Top 8 Beginner Rock Tumbling Mistakes
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- Опубликовано: 9 мар 2023
- Are you having trouble with your rock tumbler? Trying to figure out why your rocks aren't getting shiny? I have about a dozen years of experience helping people learn to tumble rocks and troubleshooting their problems. Let me help you figure out what you might be doing wrong. There might even be a tip or two in this list for more experienced tumblers.
- MERCH -
michigan-rocks.myspreadshop.com
- KINGSLEY NORTH -
Kingsley North is a lapidary store in Michigan's U.P. They make a great cab machine and sell many other brands too. They have a huge selection rough rock, tumblers, grit, jewelry supplies etc. at good prices. I buy most of my coarse grit from here in 45 lb. bags. It's the best price I have found. If you buy using the following link, I make a small commission.
bit.ly/3MerxdI
This is the cabbing machine I use:
kingsleynorth.com/kingsley-no...
- THE ROCK SHED -
I buy a lot of lapidary supplies from The Rock Shed. I don't make money from your purchases there, but they have good prices and good service. This is where I buy my finer grits and polish.
rockshed.com
- AMAZON STOREFRONT -
I also have an Amazon storefront. This is where you can find other products you may have seen in my videos. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. It doesn't cost you extra.
www.amazon.com/shop/michiganrocks
- FACEBOOK -
/ michiganrocksrob
- INSTAGRAM -
/ michiganrocksrob
- SUBSCRIBE -
On Michigan Rocks you can join me on relaxing rock hunts in picturesque Michigan. I'll also show you how to polish rocks and teach you other lapidary techniques. New videos are posted every Friday and some Tuesdays. Subscribe now so you don't miss any upcoming videos!
ruclips.net/user/MichiganRock... 
Хобби
This was a good over all review I'll share it with the Rock Club members who are new and trying to choose where to begin. We're pretty much on the same page with just those couple difference in how I load and the amt. of grit. And nice this is all about using the Rotary tumbler all the way. The only thing I can add for anyone else reading is; IF you do have a failure and it happens; you can start over and while your rock will be smaller you can achieve a good result in the end. Thanks again. A great resource.
That's a good tip, Margie. I wish I would have remembered to include that because it's a question I get from time to time. People seem to think that they can mess up their rocks beyond repair, but that would be extremely difficult to do.
I hope to have some pix to share to prove that coming up.
Thank you for the video (and GO BLUE!)
@@MichiganRocksDid you have long time ago jeleweery makers in poland
@@kamilgrochla6192 I don't know anyone personally from Poland. I have never been to Poland either.
Is anyone going to mention the cool stop motion rock number transitions? That was a lot of work! Great video!
Lots of people mentioned that. I'm glad you enjoyed them.
Oh no, not your wife’s toothbrush! 😂 you’re a great teacher, helping us and having some fun. Nice editing, by the way!
Thanks!
You were kind enough to give me a lengthy & very detailed plan to follow for the entire process. I do everything you've just talked about in this video, so I know I'm doing it right. I did, however, start my 1st stage with 46/70 grit & made my 2nd stage 60/90 grit. It's an extra step, but I'm really pleased with the results. This is definitely not the hobby for someone who's impatient. Another thing I try to do is keep all the rocks in the barrel the same hardness or at least close to it. The best thing I've done is ignore the tumbling instructions & asked you for the advice I needed to start my hobby. Thanks again, Rob. You've made tumbling very enjoyable for me
I finish most of my batches with a vibratory tumbler and I don't find that it's all that important to tumble rocks of the same hardness. I have a feeling that it's more important with rotary tumblers.
What advantage do you see by adding a 60/90 step after 46/70? I've never heard on anyone doing that.
I need help in tumble polishing BLACK CORAL from Maui. Have a Hawaii State license to harvest the coral.
I need direction.
