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Reddit mentions of NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC Hobby Rock Tumbler Kit - Includes Rough Gemstones, 4 Polishing Grits, Jewelry Fastenings and Detailed Learning Guide - Great STEM Science Kit for Mineralogy and Geology Enthusiasts

Sentiment score: 6
Reddit mentions: 7

We found 7 Reddit mentions of NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC Hobby Rock Tumbler Kit - Includes Rough Gemstones, 4 Polishing Grits, Jewelry Fastenings and Detailed Learning Guide - Great STEM Science Kit for Mineralogy and Geology Enthusiasts. Here are the top ones.

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC Hobby Rock Tumbler Kit - Includes Rough Gemstones, 4 Polishing Grits, Jewelry Fastenings and Detailed Learning Guide - Great STEM Science Kit for Mineralogy and Geology Enthusiasts
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    Features:
  • CREATE YOUR OWN GEMSTONES - Make any stone sparkle and polish everyday rocks into dazzling gemstones! This rock tumbler kit makes it fun and easy to turn rough rocks into beautifully polished gemstones, thanks to its simple operation and durable design.
  • A TUMBLER THAT'S MADE TO LAST – Our high-quality tumblers are made with a durable motor that’s designed to last for years. The leakproof rubber barrel reduces sound, making it 75% quieter than other plastic models. An excellent STEM activity for kids.
  • A COMPLETE HOBBY TUMBLING KIT - Everything you need to create polished gemstones: the tumbler, four polishing grits, sifter, nine types of real rough gemstones, plus a detailed full-color learning guide. Makes a great gift for girls and boys!
  • EASY TO USE – Simple instructions and one-touch settings make rock tumbling fun and easy. Control the number of days for each tumbling cycle with the one-touch timer and automatic shutoff feature, set it and forget it! This is a great gift for kids.
  • HIGH-QUALITY EDUCATIONAL TOYS - National Geographic is proud to make the highest quality hands-on science toys, and all our products are backed by exceptional service.
Specs:
ColorMulticolor
Height8.06 Inches
Length13.81 Inches
Number of items1
Release dateAugust 2017
SizeOne Size
Weight4.629707502 Pounds
Width4.88 Inches

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Found 7 comments on NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC Hobby Rock Tumbler Kit - Includes Rough Gemstones, 4 Polishing Grits, Jewelry Fastenings and Detailed Learning Guide - Great STEM Science Kit for Mineralogy and Geology Enthusiasts:

u/Shekinahsgroom · 13 pointsr/jewelry

> mine it yourself in the US is Sapphire.

It's highly unlikely that you're gonna be able to find any kind of a gem grade stone by visiting an open-to-the-public mine. And if you do find one, it'll be so puny and an ugly color that it wouldn't be worth the expense of cutting it.

However, I have a sneaky suggestion that poses some fun and excitement for you and she'll get a knockout gem in the end!

Start off buying an inexpensive but high quality rock tumbler. It'll come with a small amount of varying grits and instructions.

For sapphire rough you're gonna need silicon carbide 220 grit and a few weeks of patience.

Couple bags of 15mm alumina balls for filler material inside the tumbler.

Contact a gem cutter like this guy HERE, select the synthetic sapphire/ruby (or spinel) color(s) of your choice and ask that he cut up a quarter-boule into varies shapes and preform them into alluvial shapes in the 5-7ct range. This will allow you some breathing room for polishing so that you wind up with a handful of various shapes and sizes after tumbling. You would then (secretly) drop these lil beauties into your honey's gem gravel before the wash. You'd probably have to fill in the assisting staff at the mine of what you're doing. She then discovers the gems and picks out which one she wants to have cut.

You then contact Phil again, send him the piece(s)....and he cuts a perfect gem in the size and shape that you choose either from the tumbled rough or new material.

You save a bankroll, have a blast being sneaky and she gets a REAL sapphire or ruby for her engagement ring and is never the wiser. :)








u/[deleted] · 3 pointsr/Crushes

Oh I forgot to mention, I recently found this on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/National-Geographic-Hobby-Rock-Tumbler/dp/B01LQCIL88

It's a bit pricey, but it lets you make your own jewelry and polish your own gemstones! I'd love to buy it for myself, but I think your crush would really love this too - you two could even use it together! OR you could use it and give her a necklace made with the gemstones you polish :)

u/capn_morgans_revenge · 2 pointsr/rockhounds

Wow, thanks so much for the information! I've got this tumbler.

  1. How can I tell which rocks are hard vs soft? Should I make an ID before tumbling and categorize them?

  2. So it's less the size of the rocks that makes them shrink and more about hardness?

  3. That's super interesting, I never would have figured that out! The unfortunate thing is I don't get to go hounding very often, so it would take me a REALLY long time to have enough rocks. :(
u/Freyas_Follower · 2 pointsr/WitchesVsPatriarchy

This might be a bit much, but I want to help inspire the next generation of women scientists. Might I suggest a rock tumbler at some point? Perhaps make some nice Jewelry, or just simply studying the stones that come up?

u/piercet_3dPrint · 1 pointr/PlantedTank

The easiest way to get Garnets ready for submersion would be to tumble them in a rock tumbler. You can get an inexpensive one (https://www.amazon.com/National-Geographic-Hobby-Rock-Tumbler/dp/B01LQCIL88 for example), or you can make your own with a round plastic container, a base with a simple motor, and some wheels or conveyor parts for it to sit on (one possible method: https://www.instructables.com/id/DIY-Rock-Tumbler/). You put the garnets in, add some water and course abrasive sand, then turn it on and let it tumble for a week or so, then switch to the next finer grit, eventually getting down to plastic beads and soapy water. You can also polish them by hand with a dremil tool and polishing compound, or with a buffing wheel. This is the better approach if you want to preserve crisp edge geometry. Some people also cut and facet them. If you have a very transparent garnet it may be worth looking at having it cut and faceted as they can be worth a fair amount. But usually garnets are pretty inexpensive. If there is a lot of matrix rock and you don't want to tumble, you can typically dissolve it slowly with oxcillic acid or muriatic acid. Some people also use small sandblasters for particularly nice specimens. Its ok if they are a little rough, the fish won't mind, but they might get algae in the cracks. They also sell Garnet sand so you can have big garnets sitting on a bed of garnet sand if you like the look. I have a whole jar of it for some reason that came with the house heh.

u/taylorlovely · 1 pointr/Random_Acts_Of_Amazon

I was totally going to suggest this one

https://smile.amazon.com/National-Geographic-Hobby-Rock-Tumbler/dp/B01LQCIL88/ref=gbps_img_m-8_41a7_8f2769b4?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_p=517b8b45-fcde-42db-9bce-a0abf0ce41a7&pf_rd_s=merchandised-search-8&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_i=384082011&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=CM1TEM5PRJ37602ESE2B

But the above looks like it's more in your budget. This one IS on sale right now though. I was browsing Amazon deals and saw it and thought "Hey! There was a person on Raoa looking for a gift for someone who likes ROCKS."

u/LoverOLife · 1 pointr/Random_Acts_Of_Amazon

Sonya, Your Momma wouldn't tell you this but ....

Sweet child, this world is made up of all kinds of people with different ways of thinking, believing and feeling, this is important because be different is not being wrong, being different is what makes you unique. Love what makes you different, and love what makes others different.

I hope it's okay to share more than one thing that I think every child should have.

rock tumbler

Snap Circuits jr kit

Prime Club game

Happy birthday!!