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Instructions for Tumbling Jewelry and/or Components:
Many people ask me how I use the tumbler. First of all, I tumble
about 80% of my jewelry to achieve a good polish. This is what
I do:
Oxidize the jewelry in liver of sulfur. Clean with steel wool.
Add ¾ - 1 pound of mixed stainless steel shot per barrel.
Put my jewelry in the tumbler (typically 4 bangles/bracelets
per barrel or 3 necklaces). Add water so that the barrel is ¾
full. Add a couple of dashes of Dawn dish soap. Put on the top
and tumble for 1 ½ hours. I check the jewelry at this
point to see if I have the polish that I want – if not,
tumble longer.
I have had no problem with tumbling glass, stone, and metal
beads. High fired ceramic tumbles well. Tumbling removes some
oxidation from Bali beads, but I have found that the process
I use works well and does not make the beads too shiny.
Beads that I do not tumble: pearls polymer clay, bone, horn,
Karen Hilltribe beads. Jewelry with the colored ceramic beads
I tumble a little less and make sure that the bead edges are
not real vulnerable. If I have beads that I do not want to tumble,
I will tumble the components prior to assembling the jewelry.
I prefer the duller finish for the KHT beads. |