Thank you
Mitchell Major
@Michigan Rocks I used to polish metal bumpers for a living & once in a while I'd come across a bumper that needs a very coarse grit belt. I tried moving down to a finer grit belt & it removed all the coarse grit lines from the previous belt. Once the blemish is out, it took forever to buff the grit lines out, so it's that theory I'm using. So far, I'm getting great results. Tumbling rocks of the same hardness just makes it easier to move the majority of the batch to the next step. Keep in mind that I'm just using my common sense. If you're tumbling rocks that are a 7 on the hardness scale, they're all done around the same time. I've rarely set some aside & added rocks. My 1st step lasts a minimum of 2 week. If there's the slightest imperfection, the 2nd step of 60/90 takes care of that for me. The 60/90 step runs for about 7 days & the results are great, but I don't recommend starting out with smaller rocks or throwing in some softer rocks. The first 2 stages really grind them down to a very smooth feel. No blemishes, cracks, spawls or the like either. The first 2 steps do an incredible job
Ditto. Absolutely. Well said BFBR
I haven't tumbled coral, except fossilized coral, so I can't help you out. Sorry.
3:18 I appreciate your humour. Today my first rock tumbler arrived. I've wanted to try this for like 40+ years. My twin barrel has now been going around in circles for about 6 hours with various local rocks collected from Port Macquarie beaches. Thanks for all your videos - I feel well prepared.
Good luck, I hope they turn out great!
How did they turn out?
@@charlieinabox1164 dull, but got a second batch almost ready! :)
3:20 "I use my wife's toothbrush" Very funny.
Rob, you are the King of tumbling. Hands down. I point anyone who expresses interest in tumbling in your direction. Love the clever different color numbers in the rocks before each tip. That must have taken a bit of time to prepare 😊.
Yeah, those animations took a couple days. I was happy with how they turned out though, so it was worth the effort.
Your channel just gets better and better
You are a rock star
That was a great tutorial. All of your tutorials are really great with hands on and real life examples. Thanks Rob!
Absolutely 💯
I love how this is a video that I just rewatch every month or so
I love that too. Watch all you want!
One thing you have taught me is the need for patience, thank you for all your advice and help
Yep, that's a big thing. It gets easier with every batch.
Along your point about choosing the right rocks to tumble, one thing I eventually learned was that regardless of the type of rock (chert, granite, quartz, etc..), the shape and characteristics of the rock matters as well. One thing I had to learn was that if a rock has a big hole or crack in it, well then that rock is going to end up being pretty small by the time I moved it to the second stage.
Thanks for the great info. Your videos are where I go to if I ever run into a problem or need more information. Thanks for the help!
That's very true. Depending on the crack, sometimes I'll break the rock along the crack to eliminate it.
@@MichiganRocks I take a lot of my rocks to the tile saw before putting them in the tumbler. It saves a lot of time on the first stage.
I don't do much pre-grinding, but I will take very nice rocks to the saw or grinder after a few weeks in the tumbler if they need a little extra attention.
Bravo! Your tutorial on rock tumbling is the perfect complement to all those instructions that don't seem to care what your stones look like when the cycle is finished. Thanks for your care and attention to what really matters.
Ditto
Thanks, Lisa!
Just recently started my tumbling journey. Your video has helped me a lot! Thank you for this video!!!!
You’re welcome! I’m glad to help.
@@MichiganRocks Yep, I ended up starting my first batch over again. I “should” be fairly close to my first batch being done… should be 🤣
@@michelleelle4622 Good luck!
Love your numbering animations! And the sound effects! Nice to have something different and cute.
I feel like this sort of video can get a bit dull, so I tried to spice it up.
You know Rob, you really put it all together well in this video. The RTH has greatly appreciated your advice over the years and your instructional document (as well as Chuck's advice) was foundational for my personal understanding of how to properly tumble rocks, saving me hundreds of hours and dollars in the process. Thank you!
Thanks, I spent a long time planning this one and a long time making those darn animations.
Rob knows tumbling! These instructions will get you awesome results👍👍
The chapter markers must have taken a good long while to make!! Great stuff Rob
Yeah, that part took forever, but it's kind of fun to do.
Those stop-motion transitions were really clever. Great job!
Thanks!
Omg I have gotten all my supplies from The Rock Shed and since then all my rocks have polished. Omg it took me a year before I got a nice polish ! Thank you so so much for all your wonderful advice! Yay!!!!!! I did it !!! 🎉
I continue to be surprised at how many people are using low quality polish, or what I consider to be pre-polish. It's a shame because good polish doesn't even cost more. I'm glad you've got it figured out.
