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Author Topic: Polishing boulder opal  (Read 4588 times)

harryopal

  • ALF'er Gold Member
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  • Posts: 238
Polishing boulder opal
« on: August 12, 2014, 02:27:43 PM »
Good afternoon rock hunters,
For polishing opal I have a set of wheels, go to the 3000 wheel at the end before using optical quality (pink) cerium oxide on a leather lap for the final polish. This works well including with ironstone boulder opal but I find with the more porous boulder material the oxide settles in the stone and defies a good polish.
At the recent Townsville annual gem club show diamond spray was recommended.. I got some but have yet to use it. I presume a light spray on the leather lap but I would be interested to know what others have used for the more porous stone to get a good polish.
I also have tin oxide which may be better on the porous material than the pink.
Appreciative of any thoughts on the topic.
Yours tropically, Harry
harryopal

brett h

  • ALF'er Gold Member
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  • Posts: 175
Re: Polishing boulder opal
« Reply #1 on: August 12, 2014, 04:30:34 PM »
Hi mate, 50000 diamond onto a muslin wheel on the Fordham.  Makes for a really impressive shine!!

harryopal

  • ALF'er Gold Member
  • *
  • Posts: 238
Re: Polishing boulder opal
« Reply #2 on: August 13, 2014, 02:04:21 PM »
Brett, thanks for the response. My shop assistant is away in PNG following a bereavement so I have a couple of 7 days a week in front of me. Am looking forward to a day off to try the diamond spray. I will post the result.
Yours tropically, Harry
harryopal

 

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