Home » Questions » Can I Polish Jewelry in a Rock Tumbler?
Can I Polish Jewelry in a Rock Tumbler?
Jewelry Cleaning and Polishing Basics
Lots of jewelers and jewelry artists use a small rotary rock tumbler such as the Lortone 3A or
Thumler's A-R1 to polish metal jewelry. Here are the steps to follow:
1) Open the tumbler barrel.
2) Place about one pound of clean stainless steel shot in the barrel.
3) Place your jewelry items into the barrel.
4) Add enough distilled water (does not contain chlorine) to just cover the shot and jewelry.
5) Add one drop of burnishing soap or mild dishwashing detergent.
6) Run the tumbler for 30 minutes. Check your jewelry. Run longer if needed.
7) When finished. Dry the shot thoroughly before storage.
The amount of tumbling time depends upon the
amount of cleaning that needs to be done and the condition of the items being polished. It is easy to open the barrel
to see what's happening so check often if you have any doubts about how long to tumble. This will give you experience for future polishing.
This simple process will brighten rings, earrings, chains, pendants and other pieces of jewelry
made of sterling silver, gold or other precious metals. The video at right demonstrates how to
use small tumblers such as the Lortone 3A and the Thumler's A-R1 for jewelry polishing.
Some Jewelry Tumbling Precautions
Many types of jewelry can be ruined by even a short cleaning in a rock tumbler. Some items have thin plated
finishes that will be chipped or removed by the abrasive action of the tumbler. Plastic, stone or ceramic parts of
the jewelry such as stones or beads can be ruined. These can be severely abraded by the metal shot, ruining their bright finish.
Be cautious before tumbling valuable jewelry. If you are uncertain about how to clean an item visit a jeweler to have the
cleaning done or to get advice.
The tumbling action can tangle chains so cleaning one chain at a time is a good idea. Tumbling jewelry that has
a thin plating of gold, silver or other material can wear the thin surface coating away and ruin
the finish.
Finally, if you use your tumbler for rocks, it is a good idea to get a new tumbler barrel that will
be dedicated to jewelry polishing. Small particles of rock or grit could be in the barrel or embedded
in the rubber that will scratch your jewelry instead of polishing it.
More Information and Materials
You can get more information about cleaning jewelry with a rock tumbler at the websites listed below.
Learn as much as possible before cleaning your important possessions.
