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Rock Tumblers

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Vibratory Rock Tumblers


Faster than rotary. Uses less grit, polish, and electricity per pound of rock.

Thumler's UV-10MB Mini Bowl vibratory tumbler
We don't know when this tumbler will be available.More Information
Adult signature required upon delivery.

Tumbles about four pounds of rock in pieces up to about 2 inches.



This is a new small-capacity vibratory rock tumbler manufactured by Thumler's Tumblers. It is the perfect vibratory tumbler for those who run small rotary tumblers, who prefer smaller batches, or for people who need to test their process on a new or difficult material. The smaller size of the Mini Bowl's bowl makes for easier cleanup and rinsing between steps, compared to the larger UV vibratory tumblers below.

Like all vibratory tumblers, the Ultra-Vibe Mini Bowl uses a three-step tumbling process starting with medium (150/220) grit, then fine (500) grit, and then finishing up with polish. The bowl is constructed of heavy-duty polyethylene and will last through many batches of rocks with proper use.

The UV Mini Bowl can handle rocks up to about 2 inches in diameter. Only a few pieces of that size should be in the bowl per load, as they need to be surrounded by ceramic media or smaller rocks. The smaller material is needed to increase the points of contact so the grit can grind and smooth all surfaces of those larger pieces. It is a durable, fast-working, and economical tumbler that will last a long time. More Information!



Thumler's UV10 vibratory tumbler

Thumler's U-V10 Vibratory Tumbler
(Industrial Model)



We don't know when this tumbler will be available.More Information
Adult signature required upon delivery.

Tumbles about ten pounds of rock in pieces up to about 3 inches.



This is the industrial version of the UV-10 designed for tumble-polishing rocks. This tumbler will process about 10 pounds of material at a time. If you currently run an A-R12 or Model B rotary tumbler, this vibratory tumbler is about the perfect size to finish the medium thru polish steps. It will save time, grit, and electricity compared to finishing them in the rotary tumbler.

Like the Lot-O-Tumblers below, the U-V10 uses a three-step tumbling process starting with medium grit (150/220), then fine grit (500 or 600), then polishing with your favorite rock polishing compound. It is a heavy-duty tumbler designed to tumble rocks - don't confuse it with the brass tumbling model that is lightweight and costs less.

The U-V10 industrial can tumble rocks up to about three inches in diameter - about two or three that size per load, if they are surrounded by ceramic media or smaller rocks ranging from 3/8" to 1 1/2" in size. The UV-10 industrial tumbler is a high-quality machine that will last for years of use. More Information!



Thumler's UV18 vibratory tumbler
We don't know when this tumbler will be available.More Information
Adult signature required upon delivery.

Tumbles about 18 pounds of rock in pieces up to about 4 inches.



This UV-18 vibratory tumbler has almost double the capacity of the UV-10 listed above. It also has a more powerful motor, a larger base, and stronger springs. It will process an 18-pound load of rocks (or about 200 to 700 brass casings, depending upon caliber). The UV-18 industrial tumbler is perfect for people who have access to a lot of rough and for those who like to produce large quantities of tumbled stones quickly.

Like the other vibratory tumblers on this page, the U-V18 uses a three-step tumbling process starting with medium grit (150/220), then fine grit (500 or 600), then polishing with your favorite rock polishing compound. It is a heavy-duty tumbler designed to tumble rocks - do not confuse it with the standard brass tumbling model that is lightweight and costs less.

The U-V18 can tumble rocks up to about four inches in diameter - about three or four rocks that size per load, if they are surrounded by ceramic media or smaller rocks ranging from 3/8" to 1 1/2" in size. It is a quality, economical, and fast tumbler that will last for many years. More Information!



Thumler's UV45 vibratory tumbler
We don't know when this tumbler will be available.More Information
Adult signature required upon delivery.

Tumbles 45 to 50 pounds of rock (plus media and abrasives)



The UV-45 is the largest vibratory tumbler made by Tru-Square metal products. It can process about 45 to 50 pounds of material (rock, media, and abrasives), or up to about 1000 brass 30.06 ammunition cases (plus corncob or walnut shell media).

You must be a strong and steady person to operate this tumbler. Picking up the bowl, aligning it with the threaded center post, and lowering it straight down to the base of the tumbler requires strength and control that many people do not have. Dumping the material from the heavy barrel requires strength. You will also need a large and well-thought-out workspace for cleaning the rocks.

The UV-45 has the ability to tumble a few rocks that measure up to six inches in size (measured along their maximum dimension). However, you will need to fill the rest of the bowl with medium and small-sized rocks to achieve good tumbling action. Ceramic media can also be used to bring the load up to capacity or to smooth the tumbling action.

As with other vibratory tumblers, we only use this machine for the medium grit, fine grit, and polishing steps. We use a Model B rotary tumbler with coarse grit to first remove the sharp, angular corners from rough rocks. For more information, see our article: 13 Tips for a Long Vibratory Tumbler Barrel Life.

If you think this might be the right tumbler for you, please read our product description page to make sure. This is the perfect tumbler for a few people, but it is way too big for everyone else. It is too big for any of the work that we do here.



