Petoskey stones in a rock tumbler a rock tumbler can be used to smooth rough petoskey stones.
Petoskey stone rock tumbler.
Because of the softness of petoskey stones trying to polish them in a regular rock tumbler can be a tricky process.
They are quite beautiful when you finish them by hand but i have to admit i was really surprised that they got far worse in the polish slurry inside the tumbler.
But if we had some nice petoskey stones we would grind them to shape and polish them to a bright luster using a lapidary machine.
Petoskey stones are a strange breed.
A few months ago a friend sent me some petoskey stones to tumble for him and i ve just about had it with them.
Rock tumblers vary in price based on the size number of barrels material and included accessories but you can typically expect to pay between 70 and 300.
Petoskey stones michigan lots of people want to polish their petoskey stones in a rock tumbler.
Don t mix them with any rock or mineral harder than 4 mohs.
Whether it s a.
Many online sites warn against trying it.
If the stone begins to seem oily add denatured alcohol to the wheel and continue polishing until the oily look is gone.
How to polish petoskey stones with a rock tumbler.
I did them in both the rotary and vibe units without much luck i got my best results in the vibe by using 1000 grit tripoli and then uncooked rice for 3 days but they still don t shine up like other rocks.
The tumbler will be most aggressive on the points edges and softer parts of the stone.
Whether you re a seasoned rock hound an artist who needs material or inspiration for your next project or just love beautiful things you re sure to discover something you love.
Petoskey stones are relatively soft with a mohs hardness of 3 to 3 1 2 so tumble polishing them safely can be a little tricky and is recommended for experienced lapidarists.
Unlock the true potential of your favorite stones.
The tumbler barrel is made of tire rubber to reduce the noise and it has a leak proof stainless steel lid.
Be warned that you will totally give up control of their shaping if you decide to use a rock tumbler as a labor saving method.
We sell rock tumblers and know a lot about them.
For a small single barrel tumbler you ll usually pay between 70 and 120.