel a piece. It really did turn out beautiful. The colors are brilliant. Fantastic job as always.

[@DarkenShroud]

Yo it's the Mike from Roys Rocks channel that donates the Ethiopian Opal / Fire Agate / tools / etc. How come you're using a diamond plated burr instead of a sintered diamond burr? Haven't you bought a pack or two from Roy yet? Since you two live so close to one another I figured you would have just paid him a visit and got some sintered burrs + a pack of novas? You're a big time Opal guy obviously, so I'm just surprised you didn't use the better tools in the video. Anyways cool to see someone but Roy and Fire Agate Mark doing some Dremel work. I taught myself to carve from those two, and turned Roy onto SUVA Lapidary++ to help him with tools. I'm also a big gem and mineral show guy like Lapidary Dave. Too bad y'all don't get big big gem and mineral shows in Australia. Besides for some of the opal festivals that is. Something like Tuscon show would surely be welcome in your larger cities like Sydney.

[@theopalmills]

G’day mate, gem shows are awesome, I wish they’d have something like Tucson here. Im not sure about the better tools part, but the burr I used actually is a sintered diamond burr, it’s a Dremel brand burr, I’ve only ever bought one set of electroplated burrs and they lasted all of 5 minutes, I won’t buy them again. I’ve got my own stock of sintered burrs and nova points and some home made bits too. I chose to hand sand the opal in this video just to show it’s possible to get a great finish without the expense. I have a crazy amount of Dremel work to do, I’ll go through my types of burrs in a video. Cheers. 🤪👍

[@ThatOpalGuy]

do you have a youtube channel?

[@DarkenShroud]

@@ThatOpalGuy naw I don't make content. I'm just a big fan of Roy so I take part in the channel. He deserves every bit of support. Dudes a workhorse.

[@paulhanold5419]

Nice, alot of people aren't able to afford cutting/polishing gear. Good to see old school

[@joefrank1929]

Really nice demonstration of cutting with the rotary tool Phil. I have cut and polished stones with good results with sintered diamond and Nova polishing points. I was influinced by you and Roy to use with these lower buget ways for beginers to start off as well as sand paper to finnished it all off means one dosn't have to spend a fortunne to get nice results. I noticed that when you speed up the vidio the audio reminds me the sound the creatures from the movie Vin Deisel "Pitch Black". Your like the Mad Max of the Outback opal world. LOL😎

[@andypandyAU.6669]

Thanks a lot for this video, I am playing with some Andamooka matrix with just basic tools, I have made flat lap discs out of old CD's and wet and dry sand paper. Having fun, learning from KZbin. Mainly you. Thanks for the adventures. Cheers Andy Poverty prospecting Australia 🇦🇺

[@lunastaffy6327]

I love seeing seeing the whole process and what can be achieved with a lot of practice and patience

[@ThatOpalGuy]

To answer your question,, just look at my results. anyway compared to Carlyn, I am kinda junior grade. HA! Glad you threw out the mention for her channel. She definitely deserves it.

[@peterchristodoulou1264]

Always love the vids and always have a good chuckle when you do the slo mo’s 😂

[@annblakeway7691]

Great idea, much work, fabulous outcome. Well done and awesome outcome 👏 😊

[@lyndallsymons9767]

Amazing job beautiful stone beautifully cut gives hope to people starting their Opal journey off who can’t afford a wheel you rock Phil 🪨👍 Plus you can tell this one has no imperfections as it would have cracked to pieces from being dropped 2-3 times lol 😜

[@theopalmills]

🤣👍

[@AlabamaUSA1234]

I've been wondering that for a while now. You only see people using the wheels, but never cutting it and shaping it with a dremel.

[@petergracemeguide1280]

I bought my first Dremel flexidrive in 85 age 13. Paid for picking blackberry s and selling them to berrenberg. I used to practice on potch and carve out the sand n clay and ribbons of trace color. Some interesting carvings results. But this is how i started pre gem master equipment. My university lecturer was wrapped i could do this level work with a Dremel. Kids practice makes perfect .ask santa for a Dremel .

