Rock Tumbler

For those who want their polymer clay beads (or other small items) sanded and/or buffed, but can't or don't wish to do it piece by piece, by hand, a rock tumbler may be just the thing.

Though nothing can equal the fine finish achieved through careful hand sanding and buffing, rock tumblers are useful tools for those who have many small beads that are too tedious to sand and polish by hand. Tumbling can also be a lifesaver for those with physical difficulties, such as carpal tunnel syndrome, which might otherwise make them unable to sand and buff their polymer clay beads.

As helpful as tumblers are for some people, it is well worth researching them and common procedures for their use before running out to buy one. As with any tool, it has its benefits and drawbacks. For instance, sanding or buffing with tumblers requires a little preparation than sanding and buffing by hand. After finding the correct grits of sandpaper, you'll need to glue sheets together (with waterproof glue), then cut them into chips. For buffing, you'll need to cut soft, white denim into small pieces.

Another drawback of tumbling is the time it takes. Some people don't mind the time, since they can leave the tumbler running "in the background" while they're at work or play, but it does take a while. Those who use the vibratory tumblers say you need a minimum of 6 hours per grit. Rotary tumblers take as long, or longer. If you're going through four (or more) grits of sandpaper, plus a round for buffing, this can add up to days of tumbling, per batch of beads.

It is also important to note that tumble-sanding works best when your beads are already relatively smooth and regularly shaped. You should know, too, that you won't achieve the same high shine with tumbler-buffing that you get from buffing with a buffing wheel. However, after tumble-buffing, it should be quick and easy to reach that high gloss with a little work with and electric buffer, if that's the look you want.

Different Options

There are a few options for those interested in rock tumblers.

• Small hobbyist, "kiddie"-model rotary tumblers
  • Sources: toy stores, craft stores
  • Pros: low price (especially if you use one of the coupons craft stores frequently offer-usually 40% off one regular-priced item), easier to open and close than professional rotary tumblers
  • Cons: noisy, low capacity (around 1 lb.), not made for heavy use
• Professional rotary tumblers (such as Lortone or Chicago)
  • Sources: lapidary stores, on-line vendors
  • Pros: comparatively quiet, higher capacity (a common, single-barrel model holds 3 lbs), designed for heavy use (should last longer than the kiddie tumbler), some have double barrels (so you can have two different batches going at once)
  • Cons: can cost more than twice of the kiddie version, black rubber barrel can yellow beads, so some people use homemade plastic liners
• Professional vibratory tumblers (such as Hornady)
  • Sources: gun stores (These are used to clean ammunition.)
  • Pros: comparatively quiet, higher capacity (3 qts.)
  • Cons: more than twice the price of the kiddie tumbler

Related Links

For more information on using rock tumblers to sand and buff polymer clay, visit the following websites:

How I Tumble Sand and T-buff
By Desiree McCrorey
http://www.desiredcreations.com/howTo_TLTumbleSand.htm

How to Line a Lortone 3A Tumbler
By Desiree McCrorey
http://www.desiredcreations.com/howTo_TLTumblerLiner.htm

Using a Rock Tumbler to Sand Polymer Clay Beads
By Michelle Steen
http://reviews.ebay.com/Using-a-Rock-Tumbler-to-Sand-Polymer-Clay-Beads

Glass Attic: Sanding and Tumbling
Compiled by Diane Black
http://www.glassattic.com/polymer/MainPages/sanding_tumbling.htm
Click link at the top of the page to go directly to the section on sanding with tumblers.

Glass Attic: Buffing
Compiled by Diane Black
http://www.glassattic.com/polymer/buffing.htm
Search page for "tumble buffing" to go directly to section on buffing with tumblers.