Basic Instructions for Tumbling Stones

When you load the barrel:

• Be sure that it is perfectly clean
• No grit or rock from a previous tumble is anywhere
• The rim of the barrel and the lid are free from grit or rock
• Add enough rock to fill the barrel 2/3 to 3/4 full. If you don't have enough rocks, add ceramic media to fill.
• Add about two tablespoons of grit or polish for each pound of rock
• Add enough water to almost cover the rock, but not too much that they are under water
• Seal the barrel tightly

STEP 1 - Coarse Grind - 60/90 grit silicon carbide

• Load the barrel as directed above.
• Run for about seven days, then open the barrel.
• Dump the contents into a screen over a bucket and rinse off every bit of grit and mud. 
• DO NOT ALLOW THE GRIT OR MUD TO GO DOWN THE SINK DRAIN! It will clog the pipes and be a costly plumbing bill! We do this outside, if you do it inside, be sure to dump the bucket outside each time it is full of grit/rock contaminated water.
• Inspect your rocks. Decide if they are ready to move on to STEP 2, or if another week in STEP 1 would improve them. This is a matter of what the purpose of the finished rocks are and simply personal preference when and if they are ready to move on. Some people, will trim off spots at this point and return them to STEP 1. Some people are happy to see some rough spots left in the rocks and move on. The smoother the rocks are the quicker the next steps will be. Some people decide to just throw some rocks out altogether at this stage, saying it’s just not worth the time to continue.
• Wash the rocks that will continue on thoroughly so none of this grit goes into STEP 2. 

STEP 2 - Medium Grind – 120/220 grit silicon carbide

• Load the barrel as directed above.
• Run for about seven days, then open the barrel.
• Dump the contents into a screen over a bucket and rinse off every bit of grit and mud. 
• DO NOT ALLOW THE GRIT OR MUD TO GO DOWN THE SINK DRAIN! 
• Inspect your rocks. Decide if they are ready to move on to STEP 3, or if another week in STEP 2 would improve them. Any cracked or broken rocks should probably go back to STEP 1. Check your rocks when they are dry. Dry rocks ready for the next step should be smooth and have a frosted looking surface.
• Wash the rocks that will continue on thoroughly so none of this grit goes into STEP 3. 

STEP 3 - Fine Grind or Pre-Polish – 500/600 grit silicon carbide

• Load the barrel as directed above.
• Run for about seven days, then open the barrel.
• Dump the contents into a screen over a bucket and rinse off every bit of grit and mud. 
• DO NOT ALLOW THE GRIT OR MUD TO GO DOWN THE SINK DRAIN! .
• Inspect your rocks. Decide if they are ready to move on to STEP 4, or if another week in STEP 3 would improve them. Any cracked or broken rocks should go back to STEP 1. Check your rocks when they are dry. Dry rocks ready for the next step should be very smooth and start to have a luster.
• Wash the rocks that will continue on thoroughly so none of this grit goes into STEP 4. 

STEP 4 - Polish - Aluminum Oxide, Tin Oxide, Cerium Oxide, TXP, Raybrite are all types of polish you can use

• Load the barrel as directed above. Be sure that the rocks and the equipment are perfectly clean - a few specks of grit could ruin a great polish.
• Run for about seven days, then open the barrel.
• Dump the contents into a screen over a bucket and rinse off every bit of polish residue. 
• DO NOT ALLOW THE GRIT OR MUD TO GO DOWN THE SINK DRAIN! 
• When you finish this step, your rocks should be bright and shiny!

NOTE

If your stones have a smooth surface but do not shine, they might need cleaned up with soap. We sometimes run our cleaned rocks in the tumbler with powdered laundry soap for a few hours, this gets all polish residue off of them and brightens them up. If they have scratches on them, the rocks will need to go back to STEP 2 and repeat the process from there.