@@MichiganRocks Well as a beginner in tumbling rocks I didn’t know much of anything. I started with what came with my tumbler. Realizing it wasn’t working I started researching RUclips tutorials. Which brought me to your videos. After researching I learned . It’s not that I wanted cheap stuff. I also didn’t research enough before I started …I don’t know about anyone else . But that is my reasoning?
@@lorettamartinez2144 A lot of people are in the same situation. They just don't know any better. It's a shame that so much poor quality polish is for sale.
Video of Excellence! Thank you, now a permanent reference in my library. Sometimes a refresher of the basics is ALWAYS great to have on hand.
Glad you liked it, Todd. I have a lot of tumbling videos here, so you might find something else you like.
Thanks Rob great info, I find myself guilty of not running long enough in the first stage, that being said I've had pretty good luck getting a good shine ( been running mostly quartz and chert so far, but have done a few others) thanks again for all the tips only been tumbling since September on fifth batch now.
The more you tumble, the easier it is to be patient. If you really like those perfect rocks, patience is what it takes. But if you don't mind a few flaws, you can sure save some time.
Nancy, Rob stole your toothbrush to clean his rocks.
Love the stop action. A lot of work went into making the video, along with the great sound effects.
Very through explanation, can tell you were a teacher.
Hey! Shhhhh... What are you doing? You're going to get me in trouble!
The toothbrush comment made me laugh out loud. 😂
Hopefully you didn't have a mouth full of Vernors or something.
Thank you!! You've cleared up some mysteries for me as I work on my first couple of batches. This is a huge help. I had no clue what I was doing wrong.
I get so many vague questions from people trying to figure out what they were doing wrong, that I made this video. It's been really helpful for me too so I don't have to ask a bunch of questions trying to figure out where the problem is.
Very informative, Rob. You did a great job -- kept it interesting and fun.
I tried to.
@@MichiganRocks You succeeded.
I don't watch a bunch of these type, but I do pass them on to folks that do this....and they LOVE them!
If you don't have a tumbler, there's not much of a reason to watch these. I make the beach ones for you, Donna.
@@MichiganRocks And those I love...esp U.P. here! But seriously...I do pass these to folks that LOVE them!
I'm actually about to start recovering from following the manufacturer's instructions. The tiny tumbler my wife gave me for Christmas came with a small bag of rocks to start with. By the time the 2nd stage was finished, about half of the original volume was gone and there was nothing in the manual about adding something for cushioning. As a result, by the time I got through the 3rd phase most of the rocks had chipped and some had broken into smaller chunks with sharp edges. The ceramic filler I bought just arrived so I'll be re-running from 2nd through the polish soon.
I bought a National Geographic tumbler just to do a video about it. I did one video where I followed the directions and had results about like what you described. Then I ran another batch doing it my way and they turned out pretty good. Your next batch should be better.
Can I make a recommendation ? Run your new ceramic media by itself with some 60/90 grit just to smooth out the sharper edges before you add it to your stage 2,3 or 4th stages. Makes a big difference. Good luck
Good suggestion. Thanks for adding it.
@@MichiganRocksAnything to help the viewers
I am 3 days in tumbling my very first batch and i did use ceramic media in the first stage. I like to experiment so i will see how they turn out.
Hi Rob, you are the king of rocks !
Woo-hoo!
Ok..at 3:19-3:24… you do WHAT?! I had flashbacks of the toothbrush scene in the movie “Horrible Bosses 2”!!!😂😂😂🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Excellent video, thank you!
You have such a dry sense of humor that makes me crack up almost every video. Especially the mustache 🤣
I'm glad that you're amused.
"I use my wife's tooth brush..." 😂 subtle humor. Great video!
I use a sewing needle, my wife's toothbrush... I had to rewind that. Dude, you're friggin hysterical
I'm glad you're amused.
Very informative and helpful thank you!
Great info Rob.
Great lesson, and that opening gave me a good chuckle.
Great tips! And I liked the stop-motion countdown very much!
