Tumble Polishing Coral Beads
by Maria
(Hawaii)
What would I use to re-polish coral beads in a tumbler?
Stacy's Answer:
Hello to you in Hawaii Maria! I can help you with questions about metal work, but not on finishing gemstones. I haven't tumbled polished rocks in a tumbler for a few decades and it's been about 30 years since I cut and polished opals and other gemstones on a lapidary cabbing machine.As to tumbling stone.....It takes many weeks to tumble-polish stones switching to different cutting/polishing compounds. This is not my area of expertise and I would suggest seeking the advice of a lapidary expert that works with corals.
If you intend to also tumble polish metal jewelry, you'll need another machine or at least an additional barrel to use for tumbling them. Any left over residue in the barrel of the abrasive substances used to polish rocks can put an unwanted finish on metal or glass lampwork.
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