National Geographic Rock Tumbler Kit – Hobby Edition Includes Rough Gemstones, and 4 Polishing Grits, Great STEM Science Kit for Geology Enthusiasts, Rock Polisher for Kids and Adults
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Description
CREATE YOUR OWN GEMSTONES - Make any stone sparkle and polish everyday rocks into dazzling gemstones! This rock tumbler kit makes it fun and easy to turn rough rocks into beautifully polished gemstones, thanks to its simple operation and durable design. A TUMBLER THAT'S MADE TO LAST – Our high-quality tumblers are made with a durable motor that’s designed to last for years. The leakproof rubber barrel reduces sound, making it 75% quieter than other plastic models. An excellent STEM activity for kids. A COMPLETE HOBBY TUMBLING KIT - Everything you need to create polished gemstones: the tumbler, four polishing grits, sifter, nine types of real rough gemstones, plus a detailed full-color learning guide. Makes a great gift for girls and boys! EASY TO USE – Simple instructions and one-touch settings make rock tumbling fun and easy. Control the number of days for each tumbling cycle with the one-touch timer and automatic shutoff feature, set it and forget it! This is a great gift for kids. AWARD-WINNING PRODUCTS - Blue Marble, winner of the Toy Association's prestigious Toy of the Year Award, proudly develops products that foster education, imagination, and creativity, with a U.S. support team to ensure a stellar experience! See more product details
Details
Product information Item details Brand Name Blue Marble Age Range Description 8 years and up Educational Objective STEM Sub Brand National Geographic Set Name Hobby Manufacturer Maximum Age (MONTHS) 1188 UPC 816448020421 Manufacturer Minimum Age (MONTHS) 96 Global Trade Identification Number 00816448020421 Model Number NGHOBBYTUMBLER Manufacturer Part Number NGHOBBYTUMBLER Manufacturer JMW Sales, Inc Item Type Name Rock Tumbler Kit – Hobby Edition Unit Count 1.0 Count Manufacturer Warranty Description No Warranty Included Components AC Power Adapter, Jewelry Fastenings, Learning Guide, Rock Tumbler, Rough Gemstones (1/2 lb), Strainer, Tumbling Grit (4 grades) Best Sellers Rank #1,893 in Toys & Games ( See Top 100 in Toys & Games ) #1 in Kids' Rock Tumblers ASIN B01LQCIL88 Customer Reviews 4.5 out of 5 stars Warranty & Support Feedback Additional details Theme Rock Tumbling Is Assembly Required No Material Type Plastic Measurements Size One Size Item Dimensions 13.81 x 4.88 x 8.06 inches Item Weight 5.07 Pounds
Customer reviews
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Genuine review after fully using it!
Are you wondering if it works well? It does! Any problems? None! Results? Incredible, I was truly shocked! Pros: Almost no assembly, at all. Extremely easy to understand the directions (Tumbling time will vary depending on the rocks. Don't let it scare you away when it says one phase should tumble for 6-8 days (I haven't had to tumble any that long! The longest has been 3 days). That being said, an extremely hard rock that's very jagged may need more time. Using the rocks they include, or your own collection of crystals/gemstones is a great route. A plain piece of gravel or a rock of that type is very hard and dense and may take more time (who wants polished gravel anyway though?) Extended project to do with children, lots of engagement. Because their are 4 different grit types with different purposes, the children get to return to their project, dump the rocks and check on the progress and start a new phase. It's a great opportunity to teach to teach about erosion, and show / explain what a rock looks like through millions of years of erosion and then further explain how incredible it is that we are doing this project together that mimics what nature does, we are polishing these rocks in a few weeks that takes millions of years to do in nature! It's a wonderful learning opportunity for children, as well as an extremely engaging project that although it may take quite some time for it to finish, the ongoing project itself is what makes it fun. Returning to the rocks and seeing the progress, (we actually started taking pictures each time we open it so then we can look back on the pictures and see how the rocks have changed!). I cannot say enough how great of a project this is for children to get them excited about science! Personally, I find this to be very satisfying regardless of children. This would be an extremely fun hobby for an adult as well, the above is not to say that this is a children only experience. Use or find or buy your own natural gemstones or softer rocks (look in River beds if you can!). Tumble them, polish them, and then make your jewelry or just save them to display. It's quite a satisfying