That was an excellent summary of pretty much every tumbling video you’ve made! And the editing was phenomenal ❤
I took your advice and bought the good grit. Tomorrow, I will take my first batch out of it’s 2nd week of Stage 1. I’m excited to see the results after the 1st week turned out so well.
I really do appreciate the knowledge and humor you bring into your videos.
Again, thank you so much for all you do for the rockhounding community ❤
I forgot to add that I really like the clear end on the barrel. I imagined the turning looked that way, but the visual certainly shows the importance of spacing. Thanks!
Absolutely. I agree wholeheartedly
You're welcome. Don't expect as much change in the second week. The first week knocks the sharp edges off and they show the most change. After that, it's a little more slow going.
@@MichiganRocks just took them out of tumbler. The one I’m most interested in has revealed a lot more cracks. I’m considering not putting it back in. I’m afraid they will just get deeper. All the others looking good though.
Great episode for all of us!!!!!! Killing it man. Thank you!
Thanks, Ivan.
Your "wifes tooth brush!" Good one Rob!
Great video Rob. Funny and informative.
I think you just solved my rocks that won't polish problem. Thanks.
You're welcome. They don't all polish equally.
This was so helpful. Thank you very much for sharing your experiences.
Good, I'm glad you found it useful.
Thanks for this post!! Great advice from your previous videos, in trimmed down form. Loved the animations.
Thank you, Tom.
Thanks a lot for the detailed informations you always tell us...love you americans for this, here in europe all and everthing on rock hunting and tumbling and so on is a deeply hidden secret...oh man!!!😀
I think there are some secret keepers here too, I'm just not one of them.
I couldn't tell you how much this has helped me and my other channel recovery Rocks MN, dude, Rob, thanks man!! I've reamped basically everything I had been doing, I even stopped a few things due to the tips & tricks you've shared with us. I've shared this video as well. Thank u sir
You're welcome. I'm glad to help!
I also use my wife's toothbrush. Haha. That made me smile
Great video Rob! I loved the rock overlays!!
Thanks, Ariel.
Absolutely patience pays off!! I have 4 going now and I wish I had 8 lol, I have to say, your content is very helpful 4 us beginners. Great tips! Thanks Rob
Yep, I know the feeling of always wanting just one more tumbler. My big homemade tumbler finally has me satisfied.
@@MichiganRocks I saw that and I ran the idea by my son, he's in a pre engineering school here in the Twin Cities and he has an idea 💡 along with mine and I think when I get back from my motorcycle trip to Milwaukee in end of May/June, we are going to build one, similar to your design, but we've got a trick up our sleeve so to speak, can't wait to compare and I really can't wait to tumble more than say 1lb at a time lol, it really isn't much in the grand scheme of things, I have red solo.cups full of flat cut agates and other rocks, just waiting to be tumbled, it's a shame, but I believe itll.always be like that, we will always have an abundance of rock ratio, n e ways, dont want to ramble on too long, appreciate the heck out of the tips and tricks Rob. Thank you sir
Let me know when you get that tumbler built. I can't wait to see your addition.
@@MichiganRocks absolutely, it's in the works. I will be proud to show you when we get it done. It'll be a few months, we got projects going in every area of our lives and we do martial arts as well, busy. I had a small haul today while out rockhounding, it was in the 20's and very windy, but I've been able to figure out a way of finding rocks in the winter, I honestly don't see anyone else oit doing what I do too much in my area, it's basically all to myself and whoever I bring out, I found alot of smalls today and a cooler full of cuttable rocks. I really need to find a scab machine, I think that's my next project maybe purchase one, but how does one buy one of those on a budget lol, used one are close to $700. If u have any ideas on that topic, a scab machine, I wouldn't necessarily need a large scale tumbler if I could polish and shape these stones with a scab... got the juices flowing now, all I can think about
I don't have a great suggestion for you. They're expensive machines. You could think about getting a flat lap instead. I don't like them as much for making cabs, but if you're just polishing rocks, it would be a good alternative. It's "cab" by the way. That's short for "cabochon", one of those domed rocks used in jewelry.
Do you watch Agate Dad? He's in Minnesota too. He has a flat lap and made lots of videos using it to polish Lake Superior agates before he got a cab machine. He also has a discount code for buying one.
