Mixed Jasper Tumbler Rough
This photo shows some of our rough mixed jasper. The rough in the photo above is wet to show full color.
This is a photo of Mixed Jasper rough that we polished.
Jasper Mix Tumbling Rough
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Size:
Small pieces - mostly 3/8 to 1 1/2 inches - for small tumblersHere is a tumbling mix that will give you many different types of jasper in a variety of patterns and colors. Every bag of this mix is different. If you order today and again in a couple months, you will likely be surprised with completely different materials. Expect a range of colors, but the mix will usually be rich in red, brown, cream, gray and tan colored jasper that accepts a nice polish.
This mix is perfectly sized for the beginner. It has a range of small pieces in particle sizes from approximately 3/8" (9 mm) to 1 1/2" (38 mm) and should require little to no preparation.
We recommend TXP polish - an aluminum oxide compound - for polishing all types of jasper.
EASY Rock Tumbling Recipe:
Mixed Jasper (3/8 to 1 1/2 inches)
The small mixed jasper above has been crushed and sized to perform well in small rotary tumblers such as the Thumler's MP-1, A-R1, and A-R2. The size range gives the material a good tumbling action and eliminates the need for ceramic media. Our EASY Rock Tumbling Recipe works well for rough that has a Mohs hardness of 7 and has been crushed to a variety of particle sizes under about 1 1/2 inches.
Recipe for Rotary Tumbling
Coarse Grit Step:
Fill your tumbler barrel about 2/3 full of rough. Then add 2 tablespoons of coarse (60/90) grit per pound of material in the barrel. Add water to just below the top of the rocks. Run the material in coarse grit for 1-2 weeks. One week in coarse grit will give you good results. However, we feel that two weeks in coarse grit gives you much better results.
At the end of all steps in the rock tumbling process, make sure to clean your rocks and barrel to reduce the chance of coarser grit contaminating the finer grit steps..
Medium Grit Step:
Put your cleaned rough back into the barrel. Then add 2 tablespoons of medium (150/220) grit per pound of material in the barrel. Add water until it is just below the top of the rocks. Let it tumble for one week.
Barrel slurry dumped down the drain will harden like concrete.
After clean-up, put the rocks back into the barrel using 2 tablespoons of fine grit per pound of material. Again add water to just a little below the top of the rocks. Tumble for one week. The rocks should now be smooth and possibly starting to get a slight luster.
Polish Step:
IMPORTANT: Make sure that your barrel and rough have been cleaned thoroughly. Any grit carried over from a previous step will likely ruin your polish. Place the rough in the barrel with two tablespoons of TXP polish for each pound of material in the barrel. Add enough water to almost cover the rocks and let it tumble for one week.
Burnish If Needed:
Jasper, agate and petrified wood usually take a great polish. However, burnishing this material after the polish step can often improve the shininess of the finished stones. If you would like to try burnishing to see if it improves the look of your polished stones full burnishing instructions can be found here.
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