Good to hear more thoughts on technique. I think a lot of tumbling advice just gets passed along without any real thought into whether they are the best methods. I started using plastic beads on the polishing stage for similar reasons: cushioning and surface contact. I filmed a series of tests this morning to capture what is going on inside my Nat Geo tumbler. One thing I noticed while watching in slow motion is that the ceramic pellets tend to get pulled to the edge of the barrel, while the plastic beads mix in better. These were dry runs with just rocks and filler, but shouldn't be too far off from a regular run. I need to see if I can create a water tight window. Hoping to have it all edited and posted this weekend.
I highly recommend using ceramic media instead. You don't need to separate between stages. Also when using beads you are potentially washing a lot of microplasics down the drains.
The ceramic media is as hard as the stones so I can't see how it would provide the cushioning that is so useful when using plastic beads. I don't think it is a "lot" of microplastics but it is a point well made. However I do not wash mine down the drain but capture the slurry in a cement mix. I will try ceramic beads and let you know how I get on. Thanks for the input!
I used to use beads. But I have gone to those little "rubber" x's used to space tile when setting them.. I use the smaller ones for the tumbler like you have there and the bigger ones for my big tumbler.. They seem to give me greater results.. and they are easier (for me) to retrieve at the end.. I have also tried my bullet casing polisher with crushed walnut shells as a last step.. that worked ok.. But I felt that the time and hassle was not worth the extra shine it gave.. Now I use it for those "special" stones that are just so beautiful you have to go that extra step.. thanks my friend.. you are looking good.. hope all is well for you there across the pond.. things have been good here.. take care...
Hi George, nice to hear from you. I did try the tile spacers but really did not have much joy, maybe I will try them again. Everything is good here, good to hear you are OK. Cheers!
@@thestonecraftingworkshop7490 Hey Steve I do have one question.. do you use tap water? we have water here that has a lot of minerals here (I don't even drink the stuff). I was wondering if a chlorine and mineral water would work ok or should I just use the bottled water.. I seem to get a nice shine on my stones but have always wondered if those mineral would leave deposits on them..? Here's hoping the warm weather comes soon eh!
@@tinkmarshino Hi George, I do use just tap water and here in UK it does have Chlorine in it and I have not noticed any effect. I am guessing that if it is a concern, try distilled water? I long for the spring, it has been a wet and windy winter here! All the best!
I am with you on reducing plastic so my first thought was i knew of sandblasting with walnut shells . just had to mention it and then was gazumped by the above comment. Gonna go eat some walnuts ;)
Excellent tips sir! I use the same techniques but exclusively use ceramic media, it works just as well and it's not as frustrating with the cleanup process. I also find it helps to to run a cleaning cycle between grits with just a small drop of soap.
Thanks for sharing, ceramic chips are very commonly used, and very popular with their users so they obviously work. I just think the plastic beads are softer and encourage more movement. I may change my mind in the future, I often do! All the best!
We find the plastic beads are far superior to the ceramic pellets and have used both. Especially in the polish stage the plastic beads produce high quality shine ! Thank you Sir for your excellent commentary and instruction! @@thestonecraftingworkshop7490
At 11:55 mention of not using borax down the drain. Dishwashing liquid has chemicals and it is washed down the drain. Soap has some chemicals and it is washed down the drain. Do you not bathe/shower?
I was referring to "extra" chemicals down the drain. As a matter of interest we do not buy any liquid soaps (only washing up liquid) and use only shampoo bars etc. So we do try to keep our use of plastics and chemicals to a minimum. Thanks for watching.
Just found your channel and am loving the practical advice you give. I agree with your dilemma of using plastic beads but like you mention they are reusable and other polishing aids are mostly mined which causes its own environmental problems. One question would be have you used a little borax along with the beads to see if it added to the burnished finish of the polish?
Do you use any soap. Borax, dish soap or comparable, at any stage from start to finished products? Also, do you use ceramic media in eiter of the first two stages? Great video and thanks in advance for your reply.
Hi, I don't use any soap or borax etc ( I used to, but found it didn't make any difference). only water, aluminium oxide grits or polish and plastic beads. I don't use ceramic media either, just adding pea shingle from the start, not only saves money but gives you beautifully polished small stones at the end, ideal for mounting on rings or earings!
Can I use any other kind of plastic beads. I do bearing and have lots of little plastic beads csn i use those . having a hard time with the polish stage.
