Polishing Jewelry Using A Tumbler

[@CheekyMonkey1776]

Thank you for your dedication and hard work producing these videos. You have created a wonderful resource for the artistic community that will be appreciated for decades to come. THANK YOU!

[@OnlineJewelryAcademy]

Thank you for your kind words. 🙏🏻🙂

[@elysegambino1597]

I just got a used tumbler and it came with shot- yay! But as soon as you mentioned the burnishing solution I thought, “damn, more money for finishing and less money for metal.” But OF COURSE you have a safe DIY option I can try before I invest in more supplies. These videos save me so much time and confusion- thank you!!

[@OnlineJewelryAcademy]

I’m glad we can help Elyse. Thanks for watching! 😀

[@101mosioatunya]

Thank you for this informative page. I have found so much clarification from the video and other jewellers' comments and questions. I have a tumbler of my own and use one in the jewellery studio I attend but I have never had such clear explanation of the process as our tutor rarely has the time to give it. We use a burnishing powder that contains a tarnish inhibitor.

[@OnlineJewelryAcademy]

Hi Hilary, I'm glad you enjoyed the video. I know that my life changed when I discovered the tumbler. Thank you for your continued support! : )

[@carianin5293]

You may have answered my question. I just bought a tumbler and was not as pleased as I thought I would be with the color of the finish. After pickling the pieces and then putting them in the tumbler I felt the finish wasn't as white as I had expected. Just used a drop of Dawn but no vinegar or lemon juice. I'll try that next time or buy a burnisher. I don't know how you have time to respond to all these questions but I really enjoy learning from your videos.Thanks.

[@OnlineJewelryAcademy]

I'm glad that the video answered your question. I try to answer all of the questions that are posted. It's just something I do everyday. Thanks for your support! : )

[@tarynataian6569]

Thankyou for this easy to follow tutorial :)

[@indira3]

Brilliant as always 👍🤩🙏

[@OnlineJewelryAcademy]

Thanks 🤩

[@bangtwister]

Really enjoyed this video. Very professional thank you 😊

[@OnlineJewelryAcademy]

Glad you liked the video. Thanks for the compliment. And, thank you for watching! 😀

[@lcrafard]

Is shot the same size for all projects ???? I appreciated that you gave alternate homemade ingredients to use in the tumbler. Thank you for you videos.

[@OnlineJewelryAcademy]

Leah Crafard Hey Leah, That's a great question. Most metal shot is about the same size that is shown in the video. But, there are some larger and smaller varieties. Some larger kinds of shot are made from ceramic. Smaller shot is usually made of metal and used in a magnetic tumbler. You can research all the different kinds of shot online to find the one that will work best for you. I generally just use the combination shot. And it works well enough. I'm glad that you noticed that I tell everyone what the alternatives are in terms of tumbling solutions. I think it's important to know how to get by on a budget and how to work safely. Thanks for the question. And, thanks for watching! : )

[@Skidz1340]

Hi John, first thank you ever so much for sharing your knowledge. You mentioned the tumbler work hardens the metal. Many people have said they tumble before bezel setting their stones but I’m wondering what that does to the bezel? Wouldn’t it smash or bend the bezel and if it work hardens, how easy is it fold the bezel after tumbling?

[@OnlineJewelryAcademy]

Hi Robin, You don't need to worry about the tumbler ruining your bezels. The force placed on the objects in the tumbler is minimal. Things just sort of roll around together in the barrel. Most people tumble or polish their bezels before setting stones in them because they are working with transparent or translucent gem material. And, they want to backing of the bezel to act like a reflective mirror. The bezels will maintain a great deal of malleability since they are generally composed of fine silver. The pure silver is easy to burnish onto your stone even after tumbling. Good luck with your creative projects. Thanks for your support! : )

[@nettierose1619]

Hi John. You mentioned using a "little" liquid soap, and a "little" lemon juice. Can you please give me an idea of how much a "little" can be, including a ratio between the 2 liquids? I have that same tumbler that is used with the single Lortone Tumbler...... thanks. Nettie

[@OnlineJewelryAcademy]

Hi Nettie, It literally takes like a drop or two of detergent and a squeeze of a lemon wedge to do the trick. Honestly, you're much better off using a commercial burnishing solution. You'll get a lot less suds. Thanks for your support! : )

[@fathom50]

Hello John, I just spoke with a rep at the tumbler maker Lortone and she recommended a tumbler with a high density plastic tub. She stated that with the rubber tub, there may be an unwanted reaction to whatever metal you're polishing. It looks like you're using a tumbler with a rubber tub so I would be interested to know what your opinion is. Good video and thanks in advance.

