Just about all of the shaping is now done. It will look like a barrel of mud! Rinse the rocks and inspect them. You can open the barrel occasionally to check the slurry (the muddy liquid inside), but if you do, be sure to clean and dry the seal areas before replacing the lid! After about a week, stop the tumbler and open the barrel. Let rotary rock tumblers run for 7 days, 24 hours a day. After this, it can probably be left unattended, but it’s not a bad idea to check up on it every day or so. Also, check the tumbler in a few hours again to make sure it’s still running smoothly. Double-check that they are clean and dry. If the barrel is leaking, stop the machine, remove the lid and re-clean the surfaces of the lid and barrel that form the seal. Wait a few minutes to make sure the tumbler is running smoothly and the barrel isn’t leaking. Put the barrel on the tumbler and start the motor. Place the lid on the barrel and seal the barrel. Make sure the surfaces that will form the seal are clean and dry. Clean the inside and outside rims of the barrel and the edges of the lid. You want to see some of the rocks above the water.
Rock tumbler grit full#
Barrels more than 3/4 full (including grit and water) may be too heavy and burn out the motor, and might not allow enough space inside for the rocks to tumble.Īdd the recommended amount of coarse grit and then add enough water to reach the bottom of the top layer of stones, but not so much that they are covered. The barrel must always be at least half full for the tumbler to operate properly, but take care not to overload. Place your rough rocks into the barrel with coarse silicon carbide abrasive (60/90 grit) and water. Preventing contaminants from entering the process will help ensure a good polish. Remember to use the pellets with only one grit because the abrasive will become embedded in the pellets and if you reuse them in a different grit, you'll contaminate that load. This filler, which you can reuse 10 or 12 times, helps cushion the stones and reduces chipping. But you can reuse the plastic pellets that are added during the pre-polish and polish stages. Don't reuse grit because it breaks down and becomes useless after about a week. Be sure your rough is all about the same size and hardness. Most lapidaries first run a cycle with the coarsest grit, and work down to the finest grits, and then use a polish for the final stage. In general, you start with "ugly" rocks known as tumbling rough. Be sure to following the instructions included with the specific rock tumbler you purchased when buying rock tumbler supplies. Lortone rock tumbling grit is very popular, but other rock tumbler grit kit brands will be less expensive. It's generally more cost effective to buy tumbling grit in a kit. Each level of grit will need its own stage in the tumbler. For best results in either a rotary or vibrating rock tumbler, you'll need a coarse grit as well as two or three finer grits. There is a wide selection of polishes and burnishing agents available today, and each one is ideal for use with a certain type of rock. A rock tumbler can even add a high gloss if the last step in your traditional tumbling process uses titanium dioxide- the same material used in making toothpaste. A rock tumbler recreates this natural process and transforms rough stones into beautiful, semiprecious gems much faster than Mother Nature ever could. Over the years, as stones in the river or ocean get tossed around by the waves and rolled against each other and against the sand, they lose their rough edges and become smooth.
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