I am not sure, the plastic seems to work best if is a bit softish, Beading plastics tend to be harder I think? I would give it a try, it will be better that nothing and certainly gentler than ceramic chips. Best of luck!
www.stonetools.co.uk/polishing-powder-marble-pote-malaysia You will have to buy a Kilo but it will last for years! You can buy smaller amounts here, also Cerium (Auorepol) www.ctmpotterssupplies.co.uk/polishingpowders.html
i got some turquoise nuggets from Lone Mountain and the Golden Hills in Kazakhstan. They are untreated. They look pretty good but I wanted to polish them up a bit. I cannot use regular methods cause the little nubbies will wear off. They really are bubbly. I got some beads and was wondering if it would be worth the trouble of using different grades of polish with the plastic and have to try to clean off the different grades of grit off the stones each time? They are very nubby. Lots of little crevices. They are pretty nice but I thought they might look more lustrous. If you think I need different grades, what do you recommend? I have cerium. I could just leave them in the plastic for hours maybe? Should they have cerium or no? Liquid or no? Thanks for your consideration and advice. Turquoise is so soft anyway.
OK, if they are soft they almost certainly will not polish using a tumbler. I really don't know what you could use to improve the lustre. the only thing I can think of is a polishing wax on a cloth or felt buffing wheel. Sorry I cant be more helpful
@@MrJackson66 Well then what do you recommend for a ratio between the corncob, cerium, and the turquoise? Keep it loose? I'm wondering if It's like a loose slurry of mostly corncob, .25 cup of cerium, and nuggets? Or should it just need a tablespoon of cerium and a bit tighter, more like packing material corncob so it just shuffles around the nuggets? I had gotten a Lortone and the belt is always so loose. I have replaced the belt several times cause it is so loose. The company got sold maybe a few years ago. The motor works well but I am waiting to see what happens with the belt situation. I called them and they said they are fixing this but..... Do you recommend a good tumbler? I know someone with a magnetic tumbler and the magnetic qualities disappear with use.
@@ruthdederich3622 you don't need much cerium a half a teaspoon is good, fill the container two thirds with the corn cob media and put in a nice handful of turquoise then the cerium or aluminum oxide and you are good to go ... You don't need much room in your container for polishing with the corn cob, the stone still work their way through the mixture and polish up great. I didn't believe it myself until I tried it...
Would plastic .12-Gram 6mm Airsoft BBs work? My son is grown and moved out of the house now for 10 years and I still have a container 2/3 full that he never used up. Thought maybe I could use them instead of throwing them away (I'd be recycling over and over : ). No label on jar and what I found similar on Amazon didn't say what material they are made of. They are blue so would be easier to see when sorting them out. Or would blue get rubbed off onto the rocks? I'm a total beginner. I have my first batch on its first stage running in my basement now.
I don't know if they would work, They may be a little big, I can't think it will do any harm so it must be worth a try. I wouldn't think the colour would stain the stones. best of luck and let us know how you get on.
I'm trying to get a polished shiny look now that I've smoothed out a bunch of rocks. Do I add plastic plastic pellets to just water or do I put grit in too?
You certainly do need grit. You say you have smoothed out the rocks? Is that at the first stage, (60 or 80 grit) ? If so just continue as you would normally, 220 grit, 400 grit and polish simply adding plastic beads at each stage. Remember to use beads dedicated to each stage. ie. use one lot of beads at 220 grit stage then another lot at 400 stage and so on. keep the beads for each stage separate and re-use over and over! Best of luck!
True, as a household we have reduced our use of plastics quite a lot, we do not buy liquid soap shampoo etc only bars so no bottles, we never buy plastic carriers and we re-use all food bags (peas porridge etc), sometimes as freezer bags and sometimes as waste bin bags. In mitigation of plastic beads they are not single use but used over and over again. Also by using the beads I no longer use soap or borax so less chemicals. I will try tumbling without any of these additives so look out for the video! Thanks for bringing this up, I would be interested to hear other views. Cheers!
I agree.... No more plastic tubs for ice cream No plastic fans in the computer No plastic power points No plastic Chinese take away food containers No plastic inkjet printers No plastic toothbrushes No plastic bevels around the TV No plastic flower pots etc, etc, etc. Let's outlaw all plastics....What say you, kein
Using plastic of any kind is extremely irresponsible. There are other methods that do not pollute. Im saddened by this. Are shinier rocks really worth the trade-off??