[@OnlineJewelryAcademy]

Hi David, For small scale tumbling, the rubber barrel is fine. There are a number of hacks that you can find online that will help you to keep the rubber from leaving debris on your projects. But, if you are going to do mass finishing in a production studio, I agree that the high density plastic tub is optimal. I hope this helps. : )

[@sillychairbear]

Would you tumble the silver before putting Patina on it... Or do you put Patina on and tumble afterward?

[@OnlineJewelryAcademy]

Generally, oxidizers are applied after tumbling. Doing so will create a deeper black on the object's surface. It will also help to keep your tumbling shot clean. A patina can be applied before tumbling to produce a softer grey finish. However, if you do so, you will need to clean your tumbling shot afterwards or designate that shot at the media you use with patinated items. Thanks for watching! 😺

[@amandathompson4692]

Hi Professor Ahr, Thanks for sharing. I bought a tumbler a couple years back and have not used it yet. I heard somewhere that if there are any scratches they need to be removed first. Is this true and if so do you suggest using a flex shaft or sand paper? Also, how many pieces cab you put in at one time? Thanks again!

[@OnlineJewelryAcademy]

amanda thompson Yes, you need to remove deep scratches on metal pieces before you tumble them. Sanding is the best way to remove scratches. You can do it by hand or with a flex shaft. I like using 3M bristled sanding wheels. You can tumble multiple pieces. How many you tumble together depends on the size if your tumbler and the size of the pieces. You’ll have to experiment a little. 🙂

[@narikisporson3465]

Hi John, I want to know if the tumbler with steel shot will scratch other softer metals such as brass or copper. Thank you.

[@OnlineJewelryAcademy]

Hi Neo, Tumbling is a burnishing action. It will not scratch you pieces. It will shine them and work harden them. Thanks for your support! : )

[@dpaldis]

Can you put more than one piece of jewelry in tumbler at a time? Also what determines the amount of time one should choose- the longer the shinier?

[@OnlineJewelryAcademy]

Yes, you can put multiple pieces in the Tumblr at one time. Two hours is about the longest you want to leave a piece in the tumbler. It takes two hours on average to produce a good result. 😀

[@indira3]

Hello John! Very informative video. Is it possible to use only ceramic shot? Or can I make a mix ceramic/stainless steel? It’s mainly/only for polishing sterling silver. Thank you very much! 🙏

[@OnlineJewelryAcademy]

No. You cannot mix shots like that. It would damage them and leave your pieces looking shabby. 😀

[@anjaanja7684]

Thanks so much that was very helpful!!

[@OnlineJewelryAcademy]

I'm so glad that you found the video helpful. Thanks for your support! : )

[@YarHarFD]

Is it normal for the sound to "pulse" instead of smooth rustling like yours? Worried my pieces/shot are just sliding along the bottom of the barrel

[@OnlineJewelryAcademy]

The tumbler should make a rhythmic rustling sound. I guess you could say it's a pulse. Anyway, you should see some results in as short as 10 minutes. 😀

[@helencrisman-janssen6779]

John, can you tell me why my stainless steel shot water becomes rusty color when tumbling Fine silver? And once it starts to turn I do rinse everything and start over. I thought I was buying Shot from a reputable company .I use Dawn dish soap, a drop, and a couple drops of lemon juice in my water.

