Get the Most Out of Your Rock Tumbler

Proper Care and Maintenance of Rotary Rock Tumblers

May 28, 2009

Produce beautiful polished stones and keep a rock tumbler running at peak performance by utilizing these simple steps.

The price of acquiring a quality rock tumbler has increased over the years and because of this its very important to keep the unit in good working order. Before selecting a new rock tumbler be sure to research the cost and ease of replacing parts and how hard those parts may be to obtain.

Maintaining a Rotary Rock Tumbler

The primary reason that a rock tumbler motor overheats and burns out is overloading of the barrels, so be careful to never overload the barrels. Read the load limitations for the model being used and make sure to stay under the load limits. When in doubt, weigh the barrels after loading the rough stone and grit and aim for staying beneath the load limits.

Oil the motor or drive shaft bearings before operation and monthly thereafter. Make sure to keep the unit free of all dust and debris. Grit can build up beneath the rollers and place strain on the belt and motor. Keep the rock tumbler in a well ventilated area to help prevent the motor from overheating. Some models feature a built in fan or automatic shutoff. Look for these added safety features when selecting a rock tumbler.

Proper Care of Rock Tumbler Barrels

When checking barrel contents, remove them from the rock tumbler and check them well away from the unit to prevent grit or water from spilling onto the unit or into the motor. It's best to unplug the unit for a few minutes while completing this step.

Between each stage of the tumbling process wash the inside and outside of the barrels thoroughly to remove any grit residue. Also check the integrity of the barrels and replace rings and lids when they become worn or cracked. It's very important to make sure that the different size grits don't get mixed together.

Using the Mohs Scale

The Mohs scale refers to the hardness of different types of rocks with diamond being the hardest at a rating of 10 and talc being the softest at a rating of 1. Pay attention to the Mohs scale in regards to the rocks being tumbled. Don't tumble hard and soft rocks together or large and small rocks. This can damage the more fragile rocks and is an inefficient use of the tumbler.

With proper care and maintenance a rock tumbler should last for years and provide beautiful tumbled rocks for use in displays or as jewelry pieces. Encourage the inner rockhound and get started in the lapidary hobby today.

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