Hi, try to keep a sense of perspective. Rock tumbling uses only tiny amounts of beads and they are used and re-used so not single use. If you buy any food in plastic wrapping in the course of a year you will use loads more plastic. We re-use all of our household plastic food bags so they are not single use, never buy plastic shopping or waste bin bags and only buy soap bars not liquid soaps so to reduce our plastic footprint. As humans we impact the planet from the day we are born, the best we can do is try to keep the impact to a minimum. I do appreciate you caring but try not to be sad, it is still a wonderful world!
@jayneadore1812: Just wondering if you have computer (uses 30-40% plastic) or TV or mobile phone (40% plastic) or microwave or any household appliances or devices, car, etc. Anything that is melted down and molded are made of some kinds of plastics. Almost all we have uses plastics components or parts. Even those made with bio-based plastics are still not biodegradable or compostable. Do you have any of those above? If so, that is ‘extremely irresponsible’ as you have stated yourself. BTW, most medical equipments (that saves lives) are also made with plastic materials. Syringes, stethoscopes, BP monitors, Oxygen concentrators, CT scan, MRI, EKG, CPAP, BiPAP, non rebreather mask, disposable scalpels, etc. Note also that PVCs are made of plastic polymers. Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC or Vinyl) is a high-strength thermoplastic material. It is widely used in applications such as pipes, medical devices, and wire & cable insulation...the list is endless. It is the world's third-most widely produced synthetic plastic polymer.
Good to hear more thoughts on technique. I think a lot of tumbling advice just gets passed along without any real thought into whether they are the best methods. I started using plastic beads on the polishing stage for similar reasons: cushioning and surface contact.
I filmed a series of tests this morning to capture what is going on inside my Nat Geo tumbler. One thing I noticed while watching in slow motion is that the ceramic pellets tend to get pulled to the edge of the barrel, while the plastic beads mix in better. These were dry runs with just rocks and filler, but shouldn't be too far off from a regular run. I need to see if I can create a water tight window. Hoping to have it all edited and posted this weekend.
This is very interesting! Good luck with the test and I will watch for that with great anticipation. Cheers!
This was super helpful, thanks for taking the time to explain the why and why not.
Glad it was helpful!
Very informative video. You did a very good job explaining the plastic bead process .
Thank you so much 😊
I highly recommend using ceramic media instead. You don't need to separate between stages. Also when using beads you are potentially washing a lot of microplasics down the drains.
The ceramic media is as hard as the stones so I can't see how it would provide the cushioning that is so useful when using plastic beads. I don't think it is a "lot" of microplastics but it is a point well made. However I do not wash mine down the drain but capture the slurry in a cement mix. I will try ceramic beads and let you know how I get on. Thanks for the input!
Plastic beads should be removed from the market and not used in anything, it’s the worst thing to use for the environment for people and animals!!!
I will try them on my next tumble.
I am sure they will work so enjoy!
I used to use beads. But I have gone to those little "rubber" x's used to space tile when setting them.. I use the smaller ones for the tumbler like you have there and the bigger ones for my big tumbler.. They seem to give me greater results.. and they are easier (for me) to retrieve at the end.. I have also tried my bullet casing polisher with crushed walnut shells as a last step.. that worked ok.. But I felt that the time and hassle was not worth the extra shine it gave.. Now I use it for those "special" stones that are just so beautiful you have to go that extra step.. thanks my friend.. you are looking good.. hope all is well for you there across the pond.. things have been good here.. take care...
Hi George, nice to hear from you. I did try the tile spacers but really did not have much joy, maybe I will try them again. Everything is good here, good to hear you are OK. Cheers!
@@thestonecraftingworkshop7490 Hey Steve I do have one question.. do you use tap water? we have water here that has a lot of minerals here (I don't even drink the stuff). I was wondering if a chlorine and mineral water would work ok or should I just use the bottled water.. I seem to get a nice shine on my stones but have always wondered if those mineral would leave deposits on them..? Here's hoping the warm weather comes soon eh!
@@tinkmarshino Hi George, I do use just tap water and here in UK it does have Chlorine in it and I have not noticed any effect. I am guessing that if it is a concern, try distilled water? I long for the spring, it has been a wet and windy winter here! All the best!
I am with you on reducing plastic so my first thought was i knew of sandblasting with walnut shells . just had to mention it and then was gazumped by the above comment. Gonna go eat some walnuts ;)
Excellent tips sir! I use the same techniques but exclusively use ceramic media, it works just as well and it's not as frustrating with the cleanup process. I also find it helps to to run a cleaning cycle between grits with just a small drop of soap.