[@OnlineJewelryAcademy]

Hi Helen, You probably aren't storing your tumbling media correctly between uses. Be sure to remove the shot from your tumbler when you're finished using it. Place it on a surface that will allow it to completely dry. I store mine on a plastic tray covered with a highly absorbent material. The fact that stainless steel shot makes the water a little rusty doesn't mean that it isn't of a good quality or that it's damaging the silver objects that you're tumbling (Remember, red rouge is made from iron oxide.). Occasionally, you might want to clean your shot with a product intended for this purpose. You can get shot cleaner from most any jewelry supply company. Good luck with your creative pursuits. Thanks for your support! : )

[@Confuseddave]

Is it possible to over-tumble a piece? Will detail eventually get worn away, or does the work hardening reach a point where the shot just isn't doing anything any more? I recall hearing about people leaving jewelry in the tumbler for days, but I don't remember if that was something other than silver.

[@OnlineJewelryAcademy]

Hi Dave, I had a rock tumbler when I was a kid that ran day and night for weeks in the garage. But anytime I've tried to run my jewelry tumbler for an extended period, I've just burned out the motor. In factories, mass finishing of objects in tumblers can occur over a period of days. But those giant machines are made to do that. At a certain point the jewelry doesn't get any shinier. It merely gets work hardened. I've never heard of a case where the elements of a piece were worn away from tumbling. The worst that can happen is that surface textures might be smoothed down until they disappear. But, something like a hammered texture wouldn't vanish. I hope that this clears things up for you. Thanks for your support! : )

[@kimwehrman]

Hi John I was wondering if you have specific places u suggest 4 getting GOOD quality shot from & what kind of tumblers work best & last longest? Also what are the benefits of various media 2 tumble with 4 which pieces? Thanks John

[@OnlineJewelryAcademy]

Kimberlie Rose Wehrman Hi Kimberlie, There are several jewelry supply companies on-line that offer quality products. If you shop their websites, you can easily determine which one has the beed price for the same product. And, all of them provide complete product descriptions that will help you to choose the tumbling media that's right for you. I personally you a mixed media shot that covers most of the bases. Thanks for your question, and thanks for watching! ; )

[@brendawhite243]

Hi. Great video. I know you can't tumble rings with soft stones such as Opal but could you tumble a diamond ring or other harder stones. Many thanks

[@OnlineJewelryAcademy]

Hi Brenda, The short answer is, yes. But, I wouldn't recommend running jewelry set with gemstones in your tumbler. You run the risk of chipping or breaking the stone. My best advice would be for your to stick to hand finishing jewelry set with stones. Thanks for your support! : )

[@brendawhite243]

@@OnlineJewelryAcademy Hi. Thank you for your advice. I am learning a lot from your videos. I have one more question: Will tumbling damage a hallmark on sterling silver?

[@OnlineJewelryAcademy]

Hi Brenda, Tumbling will soften the edges on an entire piece; including the hallmark. But, tumbling will not remove the hallmark. Thanks for your support! : )

[@jessehenry2507]

Hello. So the stainless steel media won’t hurt the sterling silver jewelry? What’s the difference between tumbling grit and the stainless still media?

[@OnlineJewelryAcademy]

Hi Jesse, Tumbling "grit" is generally used to smooth and polish stones in the tumbler. Tumbling media can be made from many different types of materials including ceramic, nut shells, and stainless steel. Each type of media performs differently in the tumbler. And, each shape is used for particular types of cleaning and burnishing. The stainless steel shot will only gently impact your pieces and roll off of them in the tumbler. This action will help to work harden your items and impart a shine. Thanks for your support! : )

[@laragonzalez4175]

Hi John! That video was so helpful! I´ve been using a tumbler to polish my silver jewelry designs for a couple of months....and i´ve noticed that the jewelry start to turn dark and sometimes turn to a brown color in some areas after a week, even that i place them in closed jewelry boxes or a jewelry box. I noticed after watching this video that i use too much polish compound and also too much water....could it be that the reason? Thanks in advance!

