If polishing flats, such as small slabs, use Rapid Polish #61.
Note: the manufacturer of TXP says not to use more than recommended as it will slow the polishing process. (Little stone is removed from this stage on.) For normal rounded rock polishing, use a tumbler polish such as TXP. Hand shaped stones or cabochons ground through 220 can be added to the tumbler barrel starting at the 400 grit stage. Only one dose of grit at one tablespoon per pound of rock is needed for all other grit stages. Try starting the tumbling process for soft stones such as onyx and obsidian at the medium grit stage. Proceed to the medium or 150/220 grit stage. Grit that is left in vugs or crevices will contaminate the next batch if not removed. Do not use the kitchen sink to wash your stones, grit will clog the pipes. Winter tumbling, may call for a number of buckets and a colendar for rinsing the stones. When changing grit, thoroughly clean stones, by pouring stones on an elevated fiberglass window screen and spray the grit off with a garden hose, and rinse again. If any stones have broken, do not add these to the next grit sequence or they will scratch the stones. (Use sticky labels to date and record grit size on the tumbler.) When most of the stones appear ready for the next stage, remove those not ready and run again in the next coarse batch. The other grit stages take about 1-2 weeks each. Add new coarse grit weekly, 1 tablespoon per pound of rock. Coarse grit stage may take 2-4 weeks, but possibly 6-8 weeks for hard agates and jaspers. Add your stones and separation material to the tumbler then add water to about 1-2″ below the level of the rock. Tumbling experts recommend a grit step with aluminum oxide, pre-polish/800 grit just before the polish step.
Normal grit stages for harder stones are coarse:60/90 or 80, medium:150-220, fine:500, then polish. Ceramic media, can be rinsed for the next stage of polishing Note: keep barrel at all times at least 3/4 full. Note: obsidian should have 50 to 75% filler such as ceramic media to keep from chipping or spalling the stones. Add 1 tablespoon of abrasive grit per pound of material in tumbler. (Low volume of stones in a tumbler means stones will mainly slide along the bottom of the tumbler.
3 PHASE INDUSTRIAL ROCK TUBBLER FULL
Fill barrel 3/4 full of rock and separation material. (Use ceramic media, wood chips, saw dust, bits of rubber, leather, rock chips, etc. This is called separation or filler material. At least 20-25% of the barrel load should be rocks or filler of 1/4-1/2″ size to speed the tumbling process.
Rocks in one batch should be of the same hardness in the tumbler, such as agates and jasper, or onyx, or obsidian, etc. Remove oil from broken slabs by washing in soap and water. Use chips, small stones, small or broken slabs or preforms (shaped, sawed stones such as triangles) for tumbling. Basic guidelines for rotary or barrel tumbling: The image shown is a rotary or barrel tumbler.
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