Essential Tips for Getting Into Rock Tumbling

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There has likely been a time in life when you stopped into a store and happened to see buckets of shiny and enticing rocks. You can’t help but let them catch your eye. How a simple rock one might disregard becomes a wonderous, eye-stopping crystal is a wonder.

That is where rock tumbling comes in, as it helps reveal the beautiful design that lies just beneath the surface. If you want to have a hand at this unveiling, then keep reading for some essential tips you should know before getting into rock tumbling.

Know Where To Look

When you are a beginner, you might struggle to try to find a rock that will polish well in a tumbler. It is incredibly important that you know how to look. Try to scope out rocks that already have a slightly colorful surface; even if it’s dull or sharp, the tumbler will smoothen and polish them off. Another tip you should know as you get into tumbling is to reject any small rocks, as they can crumble into grit and slurry in your tumbler.

Know How To Dispose

On the topic of grit and slurry, you must know how to dispose of it. Grit and slurry are the accumulation of the solution, dust, and debris that results from tumbling. Many first-timers make the grave mistake of thinking they can simply pour it down the drain.

Grit and slurry acts a lot like cement which, of course, we don’t want to be built up in our pipes. There are several different methods for disposing of your rock tumbling grit and slurry. But one of the most common ways is to dig a hole in your backyard and designate it as where you will put your waste.

Know About the Noise

One thing no one tells you about rock tumbling is that it is quite a noisy hobby. Consider that you are tumbling a bunch of rocks, media, and solutions together for hours and even days on end. As you can imagine, that can create quite the noise pollution for you and your neighbors, so this is important to know. The best way to mitigate this is by placing your tumbler in the basement, closet, or area of your house that others don’t frequent.