[@OnlineJewelryAcademy]

Hi Lara, The reason why silver jewelry oxidizes quickly is most likely due to fire scale or cupric oxide below just below the surface. The OJA has a video on how to detect fire scale on your piece. Once you've located it on your piece you can either: sand and polish it off, frost the silver surface to hide it, or plate over it. (The OJA has videos on frosting and plating.) But you said that your pieces are turning "brown." So, I assume that you're working with copper. Copper oxidizes very quickly. If you put a bright shiny penny in a sunny window it will be brown by the end of the day. The only way to keep copper bright is to seal the surface. There are many products on the market that will help you to clean or seal your copper pieces. I hope this helps. Thanks for your support! : )

[@judittoth4527]

Hi John, I love your videos and your advice on different things so I wanted to ask you: I need to polish small stainless steel tube beads for my jewellery. I've been using a tumbler with steel shots and burnishing liquid I got in the kit with the barrel. Even after hours and hours, they're still not shiny. Is there anything you would recommend to use, for example more shots, a specific burnishing compound or other media, etc. to get the high gloss finish I desperately need. Thank you! ❤️

[@OnlineJewelryAcademy]

That’s a real head scratcher. The reason why tumbling isn’t working is because the shot and the beads are both steel and match in terms of hardness. I’m not sure how you would polish steel beads using production methods. Do not put the beads on a wire and try to polish them with a buffing motor. The wire could caught and you might loose a finger or worse. Remember, safety first. If I come across something I’ll let you know. Thanks for watching the OJA! 😀

[@judittoth4527]

@@OnlineJewelryAcademy Thanks John! I know what you mean. Surely they can be polished to the shiny finish I need because I had them before but last time they forgot to do it in the factory in China. I have no idea what they normally use, or what method etc, but I have to figure it out ASAP. Do you think that other media (crushed walnut shells, ceramic media, etc) would help? If you come across with a solution plz let me know, I really appreciate your reply 😊 xx

[@OnlineJewelryAcademy]

@@judittoth4527 I did some looking online but didn’t find anything specific regarding hoe to polish steel beads. You might want to call the technical support office at your favorite jewelry supply company to see if they have a solution to your problem. Good luck 🍀

[@judittoth4527]

@@OnlineJewelryAcademy Thank you, I really appreciate it! 🤗 Tried it myself, all over the Internet, haven't found much either. Thanks again though, you're the best 🙏❤️ xx

[@ingridsaab5413]

Hi Professor John, would the tumbler get rid of small surface scratches in silver and copper?

[@OnlineJewelryAcademy]

Hi Ingrid, Surface wear is generally ameliorated by the tumbler. But, deep scratches still need to be sanded before you'll see a good result. Sanding to 400 or 600 grit before tumbling generally works out just fine. Thanks for your support! : )

[@ingridsaab5413]

sorry, I wanted to ask if the tumbler would remove surface scratches from a set of copper wire earrings I just made

[@OnlineJewelryAcademy]

Hi again Ingrid, Copper usually shines up easily in the tumbler. Give it a go and see what happens. If the scratches are still there after 30 minutes of tumbling, sand them a little, rinse them, and try again. Good luck. Thanks for your support! : )

[@elenaraynak6152]

Hello John. Thank you so much for the video! I have a question though. Can I use this way to polish jewelry with stones? For example, gold ring with a single opal or turquoise set. Or the shot will damage those stones?

[@OnlineJewelryAcademy]

+Elena Raynak Hi Elena, The short answer is NO. Softer stone materials like turquoise and opal can be damaged by the tumbling process. Items are generally tumbled before softer stone material is set into them. If the stones are already in place, it's best to use other polishing techniques to freshen the piece up a bit. The OJA has a video on the Principles of Polishing. That video should answer the rest of your questions. Good luck. Thanks for your support! : )

[@rhondarogers-gardner6341]

Where would I purchase this item to clean my jewelry?

[@OnlineJewelryAcademy]

You’ll find a link for a barrel tumbler on the OJA website: www.onlinejewelryacademy.com/tools.html 😀

[@offroadozzy]

can you polish multiple pieces at once?