Thanks for sharing, ceramic chips are very commonly used, and very popular with their users so they obviously work. I just think the plastic beads are softer and encourage more movement. I may change my mind in the future, I often do! All the best!
We find the plastic beads are far superior to the ceramic pellets and have used both. Especially in the polish stage the plastic beads produce high quality shine ! Thank you Sir for your excellent commentary and instruction!
@@thestonecraftingworkshop7490
Thank you for a very informative isue.
Glad it was helpful!
I found it very helpful...... thank you 🙂
Glad it was helpful!
At 11:55 mention of not using borax down the drain.
Dishwashing liquid has chemicals and it is washed down the drain.
Soap has some chemicals and it is washed down the drain.
Do you not bathe/shower?
I was referring to "extra" chemicals down the drain. As a matter of interest we do not buy any liquid soaps (only washing up liquid) and use only shampoo bars etc. So we do try to keep our use of plastics and chemicals to a minimum. Thanks for watching.
You can avoid polluting. But choose to pollute?
Would there be any situation where using some ceramic media and some plastic beads at the same time would be useful?
Can't think of one, cheers!
Just found your channel and am loving the practical advice you give. I agree with your dilemma of using plastic beads but like you mention they are reusable and other polishing aids are mostly mined which causes its own environmental problems. One question would be have you used a little borax along with the beads to see if it added to the burnished finish of the polish?
I think I have used borax with the beads but I get such a good finish without that I don't bother with it now. Cheers!
Do you use any soap. Borax, dish soap or comparable, at any stage from start to finished products? Also, do you use ceramic media in eiter of the first two stages? Great video and thanks in advance for your reply.
Hi, I don't use any soap or borax etc ( I used to, but found it didn't make any difference). only water, aluminium oxide grits or polish and plastic beads. I don't use ceramic media either, just adding pea shingle from the start, not only saves money but gives you beautifully polished small stones at the end, ideal for mounting on rings or earings!
Can I use any other kind of plastic beads. I do bearing and have lots of little plastic beads csn i use those . having a hard time with the polish stage.
I am not sure, the plastic seems to work best if is a bit softish, Beading plastics tend to be harder I think? I would give it a try, it will be better that nothing and certainly gentler than ceramic chips. Best of luck!
Where do you buy the Tin Oxide? Thanks
www.stonetools.co.uk/polishing-powder-marble-pote-malaysia You will have to buy a Kilo but it will last for years!
You can buy smaller amounts here, also Cerium (Auorepol) www.ctmpotterssupplies.co.uk/polishingpowders.html
i got some turquoise nuggets from Lone Mountain and the Golden Hills in Kazakhstan. They are untreated. They look pretty good but I wanted to polish them up a bit. I cannot use regular methods cause the little nubbies will wear off. They really are bubbly. I got some beads and was wondering if it would be worth the trouble of using different grades of polish with the plastic and have to try to clean off the different grades of grit off the stones each time? They are very nubby. Lots of little crevices. They are pretty nice but I thought they might look more lustrous.
If you think I need different grades, what do you recommend? I have cerium.
I could just leave them in the plastic for hours maybe? Should they have cerium or no? Liquid or no? Thanks for your consideration and advice. Turquoise is so soft anyway.
OK, if they are soft they almost certainly will not polish using a tumbler. I really don't know what you could use to improve the lustre. the only thing I can think of is a polishing wax on a cloth or felt buffing wheel. Sorry I cant be more helpful
Thanks for your knowledge@@thestonecraftingworkshop7490 Appreciate you taking the time to answer.
@@ruthdederich3622 corn cob media dry with the cerium oxide and stones, no water...
@@MrJackson66 Well then what do you recommend for a ratio between the corncob, cerium, and the turquoise? Keep it loose? I'm wondering if It's like a loose slurry of mostly corncob, .25 cup of cerium, and nuggets? Or should it just need a tablespoon of cerium and a bit tighter, more like packing material corncob so it just shuffles around the nuggets?
I had gotten a Lortone and the belt is always so loose.
I have replaced the belt several times cause it is so loose. The company got sold maybe a few years ago. The motor works well but I am waiting to see what happens with the belt situation. I called them and they said they are fixing this but..... Do you recommend a good tumbler?
I know someone with a magnetic tumbler and the magnetic qualities disappear with use.
