Anahita King Posted June 24, 2013 Report Share Posted June 24, 2013 I've been saving my cone 5 pottery seconds with the thought of smashing them into pieces to put into a rock tumbler. Before I jump on a used Lortone 3A (holds 3 pounds) rock tumbler, I'd like to hear success and failure stories. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Campbell Posted June 25, 2013 Report Share Posted June 25, 2013 I use a rock tumbler often to smooth shards of old pots, fired grog and the rocks I make and fire to Cone 8. I just use the cheap children's type tumbler you buy in a hobby shop. On my second one and doing fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
annekat Posted June 25, 2013 Report Share Posted June 25, 2013 This is something I've thought of doing, and wish I'd saved the old family rock tumbler when my mother died. Can you tell me what hobby shop, or where else, one might buy one of these and how much they run? I think Harbor Freight has them, for one.... But a child's one might be cheaper and might be an option. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kohaku Posted June 25, 2013 Report Share Posted June 25, 2013 Other questions (I've also heard about this, and would like to learn mores)... -What have people generally used the polished shards for? Jewellery? Mosaic? Wind chimes? -Do the shards wear down unevenly? (Either the glazed portion or the clay matrix abrading faster?) -Do you need to limit the time in the tumbler to keep the glaze from wearing down? -How much electricity do those things burn? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diane Puckett Posted June 25, 2013 Report Share Posted June 25, 2013 This is the first time I have heard of doing this. Does anyone have photos of tumbled shards? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
annekat Posted June 25, 2013 Report Share Posted June 25, 2013 I had also thought of doing it with ^6 red clay pieces fired to maturity but with no glaze. I was thinking it would be a nice way to fill a tabletop fountain, were I ever to make one. Some glazed shards mixed in with the the unglazed would be nice, too. Or making small, rounded "pebbles" out of clay, firing them, and then tumbling them to see if they'd take on a sheen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
annekat Posted June 25, 2013 Report Share Posted June 25, 2013 Come to think of it, there was something we added to the tumbler to polish the rocks, I think some type of gritty stuff. I'd forgotten about that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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