How to Use a Rock Polisher

Make rough rocks smooth with a rock polisher.

A rock polisher can take any rock and polish it to a smooth, perfect finish in a few weeks. It takes at least four weeks to take a rock from a rough, unfinished state to a high polished luster, so allow plenty of time for polishing. Once the rocks are finished they will look bright, shiny and almost gem-like with their shine and luster. You can polish any kind of rock. Translucent gem-like rocks will polish to a clear shine, while opaque rocks will polish to a shine similar to that seen on dark-colored vehicles.

Things You'll Need

• Unfinished rocks
• Rock polisher
• Coarse tumbler grit
• Colander
• Garden hose
• Old towels
• Fine tumbler grit
• Pre-polish grit
• Plastic tumbling pellets
• Rock polish
• Burnishing soap

Instructions

1. Inspect the rocks for quality. Eliminate any rocks that are irregular in size, have large cracks or other visible problems. All of the rocks should be of a similar hardness and size.

2. Fill the rock polisher half full of rocks. Add 3 tbsp. of coarse tumbler grit for every 1.5 lbs. of rocks. Add in enough water to just reach the middle of the rocks inside the barrel. Put the lid on the barrel and seal it tightly. Place the barrel on the tumbling machine and start the machine. Run the tumbling machine for seven days without stopping it, unless the barrel leaks.

3. Remove the barrel from the machine after seven days. Pour the rock mixture into a colander outdoors in the grass. Rinse the rocks with a garden hose. If you do not like the shape of the rocks, run them through the machine several additional times until you are satisfied with the shape of the rocks.

4. Clean the rocks and barrel to eliminate all rock particles and grit. Dry the barrel and rocks with an old towel.

5. Replace the rocks in the tumbling barrel. Add 3 tbsp. of fine tumbling grit per 1.5 lbs. of grit. Add enough water to reach the middle of the stones as before. Run the machine for an additional week. Rinse the rocks and barrel as before.

6. Replace the rocks in the machine with 4 tbsp. of pre-polish tumbling grit. Add plastic tumbling pellets to the barrel to protect the rocks. Seal the machine and run it for one week.

7. Repeat the process one more time using 4 tbsp. of rock polish and tumbling pellets for one week. After rinsing the rocks, run them through the machine one final time with ½ tbsp. of burnishing soap and tumbling pellets for two days. Rinse the soap away to reveal sparkling rocks.

References

• Geology: Let's Make Some Polished Rocks!