@@ruthdederich3622 you don't need much cerium a half a teaspoon is good, fill the container two thirds with the corn cob media and put in a nice handful of turquoise then the cerium or aluminum oxide and you are good to go ... You don't need much room in your container for polishing with the corn cob, the stone still work their way through the mixture and polish up great. I didn't believe it myself until I tried it...
here over a year later do you still prefer the plastic beads or do ceramics work just as well?
I only use plastic beads and no other additives, best of luck!
Would plastic .12-Gram 6mm Airsoft BBs work? My son is grown and moved out of the house now for 10 years and I still have a container 2/3 full that he never used up. Thought maybe I could use them instead of throwing them away (I'd be recycling over and over : ). No label on jar and what I found similar on Amazon didn't say what material they are made of. They are blue so would be easier to see when sorting them out. Or would blue get rubbed off onto the rocks?
I'm a total beginner. I have my first batch on its first stage running in my basement now.
I don't know if they would work, They may be a little big, I can't think it will do any harm so it must be worth a try. I wouldn't think the colour would stain the stones. best of luck and let us know how you get on.
I'm trying to get a polished shiny look now that I've smoothed out a bunch of rocks. Do I add plastic plastic pellets to just water or do I put grit in too?
You certainly do need grit. You say you have smoothed out the rocks? Is that at the first stage, (60 or 80 grit) ? If so just continue as you would normally, 220 grit, 400 grit and polish simply adding plastic beads at each stage. Remember to use beads dedicated to each stage. ie. use one lot of beads at 220 grit stage then another lot at 400 stage and so on. keep the beads for each stage separate and re-use over and over! Best of luck!
@@thestonecraftingworkshop7490 ok thank u so much!!
SO WHAT'D THE PLASTIC BEADS DO?
Cushion the rocks from smashing into each other too much causing cracks
I do explain in the video!
Yeah. demand for more plastics. Great for the environment. I'll stick with the ceramic and even smaller stones.
I find plastic tile spacers better and not so small and fiddly as the plastic beads .I use 3 to 5mm tile spacers for easy retrieval
Hi Dennis, I have tried the tile spacers in the past but did not seem to get very good results, maybe I will try them again sometime. All the best!
We should be getting away from plastics.
True, as a household we have reduced our use of plastics quite a lot, we do not buy liquid soap shampoo etc only bars so no bottles, we never buy plastic carriers and we re-use all food bags (peas porridge etc), sometimes as freezer bags and sometimes as waste bin bags. In mitigation of plastic beads they are not single use but used over and over again. Also by using the beads I no longer use soap or borax so less chemicals. I will try tumbling without any of these additives so look out for the video! Thanks for bringing this up, I would be interested to hear other views. Cheers!
I agree....
No more plastic tubs for ice cream
No plastic fans in the computer
No plastic power points
No plastic Chinese take away food containers
No plastic inkjet printers
No plastic toothbrushes
No plastic bevels around the TV
No plastic flower pots
etc, etc, etc.
Let's outlaw all plastics....What say you, kein
Using plastic of any kind is extremely irresponsible. There are other methods that do not pollute. Im saddened by this. Are shinier rocks really worth the trade-off??
Hi, try to keep a sense of perspective. Rock tumbling uses only tiny amounts of beads and they are used and re-used so not single use. If you buy any food in plastic wrapping in the course of a year you will use loads more plastic. We re-use all of our household plastic food bags so they are not single use, never buy plastic shopping or waste bin bags and only buy soap bars not liquid soaps so to reduce our plastic footprint. As humans we impact the planet from the day we are born, the best we can do is try to keep the impact to a minimum. I do appreciate you caring but try not to be sad, it is still a wonderful world!
@jayneadore1812: Just wondering if you have computer (uses 30-40% plastic) or TV or mobile phone (40% plastic) or microwave or any household appliances or devices, car, etc. Anything that is melted down and molded are made of some kinds of plastics. Almost all we have uses plastics components or parts. Even those made with bio-based plastics are still not biodegradable or compostable. Do you have any of those above? If so, that is ‘extremely irresponsible’ as you have stated yourself. BTW, most medical equipments (that saves lives) are also made with plastic materials. Syringes, stethoscopes, BP monitors, Oxygen concentrators, CT scan, MRI, EKG, CPAP, BiPAP, non rebreather mask, disposable scalpels, etc. Note also that PVCs are made of plastic polymers. Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC or Vinyl) is a high-strength thermoplastic material. It is widely used in applications such as pipes, medical devices, and wire & cable insulation...the list is endless. It is the world's third-most widely produced synthetic plastic polymer.