Things You'll Need:
- Stones
- Coarse grit (60/90)
- Medium grit (120/220)
- Fine grit (500+)
- Plastic pellets
- Polishing compound
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Step 1
Place your tumbler in a dry, out-of-the-way location which will not be damaged by water if the tumbler happens to leak. Be sure the noise is minimal and does not disturb your concentration. The storage space should not be too hot or too cold, as either condition will stress the motor.
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Step 2
Select your stones. Sort your rocks by hardness, according to Moh's Hardness Scale. Similarly hard rocks will grind against each other without breaking. Eliminate any stones with obvious flaws or fractures, or break them with a rock hammer: stones that break in the tumbler can chip other stones. Avoid rocks with pits that will fill with hard-to-remove grit. Choose a balanced road and a mixture of large, medium and small stones. Rinse your stones thoroughly, prior to placing them in the tumbler. This will eliminate outside contaminants.
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Step 3
Fill the barrel with rocks and enough plastic pellets to fill the barrel 2/3 to 3/4 full. For every pound of rock, add coarse grit according to the size of your tumbler. Add water until it reaches just below the top of the rocks. Seal the barrel and start your tumbler. Check for leaks.
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Step 4
Check the rocks daily. Remove rocks that have chipped or broken in the process. After 7-10 days, remove all of the rocks from the barrel. Clean the rocks and barrel thoroughly with soap and water to remove the old grit. Dispose of the slurry by-product in the trash. Do not use the drain for this.
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Step 5
Return the rocks to the barrel with enough plastic pellets to fill the barrel 3/4 full. Add medium grit in the same proportions as above. Add water. Tumble for 7-10 days, checking daily. At the end of this stage, clean the rocks and barrel.
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Step 6
Repeat the above step for seven days, this time using fine grit. When completed, remove one rock, and polish it gently with a soft piece of cloth. If the rock does not shine where it has been rubbed, continue to polish your batch, checking daily. At the end of this stage, clean the rocks and barrel thoroughly. Fine grit will be harder to clean than previous stages.
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Step 7
Repeat the previous step for 5-7 days, using polishing compound, and adding water until it almost completely covers the rocks. After this stage, your rocks should look the same whether they are dry or wet. Clean the rocks and the barrel to prevent contaminants in your next batch.
