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Vibratory Tumbler Instructions

Vibratory rock tumblers use an electrical vibration to move rocks in a grit solution. The solution and action smoothes rough edges off rocks and rounds off sharp edges. Vibratory tumblers produce results in about one quarter of the time of a traditional rock tumbler and retain the shape of the rock in the process. The most common size of a vibratory tumbler is a 2.5-pound size. The directions below are for this size. You can adjust the quantities of materials to fit a different size bowl.

Things You'll Need

Vibratory tumbler
Rocks
Plastic pellets
Silicon carbide grit
Colander
Garden hose
Soap flakes
Towel

Instructions

- 1
  Open the lid on the vibratory tumbler and fill the bowl about three-quarters full of rocks in various sizes. Add plastic pellets as filler if necessary to obtain the three-quarter full level.
- 2
  Add silicon carbide grit to the bowl according to the package instructions. For fast results the amount is generally 3 to 8 tablespoons per use. Add ¾-cup of water to the bowl.
- 3
  Replace the lid and turn the tumbler on. Check the tumbler once per day to ensure that it has enough water for a slurry mixture in the bowl. Add water if necessary so that the mixture is not too thick and the rocks move in the mixture.
- 4
  Turn the tumbler off and pour the contents into a colander when the rocks are shiny and smooth. Rinse the rocks and plastic pellets under a garden hose outdoors until the water runs clear. The grit will rinse off the rocks and leave the plastic pellets and the rocks in the colander.
- 5
  Place the rocks back into the tumbler bowl. Add a tablespoon of soap flakes and water to the cover the rocks in the bowl. Turn the tumbler on and let it run for 30 minutes. Turn the tumbler off. Remove the rocks and rinse them thoroughly. Repeat this step two times.
- 6
  Spread the rocks out on a towel and allow them to air-dry.

Rocks & Minerals