# Rock Tumbler/ Stone Washing **URL:** \ **Category:** Yo-Yo Mods and Maintenance\ **Created:** [February 7, 2025, 8:14pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/rock-tumbler-stone-washing/418775 "2025-02-07T20:14:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![AudreySickburn](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/audreysickburn/32/313292_2.png) [@AudreySickburn](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/AudreySickburn)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2025, 11:01pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/rock-tumbler-stone-washing/418775/64 "2025-03-26T23:01:11Z")
Alright, take 3. Polypropylene beads and fine grit. Before shots. ![IMG_8716](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/uploads/yoyoexpert1/original/4X/8/0/6/80699bf4eab8b52c5cb97c607a4d668b761f0a28.jpeg) ![IMG_8719](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/uploads/yoyoexpert1/original/4X/4/9/4/494afffe422da0768fc147ac83d5736d66d710f5.jpeg) ![IMG_8720](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/uploads/yoyoexpert1/original/4X/7/2/9/72925d9a7f1716ba950d1b82b4fd534466e722aa.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![AudreySickburn](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/audreysickburn/32/313292_2.png) [@AudreySickburn](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/AudreySickburn)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2025, 10:26pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/rock-tumbler-stone-washing/418775/65 "2025-04-02T22:26:05Z")
One week update. The beads might be too gentle. Cranked it up to speed 2 and tossed it back in. ![IMG_8783](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/uploads/yoyoexpert1/original/4X/8/e/5/8e5c5eb14088e837f7836df525d1e7e4dc1c46ea.jpeg) ![IMG_8784](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/uploads/yoyoexpert1/original/4X/3/0/7/30742d844090f3f8c73c650a6cb0e66fc3da87e8.jpeg) ![IMG_8786](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/uploads/yoyoexpert1/original/4X/4/4/5/4452f2c035b3ff5e41adaf320c43c9b060f755cf.jpeg) ![IMG_8785](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/uploads/yoyoexpert1/original/4X/f/7/8/f787988ef9eb86055a137234a5975b970b0afb9f.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![Captrogers](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/captrogers/32/647012_2.png) [@Captrogers](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Captrogers)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2025, 4:52am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/rock-tumbler-stone-washing/418775/66 "2025-04-03T04:52:04Z")
That’s progress now you have to just find a happy medium. Pun intended ---
**Author:** ![AudreySickburn](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/audreysickburn/32/313292_2.png) [@AudreySickburn](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/AudreySickburn)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2025, 4:33pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/rock-tumbler-stone-washing/418775/67 "2025-05-26T16:33:56Z")
Polypropylene beads didn’t work out well so we are now going full washing machine. Tumbler is loaded with a bunch of denim scraps and fine grit, added water after the photo. ![IMG_9230](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/uploads/yoyoexpert1/original/4X/7/0/2/702464db0b0e06a20dede5b3e695eb871c713fc2.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![LordKingOf](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/lordkingof/32/599279_2.png) [@LordKingOf](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/LordKingOf)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2025, 12:25am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/rock-tumbler-stone-washing/418775/68 "2025-05-27T00:25:55Z")
Ooo I’m excited for this one Your experiments have become an awesome pastime to follow ---
**Author:** ![AudreySickburn](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/audreysickburn/32/313292_2.png) [@AudreySickburn](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/AudreySickburn)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2025, 3:40am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/rock-tumbler-stone-washing/418775/69 "2025-07-23T03:40:01Z")
Update! Denim did nothing even after like a month. I tried various other media, round ceramic beads, ball bearings, etc and on the spinning tumbler it always ended up with chips in the 3d print. I bought a vibratory tumbler a few days ago. I added a mix of walnut shells, corncob bits and fine grit. Then I tossed in a couple of rough stainless steel 3d prints. Initial observation was it looked like I needed more mass in the tumbler and I had a bunch of F- grade poo counterweights so I chucked them all in. It looks like a cat littler box from a cartoon. ![IMG_9896](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/uploads/yoyoexpert1/original/4X/9/9/8/99861f4cb41f8ba2c57730da8b8a9ca9245e255c.jpeg) But after two days of tumbling this part came out and it’s very shiny compared to a raw part. Here’s a comparison of a raw part and the tumbled part. ![IMG_9919](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/uploads/yoyoexpert1/original/4X/e/e/b/eeb35267418154aab2790f9cd1a03ef36eaf521b.jpeg) And a nice shiny angled shot of the tumbled part. ![IMG_9912](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/uploads/yoyoexpert1/original/4X/c/c/9/cc9151d77e1c75d24427906e2a20691bafaff89b.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![Captrogers](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/captrogers/32/647012_2.png) [@Captrogers](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Captrogers)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2025, 3:55am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/rock-tumbler-stone-washing/418775/70 "2025-07-23T03:55:47Z")
That looks awesome. Your in to something brilliant there ---
**Author:** ![washyjoshe](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/washyjoshe/32/612061_2.png) [@washyjoshe](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/washyjoshe)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2025, 4:00am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/rock-tumbler-stone-washing/418775/71 "2025-07-23T04:00:49Z")
![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/uploads/yoyoexpert1/original/4X/0/0/e/00e5cace7fc93ae7b7b4c53055d620fed6586581.jpeg) ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/uploads/yoyoexpert1/original/4X/8/f/7/8f7ad3471fd2e75a81e8ae31716a335178a5c879.jpeg) My wife and I got 4-5 measuring spoons several years ago on our registry, and they have this coating that has started to flake. I have a wet rotary tumbler that I’ve used a handful of times, and so threw this spoon and some metal ball bearings. This is after maybe 3-4 hours of tumbling, and there are some nooks and crannies that the balls can’t get into, it makes me wonder if there is a media that would be best. On another note, I wonder if @da5id can chime in on why One drop decided on using pyramids (hence pyramatte, right?) or maybe talk about their method? ---
**Author:** ![washyjoshe](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/washyjoshe/32/612061_2.png) [@washyjoshe](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/washyjoshe)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2025, 4:01am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/rock-tumbler-stone-washing/418775/72 "2025-07-23T04:01:33Z")
Is that a dumpster fire half? ---
**Author:** ![AudreySickburn](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/audreysickburn/32/313292_2.png) [@AudreySickburn](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/AudreySickburn)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2025, 4:04am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/rock-tumbler-stone-washing/418775/73 "2025-07-23T04:04:17Z")
Yes that’s a failed dumpster fire 3d print. When RCS closed Jeremy gave me the CAD file so I could make my own. I eventually got it working but had a bunch of failed prints first. So used one of the failed prints to test the tumbling. I tried ball bearings in my rotary tumbler but unfortunately 3d prints are more delicate so it ended up chopping them. I haven’t done the plastic triangles yet, but I did triangular ceramic media and those also chipped the prints. ---
**Author:** ![aderan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/aderan/32/628562_2.png) [@aderan](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/aderan)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2026, 4:34am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/rock-tumbler-stone-washing/418775/74 "2026-04-15T04:34:00Z")
Hey friend! I’m about to do a similar project because I have so many stripped/raw yo-yos hanging around! Was curious how much water you would add while tumbling? [Previous page](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/rock-tumbler-stone-washing/418775.md?page=3)