Chicago Electric Power Tools 67631 Rotary Rock Tumbler, 3 lb

Have tried other tumblers with very little success. Purchased this one after a trip to Arizona and the Petrified Forest. Got 3 lbs of petrified wood and wasn't sure what to expect. We followed the directions to the letter, and since the rocks had a slight dullness after the pre-polish, repeated that step for another week. After the polish step they look great. We're very happy with the results and the construction of the tumbler. Looking forward to our next project

Before getting this when I read some of the reviews about wear and tear. The only thing I can comment about that is that I do see where the little plastic piece rubs the metal lid of the tumbler. But this is what it is supposed to do. It's going to prevent metal on metal rubbing. So when you're changing it you might get your hand black or you're going to have to use a cloth or something to wipe it off if you don't have to happen. Now so far I haven't seen any issue with the sleeves on the rolling rods. Of course I've only just finished my first full batch so it's been going for five weeks solid, but that's in hundred plus degree heat. In fact during the day the garage probably gets about 130°. I will update this review if they suddenly wear out or fall off or something. But so far it looks like everything's holding up very well. It holds a good amount, it says 3 pounds, but by the end, if you don't add any more rocks it could be as little as half that. I'm probably going to have to buy ceramic media or pellets or something to keep the rough stage rolling smoothly. Overall, for the money this thing has been great. The top seals very well. I haven't had any leakage or spill. Everything cleans well. So the only very minor complaint is getting that black stuff on my hands. But again, for what I paid, that is a very very minor thing. Carry a rag.Edit:It has been almost 4 years. i don't use it constantly, on average i process a few batches a year. They are 5 week batches because i like to run the rough for at least 2 weeks. i have just had my first failure. The bushing on the drive rod wore all the way through. i had to stop because the rod would keep spinning and wear the hole a bit oblong. that's my bad for not recognizing what that sound meant. for what i paid, the fact that everything lasted this long would be good enough, but then i found this website with all the spare parts i need. as long as you are okay with aftermarket, give them a look. https://www.thetumblersbench.com/All in all i think my rating stands.

We've only done one round of rocks with it, but it seems to work very nicely. Does not get overly hot and stays quiet enough to keep in a garage. Tumbler smells VERY strongly of the rubber from which it is made, and even after a month of use, that odor hasn't diminished much. But hey, it's a rock tumbler, not a bar of soap, right? Rocks came out nice and smooth, and that's what matters most. Seems to be solidly made and comes with some extra parts plus detailed instructions on how best to care for it.

Geology obsessed 8 year old daughter got this for Christmas and immediately opened it and loaded it up! We bought our grit and polish from a local store since it was a bit less expensive than on line. We had no problem with leaking or breaking belts, but we only used it the one time. It was running constantly for almost a month and a half though! Machine itself is quiet, but make sure you have a garage or extra room to set it up in. Once it is loaded with rocks and grit, it is noisy with them all tumbling around!!

The first week this worked very well but then I needed to adjust the belt, which I am not mechanically gifted. I managed to get it done but that only lasted another week . One of the bushing wore out and now it makes a terrible noise even if I oil it. I hope it hangs in long enough to finish the 1st batch of rocks.

Works great. I use it along with the 4 different shaped stainless steel shot pieces, also sold on Amazon, to clean and polish silver I've casted. I used a bit of dawn dish detergent the first time around, but added some burnishing concentrate the next time around. Both work well, but the burnishing concentrate, just takes a capful. Either way, this tumbler works great. Seals up tight, and polishes my silver castings up nice a shiny.

I was super excited to get this tumbler for mothers day. Tumbled the first set the day after I got it and meh, rocks were not as shiny as I would like but put it down to user error.Put the second batch in and the darn motor started getting louder and louder. 2 days before the final tumble was complete the motor froze up! USED IT TWICE!!!! Then to top it all off Amazon and the seller only have a 30 day return policy! Will not buy this model again. two tumbles of 3 lb each of rocks cost me 30 buck a tumble and I am out a tumbler.

Very reliable. This has been going non-stop for almost two months, tumbling batches of stones totaling 7 pounds. No problems with either belts or seals, and just needing a small bit of attention every so often. Like all tools you need to be careful to keep it clean, and well tuned. One complaint, the drum lid needs to be pried away from the drum each time, to quote the tech support guy, "use a jewlers screw driver."