Rock tumblers are rotary machines which work on glass,rocks and metals as well as certain gemstones. They also serve to clean stones and cut edges,and to create tumbled cabochons. Although many enjoy using the rock polishing kit for decorative and hobby purposes,others use these for more serious jewelry-making as well as lapidary (stone cutting) work. The best tumblers are robust as well as powerful and quiet. They also have the capacity to tumble a huge variety of materials at the same time.
There are a few different types of tumblers for rock available to customers,such as vibratory and the rotary. They are generally small and the majority of them tumble just several pounds of rock at a time. There are bigger models that are more professional designed for commercial or jewelry-making uses. The first tumblers were constructed from metal,but they are made from rubber or plastic to provide greater durability and quieter. The majority of rock tumblers come with three or more barrels that can be used to tumble various materials simultaneously as well as for a subsequent stage of polishing. Some tumblers have inlet and outlet rinsing ports that permit the user to add water or other cleaning solutions to the barrel as required.
For the casual hobbyist A single barrel tumbler should suffice. It is less costly than a dual-barrel tumbler,and most of these are made of a plastic or rubber material designed to reduce the noise created by the rock crashing over one another inside the barrel. The latest tumblers have a larger barrel and a speedier motor than earlier models that can help them achieve a better level of polish.
Certain manufacturers offer tumblers that feature a dual barrel design,but it is important to note that these will require some maintenance. Based on the model,there will be separate openings for inlet and outflow of water. Both should be carefully managed to ensure that the rock are not damaged by splashing.
The most well-known rock tumblers available are from two companies that emerged from the early hobby industry: Lortone and Thumler’s. Both produce various models suitable designed for both professional and residential use,with some having two or more barrels for greater flexibility.
It is possible to purchase a basic,low-cost tumbler that uses metal paint cans as the barrel,these units are noisy and quickly wear out. The rough surface of cans is easily scratched and scratches the stone when it comes into contact with the cans.
The Tumble-Bee TB-14 is a solidly constructed and quiet rotary tumbler. It is perfect for beginners as well as children of all age groups. It comes with a brightly illuminated switch for on/off and comes with pre-measured rock with three types of grit,and four packages of polishing grit. The kit also includes the sifter along with a full-color guide.