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How to Make Sea Shells Smooth

To preserve fond memories of days at the beach, many people collect sea shells. Dried shells can be used in a number of crafts projects, including sculptures, jewelry or mixed-media artwork. As these shells are remnants of marine life, they are often covered with barnacles, spines or other rough edges. After a thorough drying and cleaning, the abrasive parts of your shell can be sanded and buffed smooth using a simple electrical grinder.

Things You'll Need

Aluminum foil
Toothpicks
Small bowl
Dish-washing detergent
Old toothbrush
Wire brush
Electric rotary grinder
Fine grit sanding pad
Buffing pad

Instructions

- 1
  Lay all of your shells on a sheet of aluminum foil and place them in direct sunlight for a day. This will dry out any remaining tissue or algae on the shell.
- 2
  Remove barnacles, stuck-on seaweed and other debris using toothpicks.
- 3
  Fill a small bowl with water and several drops of dish-washing detergent. Submerge the shell in the solution and cleanse the shell with an old toothbrush. For stubborn patches of debris, use a wire brush. Allow the shells to dry overnight after cleaning.
- 4
  Attach a fine-grit sanding pad to your rotary grinder. As grinders vary in operation, refer to the instruction manual for your specific model.
- 5
  Set the grinder to a medium-speed setting and hold it in your dominant hand. Hold the shell firmly with your other hand and bring the pad onto the area of the shell you wish to sand smooth. Continue smoothing the shell until the desired effect is reached.
- 6
  Polish the shell by switching to a buffing pad after sanding. For more information on changing out pads, refer to your grinder's instruction manual.

Sea Shell Collecting