Lot-o-Tumbler Vibratory Rock Tumbler
Currently Unavailable

Tumbles about 4 pounds of rock in pieces up to about 2 1/2 inches.



This is our favorite vibratory rock tumbler. The Lot-O-Tumbler Single can tumble a four-pound load of rocks from start to finish in about one week.

We start by loading our rocks, filling the barrel with water, and then inverting the barrel and allowing the water to drain. Now you have just enough water to wet the surface of the rocks. Then we add two level tablespoons of medium silicon carbide grit (about 150/220) and two level tablespoons of water. We then allow the machine to run for 12 to 24 hours. Then we rinse the rocks and add fresh grit. Continue 12- to 24-hour runs with medium grit until the rocks are smoothed to your preference - usually three or four runs. Wash the rocks and barrel thoroughly. Then run 24 hours with water and two tablespoons of fine grit (500 or 600 silicon carbide). Wash the rocks and barrel thoroughly. Finish with water and two tablespoons of TXP Polish or Rapid Polish for 24 hours or until polished. The process is that fast.

The Lot-O-Tumbler uses about 50% as much grit as a rotary tumbler of similar size, and about 25% of the electricity per pound of rock. The polish is usually awesome! We have polished a lot of jasper, agate, petrified wood, and natural glass in a single Lot-O-Tumbler.

Read the full description on the product page. This tumbler must be glued to a concrete block or the floor for proper operation. More Information!



Two-Barrel Vibratory Tumbler from Lot-o-Tumbler
Currently Unavailable

Tumbles about 8 pounds of rock in pieces up to about 2 1/2 inches.



Process twice as much rock in the double barrel Lot-O-Tumbler Twin. It has two barrels that each process about four pounds of rock (eight pounds total).

This is a very economical tumbler to operate because of its small grit and electricity consumption per pound of rock. It is also economical to purchase. For a small price increase over the Lot-O-Tumbler Single (shown above), you double your productive capacity.

For proper operation, this tumbler must be glued to two concrete blocks or to another stationary object. Also, both barrels must be loaded for proper operation. If you don't have enough rock to use both barrels, simply fill the other barrel with ceramic media and a little water and it will do fine. More Information!



Why We Love Vibratory Rock Tumblers



Our tumbling methods changed after we purchased our first vibratory tumbler. We used to do all of our tumbling in rotary tumblers, but once we learned how fast a vibratory tumbler can smooth and polish rocks, and how nicely they can polish, we almost totally abandoned using a rotary tumbler for the medium grit, fine grit, and polishing steps. We now do almost all of that tumbling in a vibratory tumbler. (The only exception is when we tumble soft materials like glass or obsidian. For those, we start with medium grit in a rotary tumbler, then go to vibratory for fine grit and polish.)

Instead of allowing our rocks to run for a week in a rotary tumbler for the medium, fine, and polishing steps, we do that same work in a vibratory tumbler in one to three days per step. It more than cuts our tumbling time in half - and at the same time, cuts our electricity bill. The amount of grit and polish saved is also substantial. We have an article that explains how much money you can save on grit, polish and electricity with a vibratory tumbler.


The Small Drawbacks, and Accommodating Them



In a rotary tumbler, the rocks tumble in a rotating barrel. In a vibratory tumbler, the rocks are shaken in a bowl. The rotary tumbling process does a better job of rounding the rocks. A vibratory tumbler does not change the shape of the rocks as much. We like our tumbled stones well-rounded, so we get that done by running them in coarse grit in a rotary tumbler until we are satisfied with their shape. We feel that the rounded shape is worth spending the time and the electricity. However, as soon as we have the shape that we want, the rocks go straight into a vibratory tumbler for the medium, fine, and polishing steps.

Vibratory tumblers also cost a little more and make a bit more noise - but if you fill the bowl to almost full and keep the moisture level right, the noise will be greatly reduced. Most people run them in a basement, garage, or outbuilding where the noise will not bother anyone. We used to run a Lot-O-Tumbler single in our basement. The noise could be heard upstairs at night. So, we would start the tumbler in the morning before breakfast and rinse the rocks before bedtime. That gave us about 14 to 16 operating hours per day and fresh grit in the tumbler each morning. :-)


The Vibratory Learning Curve



Vibratory tumblers take a little more learning and experimenting than rotary tumblers. The challenge is getting the amount of water right. (We have instructional videos with an article for the U-V10 and Lot-O-Tumblers - please check them out. We take special effort to show you how to get the moisture level right.)

There should be just enough water in the barrel to keep the rocks wet as mud accumulates during the run. We check our vibratory tumbler a couple times a day and add a couple tablespoons of water as needed. The amount of water needed depends upon the size and shape of the rocks and how fast they cut. A bowl full of tiny rocks takes a bit more water than large rocks because they have a higher surface area. And, fast-cutting rocks require more water than slow-cutting rocks because you need enough water in the barrel to keep the mud thin enough for a nice tumbling action.

When you are first learning to run a vibratory tumbler, check it several times per day until you learn how things work. Once you understand, then the only time you need to pay extra attention is when you are tumbling a new type of material.

Happy tumbling!