feeling to see the project from beginning to end, and to know that the beautiful smooth shiny rocks were not store-bought, but that you did this with that with this machine! Cons: I've been through the tumbling process in full, twice now. I honestly cannot think of any cons at this point. It's not to say that no one has had issues, but the machine I received functions perfectly and I have had no issues with leaks or ill-fitting pieces, tearing of the belt or anything of this nature. I did take a very small amount of oil on my fingertip and lightly rub it on the belt to keep it lubricated, with the constant friction I could see how the belt can eventually wear down just like any other belt of this nature whether it's in a car or in a fan. So, keeping it very slightly lubricated will help with the health of the band. Should it break, the kid includes an extra belt and it is incredibly easy to repair, the belt is divisible and an outside piece of the equipment you simply take one off and put the other on there is no sophisticated way of connecting the belt, it is truly something my six-year-old could do with almost no instruction, so an adult will have zero issues with that! If you are interested in rock tumbling, or you just want a very fun project for your children to stimulate their interest in science or to just keep them busy using their imaginations (regarding the possibilities of what to do with the rocks, and imagining whether it will look like and the brilliant colors!) - then this is absolutely a perfect kit to start with. DO: Make sure to not put too many rocks. I've never filled mine more than one third of the way, and I wouldn't recommend doing more than that. The amount of rocks you can tumble at a time will vary depending on the size, but I also recommend not doing anything smaller than a dime because during the tumbling process it could crack and chip. I would also recommend not doing anything larger than a half dollar as well (height and width, and that'd be on the largest size). Remember, this is just the hobby edition. I do have to say though, the results are quite sophisticated for just a hobby edition! All in all, it's an excellent piece of equipment to buy if you're interested in rock tumbling but are unsure if you would stick to it or are not ready to spend a few hundred dollars on a professional Tumbler. ** I did read a few comments about the machine leaking, I have not had this problem at any point. Make sure you are putting on the inner lid correctly, as well as the top lid, then turning the black lid securing piece as tightly as possible. If you do end up having problems, I highly recommend exchanging instead of giving up, because I really have seen that it works and I just want everyone who wants to try this to have the experience I've had! It's been great fun. Wonderful purchase, no regrets!
Are you wondering if it works well? It does! Any problems? None! Results? Incredible, I was truly shocked! Pros: Almost no assembly, at all. Extremely easy to understand the directions (Tumbling time will vary depending on the rocks. Don't let it scare you away when it says one phase should tumble for 6-8 days (I haven't had to tumble any that long! The longest has been 3 days). That being said, an extremely hard rock that's very jagged may need more time. Using the rocks they include, or your own collection of crystals/gemstones is a great route. A plain piece of gravel or a rock of that type is very hard and dense and may take more time (who wants polished gravel anyway though?) Extended project to do with children, lots of engagement. Because their are 4 different grit types with different purposes, the children get to return to their project, dump the rocks and check on the progress and start a new phase. It's a great opportunity to teach to teach about erosion, and show / explain what a rock looks like through millions of years of erosion and then further explain how incredible it is that we are doing this project together that mimics what nature does, we are polishing these rocks in a few weeks that takes millions of years to do in nature! It's a wonderful learning opportunity for children, as well as an extremely engaging project that although it may take quite some time for it to finish, the ongoing project itself is what makes it fun. Returning to the rocks and seeing the progress, (we actually started taking pictures each time we open it so then we can look back on the pictures and see how the rocks have changed!). I cannot say enough how great of a project this is for children to get them excited about science! Personally, I find this to be very satisfying regardless of children. This would be an extremely fun hobby for an adult as well, the above is not to say that this is a children