A rock tumbler is used by lapidaries to shape and polish rocks. Hobbyists use them to display collected rocks, while professionals use them to prepare rocks for finished pieces. The process involves breaking the rough stone into pieces, placing them in a tumbler, and gradually polishing them with finer grit. Tumblers can be basic or use ultrasound or vibration. It is a patient hobby and requires a soundproof workspace.
A rock tumbler is a device used by lapidaries to shape and polish the rocks they work with. A lapidary is someone who works with rocks, either as a hob or by profession. Hobbyists may use a tumbler to polish rocks they have collected for display, while professionals such as jewelers use a tumbler to shape and prepare rocks in preparation for use in finished pieces. Because of the wide range of people who use these devices, they come in an assortment of styles ranging from simple desktop models for people who are just experimenting with rock rolling to industrial models for use in large jewelry studios.
When rock is first quarried or harvested, it is usually rough, misshapen, and pitted. A skilled lapidary can see the potential in a piece of rock such as jade or quartz and use a rock tumbler to bring out the stone’s natural beauty. First, the rough stone is broken into pieces of different sizes and then placed in a coarse-grained tumbler. The tumbler is a cylinder that turns with the help of a small motor. After several days, the rocks are checked and, if the lapidary is satisfied, they are washed and tumbled to a smaller grit. This process is repeated several times, with the grain becoming progressively finer, until the stones are ready for polishing in a specially dedicated tumbler. When the rocks emerge, they will be much smaller than they originally were, but they will also be smooth and shine with the natural beauty of the stone.
As a hobby, tumbling rocks requires a lot of patience and a workspace that can be soundproofed, because tumblers have to run a long time before the rocks are completely smooth. A glass essentially speeds up the natural processes of nature, which ultimately polish rocks over the ages. Even with a glass, however, turning a rough piece of stone into a polished specimen can take several weeks.
A basic rock tumbler works through rotation, but some lapidary supply companies make tumblers that use ultrasound or vibration. These tumblers tend to be more expensive, but are also faster and quieter, and also produce a range of rock shapes. Ultimately, the choice of which type of glass to purchase rests with the individual buying it. If you are considering tumbling as a hobby, you may want to consider buying a tumbler designed for small rocks until you decide whether or not tumbling is for you, at which point you can purchase more expensive large tumblers capable of bear more weight, and bigger rocks.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
