Directions for a Stone Rock Tumbler
A rock tumbler is a canister that tumbles rocks or raw stones with sandy grit and water until the surfaces are smooth. Rock hounds and jewelers use electric tumblers to turn raw precious stones into smooth stones, which can then be polished and faceted for jewelry. Rock tumblers are also useful for tumbling pieces of glass into decorative glass for landscaping, or to create faux sea glass for craft projects and making jewelry.
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Things You'll Need
- Safety glasses
- Stones or rock
- Rock tumbler
- Water
- Tumbler grit
- Large bucket
- Polishing powder
- Plastic pellets
Instructions
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Coarse Grit Tumbling
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1
Wash the rocks or stones in a large bucket filled with water to remove any sand or debris. Sort and group the stones according to size and softness, then fill the rock tumbler no more than three-quarters full of stones of mixed sizes but similar quality.
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2
Add two to three tablespoons of coarse grit, or according to the tumbler manufacturer's instructions for the type of rock or stones.
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3
Add enough water to cover the stones, then close and secure the tumbler lid; place the cover on the unit and begin tumbling.
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4
Tumble the rock or stones for five to seven days, adding water periodically as necessary. After five to seven days, check that rough edges on the stones are smooth before continuing with rinsing
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5
Empty the tumbled stones into a large bucket of water and rinse off any coarse grit residue.
Fine or Medium Grit Tumbling
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6
Rinse the rock tumbler cylinder and refill with the clean stones.
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7
Add two to three tablespoons of medium grit to the rock, then cover with fresh water; place the cover back on the tumbler and secure.
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8
Tumble the stones another five to seven days. Check the tumbler every 24 hours to check for sufficient smoothness and shine.
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9
Remove the finished stones and rinse in large bucket filled with water, then allow to air dry before polishing.
Polish Tumbling
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10
Rinse and clean the rock tumbler cylinder thoroughly of any grit and place the stones back into the tumbler. Add the correct amount of rock polish powder according to the manufacturer's directions.
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11
Cover the stones and polish powder with water, then add enough plastic pellets as filler until the tumbler is three-quarters full; place the cover back on the tumbler and secure.
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12
Tumble the stones for another five to seven days. Check the progress of the polish every 24 hours; stop tumbling when the polish appears complete.
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13
Scoop the plastic pellets off the surface of the water and discard. Then move the stones to a large bucket of water to clean off the polishing medium.
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14
Rinse and clean the tumbler cylinder carefully to ensure that no polishing medium remains. Allow the stones to air dry after the final polish.
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1
Tips & Warnings
Use safety glasses when working with rocks or stones.
Repeat the polishing process in the tumbler using the same amount of prepolishing or regular polishing powder, water and plastic pellets for five to seven days, if necessary.
Do not dispose of the leftover grit and water in a sink or drain to prevent clogging.
Remove any sharp or broken pieces of rock from the tumbler before the polish tumbling session to prevent scratching other stones.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit rocks-smooth image by Jeffrey Zalesny from Fotolia.com