I love these transitions so much like something straight out of the show Chowder :)
I've never heard of Chowder, but it must be awesome!
@@MichiganRocks it’s a cartoon from the early 2000s about cooking food, the main character an apprentice cook named Chowder a cat person kid :)
Oh, thanks.
Great educational material. Thanks a lot.
You're welcome!
Thanks Rob!
GREAT VIDEO!!! Thank you so much!
You're welcome!
This was a great tutorial! Thank you for all of your excellent content. It's a real joy to watch your channel. Thanks!
You're welcome, Ms. Gryphon.
Another great tutorial. Some of the finest if not the finest on the internet. I don't think you fully appreciate the number of people you have helped and will help in the future.
I have an idea. I read these comments and have had a lot of people thank me. It's always nice when people take the time to do that.
Excellent video Rob! The rock numbers were awesome 😎
Thanks, Jennifer.
Thanks Rob, you’re the best!!!
You're welcome.
great advice! thank you
You're welcome!
Great videos - many thanks for all your advice.
Your'e welcome!
Learned some new stuff. Thank you!
You're welcome!
Enjoyed this tutorial. Thank You Rob! I like your straight forward approach with a little fun inserted here and there.
Thanks, I get very vague questions from people asking why their rocks didn't get shiny. It's really hard to answer those without a lot of information, so I made this with the most common problems I see.
Very nice animation work!👏🏻
Excellent video, learned some new things that I will be changing to. Thank you
Great!
Wife's tooth brush to funny 😁 Thank you for your hard work 👍 and information
You're welcome, Mike.
Very informative. Well done, sir.
Thanks!
Very good info, we have some interesting river rocks here in south Mississippi, so interested in using your tips. Thanks
Thank you ,I’ve been tumbling for quite a while now an it’s always fun an informative to watch you ,, plus you have great spots to find rocks !
Yep, your name is memorable, so I remember you commenting for awhile.
Thank you! I feel prepared to dive in!
Great!
Great tutorial video! You make rocktumbling fun and informative. It is a thrill to watch your videos. I've learned so much about tumbling rocks.
I'm excited to watch your upcoming rockhound videos for the season, so manny cool rocks at the beach in Michigan 🙂
I'm excited to get out of the house and onto the beach!
Great show! Thanks for sharing your genius.
I thing genius is going a bit too far. Experience is probably a better term.
Again, bravo. Great video. Learned something else.
Great, that was my goal.
Thanks for another great video with some excellent tips.
You're welcome, Paul.
Thank you for the great video, very informative! Just purchased my first lot of grits from Kingsley using your link. 🥰
Good luck! I think you're going to like this hobby.
Good tips and they were all good. Thanks for sharing.
You're welcome!
Thank you Ole Wise One...I really needed this. I was really getting frustrated and wanting to reach out to you but your tips will head me in the right direction. Thank You!!!!!!!
You're welcome!
Very clever and well thought out numbering ~ very cool! Excellent video and explanations. Thank you.
Thanks. I spent as much time on the numbers as the rest of the video, probably more.
@@MichiganRocks great job. Very impressive.
Perfect timing to find your video. It is excellent, well done, not too long, not too short and gives such helpful information. Thank you! Going to go look at my grits, what I have, and go from there. I'll likely be back with a couple of questions before I guy more grit.
Kingsley North and the Rock Shed is my answer to your grit question, but you can ask anyhow.
Great video! Very educational & entertaining. Keep sending people your way on RUclips. Keep up the good work. Think Spring...
It snowed here today which made it a little harder to think spring. I had been thinking spring pretty steady before that.
This is a very helpful video. Saw 2 mistakes I have been making! Thanks for your great work!
That's great, I hope it helps!
Good evening! It’s been a while since I’ve stopped by, but I think of all the things I’ve learned and worked out with your advice. Great drill down to the basics, and I’ve only missed (or messed) a few things this past year, as I’ve followed your advice. On point! Thanks for the work, love that demure plaque back there on your wall.
Did you catch my unboxing video of the plaque? That video was much more fun than this one.
Great tips!
Thanks, Jane.
