Tumbler guide
Rotary tumblers
How a rotary tumbler works, what to look for, how much grit to use, and the full four-step schedule from rough rock to polish.
4 weeks
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Instructions
Tumbling instructions
Step-by-step guides for every part of the job. Pick the guide for your tumbler, or read up on what each grit stage does. We add new guides as we write them. New to tumbling? Start with our beginner’s guide.
Guides
Choose a guide
Tumbler guide
Vibratory tumblers
Finishing shaped stones fast: loading the bowl, keeping the slurry right, and the three-step schedule.
1–2 weeks
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Reference
Grit stages
What each grit does, how to choose a coarse grit, and how to tell when a batch is ready for the next step.
4 stages
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Reference
Grit amounts
How much grit and polish Lortone, Thumler’s, Harbor Freight and other tumbler makers recommend for each step.
5 brands
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Metal guide
Steel shot
Burnishing jewelry, coins and brass with stainless steel shot: which shot to use and how to run a batch.
1–4 hours
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Reference
Hardness chart
Mohs hardness for more than 40 rocks, glass and metals, with the media to use for each.
40+ materials
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Fix it
Troubleshooting
Hazy polish, chipped stones, leaking barrels and more: what causes each problem and how to fix it.
20 problems
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Before any batch
Three rules for every tumbler
Keep grits apart
Rinse the stones and scrub the barrel or bowl between steps. One stray grain of coarse grit can haze a polished batch.
Never pour slurry down the drain
It settles in pipes and sets like concrete. Let it dry in a bucket and throw it out with household trash. More on slurry.
Match hardness
Tumble stones of similar hardness together. Softer stones wear away next to agate and quartz. See our hardness guide.
Not sure what your tumbler needs?
Send us your tumbler model and barrel size. We’ll tell you exactly how much grit to use for each step.