only experience. Use or find or buy your own natural gemstones or softer rocks (look in River beds if you can!). Tumble them, polish them, and then make your jewelry or just save them to display. It's quite a satisfying feeling to see the project from beginning to end, and to know that the beautiful smooth shiny rocks were not store-bought, but that you did this with that with this machine! Cons: I've been through the tumbling process in full, twice now. I honestly cannot think of any cons at this point. It's not to say that no one has had issues, but the machine I received functions perfectly and I have had no issues with leaks or ill-fitting pieces, tearing of the belt or anything of this nature. I did take a very small amount of oil on my fingertip and lightly rub it on the belt to keep it lubricated, with the constant friction I could see how the belt can eventually wear down just like any other belt of this nature whether it's in a car or in a fan. So, keeping it very slightly lubricated will help with the health of the band. Should it break, the kid includes an extra belt and it is incredibly easy to repair, the belt is divisible and an outside piece of the equipment you simply take one off and put the other on there is no sophisticated way of connecting the belt, it is truly something my six-year-old could do with almost no instruction, so an adult will have zero issues with that! If you are interested in rock tumbling, or you just want a very fun project for your children to stimulate their interest in science or to just keep them busy using their imaginations (regarding the possibilities of what to do with the rocks, and imagining whether it will look like and the brilliant colors!) - then this is absolutely a perfect kit to start with. DO: Make sure to not put too many rocks. I've never filled mine more than one third of the way, and I wouldn't recommend doing more than that. The amount of rocks you can tumble at a time will vary depending on the size, but I also recommend not doing anything smaller than a dime because during the tumbling process it could crack and chip. I would also recommend not doing anything larger than a half dollar as well (height and width, and that'd be on the largest size). Remember, this is just the hobby edition. I do have to say though, the results are quite sophisticated for just a hobby edition! All in all, it's an excellent piece of equipment to buy if you're interested in rock tumbling but are unsure if you would stick to it or are not ready to spend a few hundred dollars on a professional Tumbler. ** I did read a few comments about the machine leaking, I have not had this problem at any point. Make sure you are putting on the inner lid correctly, as well as the top lid, then turning the black lid securing piece as tightly as possible. If you do end up having problems, I highly recommend exchanging instead of giving up, because I really have seen that it works and I just want everyone who wants to try this to have the experience I've had! It's been great fun. Wonderful purchase, no regrets!
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The perfect gift for my budding geologist!
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 only downfall is that the machine really needs to run constantly for each of the polishing periods, which some might consider long. It can be difficult since it's pretty loud. His dad absolutely hates how loud it is and doesn't want it to be running at night, so we had to break up our run time. That resulted in it taking us two weeks to get our "7-day" results. We were satisfied with those results for now, so we haven't yet done the next round of grit and run time. So far, this machine does exactly what I expected of it. Yes, it's loud, but it's not nearly as loud as some of the other machines out there. I imagine that is due to the rubber container. In addition, the included rocks are a great way to get your kids excited about geology! We're now planning a summer rock-hunting adventure so that we can really utilize this rock tumbler and some of the other new tools we have at our disposal. For the record, the one and only reason I would give this rock tumbler less than 5 stars is because it's loud. But you know what? Rocks banging together are not quiet in nature, so I don't expect any different when they're in a man-made machine. You shouldn't either. Oh, and anyone thinking that rock tumblers take too long (or something you might tell your kids when they complain that it's taking too long)...patience is a virtue. Consider how long it took for that rock to form in the first place, and be thankful that you have a machine at your disposal to make your finds look amazing in a minute percentage of the time that it took nature to create them.
