Step 5 of the process
Burnish and cleanup
A short run in soapy water lifts polish residue. Slurry goes in the trash, never down a drain.
- Typical run, rotary
- a few hours to a day
Burnishing is an optional last run with no grit at all: the polished stones, water and a little grated plain bar soap or borax, about half a tablespoon per pound of rock. Anything from an hour to a day lifts the film of polish left in pores and cracks and often adds a little brightness.
Then comes the cleanup. The grey mud left in the barrel is slurry: water, spent grit and rock dust. Never pour it down a sink, toilet or storm drain, because it settles in pipes like concrete. Pour it into a bucket, let the solids settle or dry out, and put them in the trash.
Rinse the finished stones, dry them and look at them in daylight. That is the moment the whole month was for.
Ready to move on when: Rinse water runs clear and the stones are bright when dry.
Common mistakes at this stage
- Pouring slurry down a drain.
- Using scented or lotion soap, which leaves its own film.
Notes for this stage
- What to do with tumbled rocks: display, jewelry, gifts and selling15 practical uses for tumbled rocks grouped by effort: display, jewelry with bell caps or wire, gifts, garden use, and an honest look at what they are worth.Explainer
- How to dispose of rock tumbling slurry and used gritHow to dispose of rock tumbling slurry: never down the drain. Settle it in a bucket for 1 to 2 days, dry the mud and put the solids in the trash.How-to
- Burnishing tumbled rocks: soap, borax, amounts and timeHow to burnish tumbled rocks: about 1/2 tablespoon of grated bar soap or borax per pound, water and no grit, for 1 hour to 1 day. Amounts by barrel size.How-to
Useful at every step
- How much grit to use in a rock tumblerHow much grit, rock and water for your barrel, with run times for every step.Tool
- Rock tumbling grit chart: grit size, amount and time for each stageRock tumbling grit chart for all four steps: grit size, what each step does, days per step and how to tell it is done, plus about 2 tbsp of grit per pound.Chart
- How long to tumble rocks: time for each stage and the full runHow long rock tumbling takes: about 7 days per stage and 4 to 6 weeks for a full batch, with times by rock type and the signs that a stage is finished.How-to
- How to tumble rocks: a step-by-step guide for beginnersHow to tumble rocks in a rotary tumbler: load the barrel 2/3 full, run four grit steps of about 7 days each and clean between them. 4 to 6 weeks in total.How-to