[@OnlineJewelryAcademy]

+Oswaldo Minos Aguilar Hi Oswaldo, Yes, you can tumble multiple items at the same time. Thanks for watching! : )

[@anngabriel5455]

Hi John thank you for this video it was so helpful. I was just wondering if you came polish jewellery this way if they have a stone or bead setting? Thanks in advance and l will just see how much I can learn from you. I am very grateful Ann

[@OnlineJewelryAcademy]

Hi Ann, I'm glad that you found the OJA. The tumbler can be used to shine up jewelry that has a stone or a bead in it. But, the stone or the bead has to have a Moh's Hardness Scale rating indicating that the material won't be scratched by steel. Here's a link to help you out: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohs_scale_of_mineral_hardness This really isn't the best way to treat a piece of embellished jewelry. But, we've all done it at one time or another. It's always best not to subject stones and other decorative elements to unnecessary abuse. Good luck with your creative pursuits. Thanks for your support! : )

[@laurenyoungs]

How do I know how much shot to put in?

[@OnlineJewelryAcademy]

A small tumbler, like the one in the photo for the video. usually takes about 1 pound of stainless steel tumbling media. Larger barrel tumblers may use as much as three pounds. Check the manufacturer’s recommendations. Remember, too much weight from tumbling media or water can slow or stall the tumbler. : )

[@laurenyoungs]

@@OnlineJewelryAcademy thank you I have a 3 pound Tumbler

[@christinehancock5365]

Hi John! Loving your answers to the questions; just as informative as the video itself. I think I'm convinced that tumbling is the way to go for what I want-- to patina with LOS first, then allow the tumbler to shine up the "high spots" as I tend to overdo it and remove too much of my patina when I do it by hand. Another problem I have is in getting my wires hard enough after all the heating they go through in the making process-- particularly earring posts. I'm not too impressed with the efficacy of the "twisting them slightly with pliers" method. Seems like tumbling will take care of that hardening, but long story short, will it bend up the posts and harden them into a wonky position??

[@OnlineJewelryAcademy]

Hi Christine, Tumbling won't make your earwigs wonky. The process gently rolls your product through the stainless steel shot. You can run patinated silver in your tumbler. But, tumbling won't remove the LOS from the high points. It will shine your piece leaving it with a dark "gunmetal" appearance. So, you'll need to use 0000 steel wool on your piece first to remove the patina from the high points (just go easy). Another thing you should know is if you run patinated items in your tumbler, the shot will be contaminated with the LOS residue. So, you'll either need to clean the shot before running non-patinated items or keep two sets of shot: one for clean work and one for patinated work. Good luck with your projects! Thanks for your support! : )

[@christinehancock5365]

@@OnlineJewelryAcademy Thank you! What's the best way to clean the shot?

[@OnlineJewelryAcademy]

The simplest way to clean the shot is to set up your tumbler like you normally would and add one teaspoon of baking soda to the solution. Then, run the tumbler for a couple of hours. That should remove the LOS residue.

[@mdoooo7]

Can you do gold the same way

[@OnlineJewelryAcademy]

+MD DEMAR (MD007) Yes! You can tumble gold. It will actually keep more gold on the piece than polishing techniques. But, tumbling may not produce the same results. Good luck with your projects. Thanks for watching! : )

[@francoisemosca4929]

Hi ! Can I polish the resin epoxy with this ? Thank you very much :-)

[@OnlineJewelryAcademy]

No. The tumbler cannot be used to polish epoxy or any type of plastic material. Plastic can be buffed with a plastic polishing compound. You can probably Google it and find instructions on how to do it. Good luck. Thanks for your support! : )

[@francoisemosca4929]

OnlineJewelryAcademy ok, thank you very much ! :-)

[@mrbeardeddad4550]

What is the model of this tumbler?

[@OnlineJewelryAcademy]

I don't know the model of the tumbler. But, I got it from riogrande.com I'm sure you can find it on their website. Thanks for your support! : )

[@jennifersharpe5855]

Do you need to sand away all the scratches from your price first ?

[@OnlineJewelryAcademy]

I recommend sanding to a 600 grit to ensure a good result. : )

[@juanjusto9047]

Or you can use a Polishing Cloth and save time..

[@OnlineJewelryAcademy]

+Juan Justo A polishing cloth will not produce the same results. And, you can polish a piece with a tumbler in less than two hours. Thanks for watching. : )