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 only downfall is that the machine really needs to run constantly for each of the polishing periods, which some might consider long. It can be difficult since it's pretty loud. His dad absolutely hates how loud it is and doesn't want it to be running at night, so we had to break up our run time. That resulted in it taking us two weeks to get our "7-day" results. We were satisfied with those results for now, so we haven't yet done the next round of grit and run time. So far, this machine does exactly what I expected of it. Yes, it's loud, but it's not nearly as loud as some of the other machines out there. I imagine that is due to the rubber container. In addition, the included rocks are a great way to get your kids excited about geology! We're now planning a summer rock-hunting adventure so that we can really utilize this rock tumbler and some of the other new tools we have at our disposal. For the record, the one and only reason I would give this rock tumbler less than 5 stars is because it's loud. But you know what? Rocks banging together are not quiet in nature, so I don't expect any different when they're in a man-made machine. You shouldn't either. Oh, and anyone thinking that rock tumblers take too long (or something you might tell your kids when they complain that it's taking too long)...patience is a virtue. Consider how long it took for that rock to form in the first place, and be thankful that you have a machine at your disposal to make your finds look amazing in a minute percentage of the time that it took nature to create them.
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Awesome tumbler, amazing customer service
I originally purchased this in March 2024. I used it pretty regularly for 9 months and it worked wonderfully and I loved the results I got with my rocks. I paused using it for a few months and when I tried to start tumbling some rocks again, the tumbler would barely start moving and then would stop all together. Opening it up and cleaning it up seemed to help for a few minutes but then it would stop again. I opened it again and the connections all seemed fine but I wondered if the motor was just worn out. I contacted the manufacturer Think Blue Marble and they immediately replied to my email saying that it sounded like it was a weight sensor issue. They offered to send me a one time replacement free of charge! I provided my address and within 72 hours of my initial email I had received a brand new natgeo tubmler set in the mail! 100 stars for amazing customer service and standing behind their product! I'm just about to finish up the first stage in this new tumbler. Thank you Think Blue Marble!!
I originally purchased this in March 2024. I used it pretty regularly for 9 months and it worked wonderfully and I loved the results I got with my rocks. I paused using it for a few months and when I tried to start tumbling some rocks again, the tumbler would barely start moving and then would stop all together. Opening it up and cleaning it up seemed to help for a few minutes but then it would stop again. I opened it again and the connections all seemed fine but I wondered if the motor was just worn out. I contacted the manufacturer Think Blue Marble and they immediately replied to my email saying that it sounded like it was a weight sensor issue. They offered to send me a one time replacement free of charge! I provided my address and within 72 hours of my initial email I had received a brand new natgeo tubmler set in the mail! 100 stars for amazing customer service and standing behind their product! I'm just about to finish up the first stage in this new tumbler. Thank you Think Blue Marble!!
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Bought for 13 year old
Amazing rock tumbler—turned rough stones into gorgeous polished gems! This tumbler is a total winner for beginners and hobbyists alike. It runs super quietly (barely noticeable even in the living room), stays cool during long cycles, and the barrel seals perfectly—no leaks or mess. I followed the standard 4-6 week process with the included grit/polish steps, and the results are stunning: dull, jagged rocks came out mirror-shiny and smooth. Easy to use and clean, the motor is strong and consistent—no stalling with a full load. Great build quality for the price—feels durable and reliable. My family loves checking the progress every week, and now we have a beautiful collection of tumbled stones for jewelry and display. If you’re into rockhounding or just want a fun, satisfying project, this is fantastic. Highly recommend!
Amazing rock tumbler—turned rough stones into gorgeous polished gems! This tumbler is a total winner for beginners and hobbyists alike. It runs super quietly (barely noticeable even in the living room), stays cool during long cycles, and the barrel seals perfectly—no leaks or mess. I followed the standard 4-6 week process with the included grit/polish steps, and the results are stunning: dull, jagged rocks came out mirror-shiny and smooth. Easy to use and clean, the motor is strong and consistent—no stalling with a full load. Great build quality for the price—feels durable and reliable. My family loves checking the progress every week, and now we have a beautiful collection of tumbled stones for jewelry and display. If you’re into rockhounding or just want a fun, satisfying project, this is fantastic. Highly recommend!
