Before you start Rock Tumbling
![]() |
![]() Double Quart Tumble Bee Rock Tumbler Polisher TB 22 Polish Metal Glass Beads $99.00 Time Remaining: 6h 40m Buy It Now for only: $99.00 |
![]() 43L ONYX ROUGHLAPIDARY GEMSTONEROCK SPECIMENSLABCUTCARVETUMBLEJEWELRY $12.99 Time Remaining: 7h 19m |
![]() 8 LBAGATE ROUGHLAPIDARY GEMSTONECARVECABSSLABSAWTUMBLEJEWELRYROCKGIFTS $22.99 Time Remaining: 7h 19m |
![]() Tumble Polished piece of Petrified Wood stone rock 3 $7.50 Time Remaining: 7h 24m Buy It Now for only: $7.50 |
![]() ROUGH ROCK Rocks Stones Tumbler tumbling Lapidary RHODONITE 1 lb ZIMBABWE $5.50 Time Remaining: 9h 41m Buy It Now for only: $5.50 |
![]() ROUGH ROCK Rocks Stones Tumbler tumbling Lapidary Quartz 1 lb BRAZIL $5.50 Time Remaining: 9h 43m Buy It Now for only: $5.50 |
![]() Apatite Tumble 01 Wholesale Lot of 60 Green Crystal Healing Stone Rocks $30.00 Time Remaining: 9h 49m Buy It Now for only: $30.00 |
![]() ROUGH ROCK Rocks Stones Tumbler tumbling Lapidary SODALITE 1 lb BRAZIL $11.95 Time Remaining: 9h 52m Buy It Now for only: $11.95 |
![]() ROUGH ROCK Rocks Stones Tumbler tumbling Lapidary BLACK Tourmaline 1 lb BRAZIL $8.50 Time Remaining: 9h 54m Buy It Now for only: $8.50 |
![]() ROUGH ROCK Rocks Stones Tumbler tumbling Lapidary BLACK TOURMALINE 1 2 lb BRAZIL $4.75 Time Remaining: 10h 2m Buy It Now for only: $4.75 |
![]() ROUGH ROCK Rocks Stones Tumbler tumbling Lapidary RHODONITE 1 2 lb ZIMBABWE $3.00 Time Remaining: 10h 13m Buy It Now for only: $3.00 |
![]() ROUGH ROCK Rocks Stones Tumbler tumbling Lapidary QUARTZ 1 2 lb BRAZIL $3.00 Time Remaining: 10h 14m Buy It Now for only: $3.00 |
![]() THE ROLLING STONES TUMBLING DICE SWEET BLACK ANGEL 7 NZ PRESS VG $10.00 Time Remaining: 10h 39m |
![]() David Bowie Tonight Tumble And Twirl UK 7 EX+ Cond $7.58 Time Remaining: 13h 18m Buy It Now for only: $7.58 |
![]() BRIAN SETZER When The Sky Comes Tumbling Down AUSSIE 7 w PS Stray Cats $19.99 Time Remaining: 15h 45m Buy It Now for only: $19.99 |
6 Things you need to know about Rock Tumbling before starting the Hobby
1) Polishing stones in a Rock Tumbler is easy to do. You’ll be amazed at how well many different types of beach pebbles or Semi-Precious stones can polish up. Below is a selection of British Beach pebbles which were polished in a standard Rock Tumbler.
2) Polishing stones in a Rock Tumbler usually takes 3 – 4 weeks. During that time you will need to leave the machine tumbling continuously, 24 hours a day. This may seem like a long time but remember your stones are millions of years old and have a tough surface which takes time to grind down and prepare to take a polish. For more information about the process of polishing rocks visit our Rock Tumbling Intsructions.
3) Rock Tumblers use abrasive grits to polish the stones. You will need to use these every time you polish a collection of stones. These Rock Tumbling Grits prepare the surface of the stones to take a polish. These grits are made from silicon carbide. After using these abrasive grits you then need to use a polish such as Cerium Oxide. For more information about abrasive grits for tumble polisher see Rock Polishing Grits
4) Rock Tumblers make a continual rumbling noise. Because of this it is not recommended that you keep your rock tumbler in your living or sleeping area. Most people put their stone tumblers in a garage, shed or spare room.
5) Not all stones can be polished. Some stones are too soft or porous. Luckily you can usually find many different types and colours of suitable stones for polishing on the beach or in your back garden. See our Guide to Collecting Pebbles for information about which types of beach pebbles are most suitable for polishing in a rock tumbler.
If you’re looking for more colourful stones you can buy rough semi-precious stones quite inexpensively. If you'd like to know more about buying semi-precious stones suitable for rock tumbling visit Buying Semi-Preciuos Stones.
6) Once your stones have been properly polished in your rock tumbler the polish is usually permanent A bowl of polished pebbles will keep their shine for many years.
For more information about rock tumbling and to see what equipment you need to get started in rock tumbling visit our guide to Essential Equipment for Polishing your Pebbles.
Categories: Getting Started Rock Tumbling

























