Very informative! I really liked the animations . All those rocks looked so cool😍🥰😇👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
Thanks, Indyana. I was trying to think of something to spice this up.
love your channel Rob, I'm just getting into this hobby but have boxes and boxes of rocks collected over the years
You'd better get busy then!
You’re awesome! Thanks
Wow, this is a very thorough video. TFS!
You're welcome. I hope it helps you out.
All awesome tips for the best polish. And I also but my grits from the same place as you. You do amazing work .
Thanks, Donna.
Thank you Rob! Your tutorial worked beautifully! I haven’t had a bad bunch since..!
That's what I like to hear, Obie!
You make a great teacher, Rob. I enjoyed this video very much and I learned quite a bit. I'm about half way down the rabbit hole, I still have to decide if I want to purchase or go the DIY route as I oft prefer. I'm looking forward to tumbling this spring! Thank you as always for sharing this great content :)
I'm glad you liked it. I'm not sure if you can save too much money making your own tumbler, but it might give you more satisfaction to know you made it yourself.
You can learn something from every Video you produce!! Excellent Editing!!! 🤗♥️👍
Thanks. Hopefully this one was more educational that usual.
@@MichiganRocks I saved it!!!! 🤣🤣
Rosie my WIFE 49yrs wants to Tumble Rocks, and so do I. So, we purchased 2-Rotary Tumblers and 1-Vibratory Tumbler. So, I informed her that we should watch everything FROM A PURE MASTER =CHAMPION!!! So, now it is on with the first Tutorial's and maybe one day we can at least halfway Tumble Like You... BTW, YOUR INTRO WAS HILARIOUS =I COULDN'T STOP LMBO!!!
Good luck! There's no reason that you can't tumble rocks just as well as I do.
I learned the hard way, the first stage takes more than a week. So glad I found your youtube channel, your tips are very helpful.
I think a lot of people learn that way. Hopefully my videos can save some people that frustration.
Great video …my wife is going to try out tumbling this info was very informative. Thanks Michigan Rocks😊
You're welcome. You should join her in her tumbling adventure. You might like it too. My wife comes along on rock hunts with me sometimes. It's a nice hobby to do together.
I can tell there went a lot of effort in this video, great work!
Yeah, I spent a few minutes on this one, thanks for noticing.
Thanks Rob! This is a much-needed video. I can't count the number of people on Facebook who ask the same questions about why they are not getting good tumbling results. I agree with all of the points that you make in your video. I'll probably start linking to it when people (usually newbies) ask the typical questions about the problems they are having.
That's why I made this video. I get a lot of very vague questions from beginners who just say something like, "I just took my first batch out of polish and they're not shiny. What did I do wrong?" As you know, that requires a lot of questions in return just to start making a guess. Often, I spend time asking follow up questions, and then never even get a response. From now on, I'll just point people here.
Awesome Guide, as always.
I enjoyed the part of filling the barrel differently and using a transparent lid to show how it works.
I got that idea from rocktumbler.com. It's fun to see what's going on inside.
Thank you so much for this information. I have my first batch of rocks in the tumbler and couldn't figure out why I couldn't get them nice and shiny. I have made several mistakes that I can now correct for the next batch. I'm hooked! :)
Awesome! I'm glad I could help you out!
Thank you so much for all the information you provided. Yes, I was one of those who tried the florite. It didn't turn out so well all of it is hazy. I put it aside and will revisit tumbling it to a later date and see if I can salvage it.
Fluorite is difficult. I had success, but I can't remember exactly how. I remember trying several different things until I got it figured out. I would like to make a video about tumbling it one of these days.
Excellent info as always thank you.
I normally watch youtube via a roku box on my TV, so no oppportunity to comment. But for this video, I had to grab the laptop and chime in!
Everything you say here is true, and on point for improving one's skills. Really terrific! You're a great rock person and a great instructor. Thanks.
Wow, thanks for putting in the extra effort to leave a comment. I appreciate it!
RUclipsr award 👏 🏆 for coolest chapter transition animations!
Thanks!
Thank you, great video! I've been tumbling for a few years with mixed results. This really helped. Hope to get all great results from now on 😊
Great, I hope your next batch is better.