[@rossanalawrenzi4019]

Beautiful opal!

[@Teknojok]

What a sharp looking gem that became.

[@Kerrsartisticgifts]

That's another's beauty, Phil.

[@AlabamaUSA1234]

I was also told to use the dremel before you get it wet because the shape of the opal will change, but not the host rock/sand. I'm also confused on why people don't shape opal with the sand or stone still in it? Like a specimen cut... Everything's a cabochon, round and drop shape... Natural seems like it could be cool... I've never cut an opal, but they're on the way. Thanks for sharing your knowledge with us..

[@bentationfunkiloglio]

Nice looking gem!

[@samanthasimental3788]

That turned out beautiful.

[@kevbruce9191]

Well said Phil 👏

[@OpalOdyssey-ew9gr]

Awesome video. Stone came out great.

[@paulhanold5419]

Well said Phil

[@samanthasimental3788]

I have rough Mexican opal that my sister gave me. I want to try cutting it, but I'm afraid I will need it up. I might give it a try after this.

[@firstlast-mp1dc]

Great carving video. Thanks.

[@greekozygirl599]

Your videos are very informative thank you

[@petercrowhurst]

Thanks . Nice demonstration.

[@A_Bone1972]

nice looking crystal. helluva lot faster than any means that i have available as yet! 🍻 ✌️🐝➕

[@pkgoldopalhunting]

good stone mate hard work on the dermal thou , for me shaking it would ha ha

[@kaynef6637]

Gday Phill

[@theopalmills]

G’day Kayne 🤪👍

[@drfill9210]

The algorithm let me watch you yay.

[@whatdudeokman6481]

I have a dremel that I put in a vice, put a homemade dripper above it, I get wet, but its all I have, Ive tried like a guard around the dremel to stop it but I dont like it. I feel like I can make some pretty good symmetrical shapes. I think I probably waste more then if I had a wheel, but I dont know because I have never used a wheel.

[@bonnieroffman5453]

Hey Phil I use a dremel to cut my opals, but I us4e novas points for finishing

[@fishwithandy]

Wow what a Beauty

[@cyclonicsilver2773]

I really enjoyed the video, I have a question though… I sand cast silver and live to polish and sand using a dremel, but I recently started making jewelry. My wife has a Genie to cab her stones and we have plenty of Boulder Opal. Will this work well with Boulder Opal and what but for the Dremel should I use?

[@TIG2MAN0]

Hey sir love your content. What grit is your burr?

[@ROCKINWHEELERS]

I will elaborate about my comment made that was cut short. Don’t get me wrong, I like Black Opal Direct/Justin. Here goes. There was a comment he made about Opals Regarding Doublets, Triplets, and any type of added whatever to an Opal. In my Opinion he put Down any Opal Cutters, Jewelry Makers doing anything to An Opal. Mentioned how it just takes away from the $$ amount of the stone /Gem. Many are not as Fortunate as he is being educated about Opals by His Father, nor left $$ , A Supply of Outstanding Opals as well as having probably a list of miners his Father knew and so on. All I am saying is Other Opal Cutters especially in this days are not as fortunate to have what he was given and build on. I just don’t like it when one puts down another.

[@theopalmills]

G’day mate, I think we all understand that deception with opal is only going to hurt the industry, posing doublets and treated matrix as solid black opal is wrong on so many levels, and we get that there should be awareness of this, but to be thrown under the bus, with comments that leave no room for discussion, and to tar us with the same brush as a thief/fraud, as if there exists a guilt by association on the matter, is just insulting. I too like watching BOD, which makes it hard to hear his personal opinion and public statements around doublets/triplets/matrix, without feeling some kind of way. Each to their own, I suppose, God help us all if lab created opal gets any more natural looking. 🤪👍