Kid Geologists STEM Rock Shiner

My original review was that the tumbler had stopped working after 1 day. I had even started the process to send it back. But right before I put it in the return box, I tried it once more and it worked! And it has been working non stop! I guess it was just a fluke! I am so glad! It is really a sturdy little machine.

I have two kids, 10 & 12. I've been wanting to get them a cool rock tumbler for years as they have always collected small rocks from all the different places we have visited. It was my daughter's tenth birthday and we thought it was a great opportunity to get the tumbler. She was elated! So it came with all the media needed, some instructions and a bag full of super cool rocks. We are on week three of tumbling right now but every Monday has been exciting and something the kids and I look forward to. We have another week to go to get the final results but the difference since day one has been amazing! Photos are of week one and two only. You can see how much the rocks have smoothed out.

I bought this for my son for Christmas. He's really interested in geology, so I thought that this would be a great way to encourage that interest, add some excitement and show him just how beautiful rocks can really be. I'm very glad I chose this rock tumbler. There were others that were cheaper, but after careful consideration of several reviews and ratings, this one stood out.

The machine is very easy to use. The instruction book that's included provides simple directions for use and everything seemed to be labeled so that it was all quite easy to put together and use within minutes. The only thing my son couldn't manage himself was getting the lid on and off because it's so tight (which is a good thing if you don't want leaks!). I was a bit skeptic, since it takes nature so many years to accomplish such beauty, but my son and I placed the rocks, grit and water into the container and set it for our first run. Surprisingly, after just using the first grit, the rocks look amazing! We had even added some that he'd found on our evening walks around the neighborhood and we couldn't believe how they turned out! Again, that was after just the one week's worth of time (168 hrs) with the first grit.

The description of this tumbler says it's a toy. I just turned 61, so I guess I'm still into toys! I love this.....I have always wanted one. The 2 yr warranty is what really pushed me and the reviews were a plus.
I have had it operating ever since I received it. My only regret so far is that I didn't get one with a larger tumbler.....I'm impatiently waiting for my stones to finish. Yes it is a bit noisy....but what do you expect from rocks being jumbled around?
I have prime, so shipping was quick.....the machine also has great packaging in its original box. I would definitely buy again!
I hope you who are on the fence enjoy yours as much as I do mine......

This is very easy to use and you can see major results, even after the first grit is complete! The kit comes with 9 sharp gemstones which I selected a few from and the others were rocks I found around the yard. The instruction manual will tell you the recommend days for the rocks to tumble for each grit step. There are four grit packages- Each step is a finer grit powder to tumble an average of six days each time. The tumbler is very easy to use by emptying the grit package contents in to the black container, adding enough water to cover the top of the rocks (no more), closing the lid tightly, setting on top of the rollers and after pressing "set" until you select the amount of days to tumble, press the power button to start. You will see the tumbler count down and will shut down once the amount of days is complete. You can use the included strainer to empty the used water/grit mix, rinse the stones and start the next step.