National Geographic Hobby Rock Tumbler Kit - Rock Polisher for Kids & Adults, Durable Noise-Reduced Barrel, Rocks, Grit & New GemFoam for a Shiny Finish, Cool Toys, Great STEM Hobby Kit

Product Information

Rotary tumblers take much more money to produce better results. Vibratory ones don’t need any extra upkeep once you get it set up! The powerful, heavy-duty motor with the leak-resistant barrel runs quietly. The rubber material reduces the noise level, and the durable motor is sturdy enough to tumble rough stones for years to come. Easy to Open – This is one of the easiest barrels to open as it comes with a washer that you use to lift the lid. Lortone is a family-owned business based out of the Northwest. Like many smaller companies in the giant lapidary field, everything about them is face value and no-nonsense. No Grit – This polishing kit skips some steps by jumping directly to polishing instead of slowly grinding and then polishing so stones don’t come out as smooth and shiny.

Made of Plastic– Even though the inner barrel is made of rubber, it’s soft and flexible. The outer shell is what provides the structure and the outer shell is made of plastic, making it less durable. No Stones or Grit– Since this is intended to be used for jewelry polishing, it doesn’t come with stones or grit so you will need to buy those separately. Another telltale sign is if you see a lot of people online asking for replacement barrels. Of course, this can just mean that the barrel is low quality, but it more often means that the main mechanical construction outlasts many barrels. Good Slow Speed– The slowest speed is not too fast so it can still be used as an every day tumbler.

While not as cheap as some tumblers on the market, it’s much quieter, longer-lasting, and just works better than cheaper models. In other words, the extra value gained by paying a bit more for a budget tumbler is well worth it. Spare parts are widely available and inexpensive. This is a big bonus because you may need a spare part right in the middle of a tumbling session Start/Stop Button– The polisher doesn’t immediately start when you turn it on so you can choose when you want it to start spinning. No Filler– It doesn’t come with any filler so the stones aren’t protected throughout the process, leading to broken or very small stones. A TUMBLER THAT'S MADE TO LAST – Our high-quality tumblers are made with a durable motor that’s designed to last for years. The leakproof rubber barrel reduces sound, making it 75% quieter than other plastic models. An excellent STEM activity for kids.

Bad Instructions– The instructions are in Chinese and English, making it difficult to read. It also doesn’t have a nice chart for the timing of each stage so you need to hunt for the information. The last important piece of any starter kit is the abrasives. This kit comes with a small amount of abrasive, enough to take the sample minerals through each step of the process. Information on Stones– The booklet includes some fun information about the stones included in the kitA COMPLETE HOBBY TUMBLING KIT - Everything you need to create polished gemstones: the tumbler, four polishing grits, sifter, nine types of real rough gemstones, plus a detailed full-color learning guide. Makes a great gift for girls and boys! DURABLE QUALITY - This high-quality tumbler has a powerful motor that will last for years. Noise reducing leak-proof rubber barrel with stainless steel lid. Polly plastics grit and polish are better than the grit provided and gives you a larger amount of grit - the tumbler has been running for about 2 weeks and is still working amazingly

BUILT TO LAST - Our high-quality tumbler features a powerful motor that will withstand years of use. The noise-reducing, leak-proof rubber barrel and stainless steel lid provide a durable, reliable construction. Not Enough Stones– Even though the barrel is a huge 3 lbs, not enough stones are provided so you have to either get your own ( I got mine on Etsy) or find them. Bad Instructions– There really aren’t instructions for this machine. It has the a chart for the length of each cycle and which grit to use, but doesn’t explain the process step by step.Includes Ceramic Media Filler – It comes with ceramic media, which protects the stones and gives a better polish. It is extremely easy to clean I just rinse the tumbler in my sink for about 30secs. Then dry it off with a paper towels and it’s ready to go Their products work as described and you will never have to try to see through pounds of marketing façade to the real product. It goes through such a transformation in color, shape, texture, and clarity from its raw shape to its tumbled shape that it is interesting to know the “why’s” and “how’s” of the mineral to see how they affect the tumbling process. Some people, however, no longer use plastic pellets and prefer ceramic pellets because you can use them through every step of the process. Plastic pellets need to be removed from the barrel, usually with a small fishnet and washed and saved for the next time you use that size grit.

This starter kit contains half of a pound of stones to try out tumbling with. One of the most interesting and fascinating aspects of tumbling, no matter what level you are at, is getting to know the mineral you are tumbling. It has a similar design to the Lortone 3A – that we have found to be the most efficient design on the market. Mechanical parts break, that is just a fact of life. A sign of a tumbler that is built to last is that it will come with some spare parts, such as rubber belts connecting to the motor or a wrench. The included gemstones are amethyst, lapis lazuli, red jasper, white quartz, rose quartz, aventurine, and sodalite, which gives a great selection Everyone should take precautions while using the Dremel Polishing Kit. It’s important to wear safety goggles when working with small, high-speed tools like this one.Difficult to Open –I found this barrel difficult to open. The screw itself is easy, but the insert is sealed in tight. Simple Settings– The timing of the machine is controlled by blue buttons on the front of the machine and it doesn’t require a speed setting. This simplicity makes it easy for kids to use. I actually fondly referred to this tumbler as “Blue Buttons.” I did take a very small amount of oil on my fingertip and lightly rub it on the belt to keep it lubricated, with the constant friction I could see how the belt can eventually wear down just like any other belt of this nature whether it's in a car or in a fan. So, keeping it very slightly lubricated will help with the health of the band. Should it break, the kid includes an extra belt and it is incredibly easy to repair, the belt is divisible and an outside piece of the equipment you simply take one off and put the other on there is no sophisticated way of connecting the belt, it is truly something my six-year-old could do with almost no instruction, so an adult will have zero issues with that! Reverse Setting– It has the ability to reverse the direction of the rotation so it gives more flexibility in the settings.