How to grow an opal at home

Originally published at: https://boingboing.net/2020/12/14/how-to-grow-an-opal-at-home.html

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I think making these at home is not likely unless you have science grade vent hoods, a centrifuge, and some other super industrial 10,000 psi chambers sitting around.

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Just don’t let Kevin Garnett see it.

image

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For a minute I thought this was the incredibly dangerous one that basically turns into sand when exposed to water – and thus can permanently blind you by getting a drop in your eyes – but that’s tetramethyl orthosilicate.

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OK, so my take away is that there are actually affordable synthetic opals, which means maybe I could get a Shadow ring with a rare red opal that is a deep red like the old pulp covers some day.

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" So where can you find tetraethyl orthosilicate.?

“Well theres ‘World of tetraethyl orthosilicate’ which is on third street. Then ‘Bed, Bath and tetraethyl orthosilicate’ which is also on third. Then of course we mustn’t forget ‘All things tetraethyl orthosilicate’. I guess that’s on third street too”

“Ah yes, the old tetraethyl orthosilicate district”

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You know that gentrification has locked in when you can walk to a “Bed, Bath, and tetraethyl orthosilicate.” Probably right between the Starbucks and Whole Foods.

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The Girasol of your dreams.

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Yes, exactly!

Also the gun nerd in me loves/hates that cover because you don’t put that much finger on the trigger.

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