Product Description
Everything you need to get started with stone polishing - all in one kit! A rotary tumbler, or barrelling machine is the simple and fast way to polish up your rough stones in one go. It’s ideal for gemstone enthusiasts, and jewellery makers alike.
Having two barrels running at once allows you to tumble two different stages at once, saving time and energy! The 1.5kg barrels are also useful if you have a smaller quantity of stones to tumble in one go.
Kit includes:
- 3lb Tumbler base
- 2 x 1.5lb Barrels
- 80 Grit (Coarse) - 450g
- 400 Grit (Fine) - 450g
- Zinc Oxide Polish - 200g
- Instruction Booklet
Use the silicone carbide grits from coarsest to finest. Finish with the included Zinc Oxide, or Burnishing B Liquid as optional polishing steps to leave your stones glossy and lustrous. Further grits are available individually here if you wish to go through each and every step of grit.
Alternatively, you can fit 1 larger 3lb barrel (sold separately) on this tumbler motor body, in case you want to do a larger load. We offer extra barrels in plastic or rubber; plastic is much easier to keep clean, whilst rubber is easier to open and close and are quieter - so you can mix 'n' match them as you like.
How to use:
- Tumble in clean water up to the top of the stones at each step, and do not top up with fresh grit during this time, as this could cause scratches. Tumble with each grit for 7 days. If you’re not happy with the results after the first tumble, it can be worth running the stones through with the coarse 80 grit once more.
- Make sure your tumbler barrel and end caps are completely clean - they should be totally free from grit and rock fragments to prevent leaks. It’s advisable to have a separate barrel per grit, as a few granules of a coarse grit in a fine grit tumbling stage could prevent your stones getting smoother, and could cause odd scratches.
- If you’re not happy with the results, re-tumble with the same grit before moving on to the next stage.
- After tumbling, pour contents into a sieve or colander over a plastic bucket, and rinse off every speck of grit and mud. Do NOT pour the mud and grit down your household drain, as it can clog pipes.
A couple of important notes on maintenance: NEVER try to remove or replace the plastic barrel lid without warming it up first. Set it in a bowl of hot water for 30-50 seconds before using. Remember to "burp" the lid before tumbling - if you don't know what this is, have a look at the video above. If you don't warm it up, it will eventually crack. Every week, unplug the tumbler and put a drop of oil on the steel shaft of the roller where they pass through the bearing blocks. This is a great oil for that. Every month, put a drop of oil on the motor shaft, where it protrudes through the side of the machine (use engine grade oil for this).
Size of each barrel: 6.8cm L x 10.3cm inner diameter, 12cm outer diameter
* Includes a 5 year manufacturer’s warranty from the date of purchase. This requires you to register your purchase with the manufacturer at www.beachlapidary.co.uk *
