Hi, new member, looking for advise

Hi all!
This is my first post and have just joined so here goes!
My name is Lockie and I have been cutting opal for many years, but not boulder
I have the 6 wheels nova machine and dremels with the small pink, grey, orange etc small wheels and many extra bits
I also have boulder syringes with demand compounds ass colours I have never used and are about 15 years old
My question is about cutting boulder opal, how to tell the difference of matrix on the surface of colour or if its coming up through the stone.
I am having trouble with this stone and now am stuck!
In the photo you can see the patches of colour with matrix on top, well i think it on top and cut it and I loose colour so i stop.
This is a very expensive way to go as every time I get it wrong it destroys the stone.
I also would like to ask about getting a hi lustre polish a surface when there is undulations stoping me from using the nova wheels, I have tried using the small pink silicon wheels that go with the dermel tool but can not get a hi end finish.

Thanks for reading and would love some help cutting this type of stone I will now try and load a photo.
I have cut all types of opal ( just not boulder ) and have good experience cabbing if I can help with any question other members have.
Thanks again Lockie

Nice looking rock, can I have it please ?
layful:

Looks good enough to eat-without tomato sauce.

Just have some patience lockie as the busy opaleers probly only look in every now n then

Hi Lockie, I am no expert all self taught, but i will try and answer your questions, hopefully Wally will chime in as he seems to work with a lot of boulder recently, I have only done a few pieces and working on one at the moment. To your first part it can be either I have found, the only way to tell is keep taking small cuts from your top surface until you are satisfied. I have seen a light shined up through the opal but depends how thick it is the thinner the more you will see. Get on youtube and look up black opal direct loads and loads of info there, pretty sure there is even some boulder vids. You can get the same felt we use to polish in the dremel accs, have a look on ebay plenty of them in pkts of 5. As you would know ceruim oxide is the only way to go. You can pm me if you need any more info. All the best Lockie regards Noel.

silver said:

Just have some patience lock as the busy opaleers probly only look in every now n then

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Thank you, I will keep an eye out

pinfire opals said:

Hi Lockie, I am no expert all self taught, but i will try and answer your questions, hopefully Wally will chime in as he seems to work with a lot of boulder recently, I have only done a few pieces and working on one at the moment. To your first part it can be either I have found, the only way to tell is keep taking small cuts from your top surface until you are satisfied. I have seen a light shined up through the opal but depends how thick it is the thinner the more you will see. Get on youtube and look up black opal direct loads and loads of info there, pretty sure there is even some boulder vids. You can get the same felt we use to polish in the dremel accs, have a look on ebay plenty of them in pkts of 5. As you would know ceruim oxide is the only way to go. You can pm me if you need any more info. All the best Lockie regards Noel.https://www.prospectingaustralia.com/forum/img/member-images/14652/1554784274_opalpen.jpg

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Thanks Noel