Rolling sTOnEs

Let's talk about what's rockin' & rollin' in the barrel and the importance of a healthy cascading slurry.

By JORDAN & ZARA PRIDE Rockhounds | Writers

The wet rock tumbling process is where you're creating a liquid slurry, which is the mechanism of abrasion. The slurry is where fine particles of 'grit' are suspended in a thick solution along with the rocks that are being polished. Think of this thick abrasive slurry working like a saw cutting wood as it polishes your stones.

To keep it rockin' & rollin', it's ideal to start your slurry with a cascade and end with a cascade, rocks always in motion, suspended in a thick solution.

So what IS a cascading slurry? Picture the slushy machine at a gas station, where small icy delicious particles suspended in liquid are in a fluid motion.

If the solution becomes too thick, it will clump and not flow; too thin and there's not enough friction to fully initiate abrasion from the grit, which will result in a longer or incomplete polish. Worried about maintenance? Don't, because it's easy.

To maintain a healthy slurry, check it once a day to make sure it's flowing right.

If you need to thin your slurry, remove a few spoonfuls of the solution and add water. Fill your barrel to the proper level; too little causes clunking, too much causes a jam. You can even add a small amount of sugar to the mix from the start to thicken the solution. Most importantly, be sure to check your rockin' & rollin' muddy waters once a day.