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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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$59.99

$ 31 .99 $31.99

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1.Style:Hobby Kit 2


  • 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.
  • HIGH-QUALITY EDUCATIONAL TOYS - We're proud to make the highest quality hands-on science toys, and all our products are backed by exceptional service. If your experience is less than stellar, let us know and we'll make things right



Product Description

National Geographic Hobby Rock Tumbler Kit

The video showcases the product in use.The video guides you through product setup.The video compares multiple products.The video shows the product being unpacked.

Includes 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!

Rock tumbling is a fun way to start a beautiful rock collection!

This Hobby Rock Tumbler Kit from National Geographic includes all the accessories you’ll need to start polishing dazzling gems. Kids can use the included jewelry fastenings to create beautiful homemade jewelry!

This high-quality tumbling machine boasts a powerful motor that will last for years; an automatic shutoff timer; and a noise-reducing, leak-proof barrel with stainless steel lid. Plus, everything is included to get started: a 1/2 pound of assorted stones from around the world, 4 stages of polishing media, and jewelry fastenings to you can create your own unique wearables with your tumbled gems.

Rock tumbling is a fun activity for children of all ages and promotes an interest in geology and science! Join National Geographic as we inspire future generations by showing them the wonders of the natural world.

We make the highest quality hands-on science toys, and all products are backed by exceptional service. With a mission to inspire people to care about the planet, the National Geographic Society is one of the world's largest nonprofit scientific and educational organizations.

national geographic science toys stem kits for kids
national geographic science toys stem kits for kids
national geographic science toys stem kits for kids
national geographic science toys stem kits for kids
national geographic science toys stem kits for kids

Marie
2025-09-04 12:11:07
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!
Zazzua
2025-08-23 11:19:57
This was the best Christmas present! Perfect for starters of any age. Comes with the first round of rocks to tumble and all the grit and tools needed. I love my tumbler very much. Beware it can be noisy but that just part of the process.
B. Diaz
2025-08-17 19:42:41
**updated review below--- we got shiny rocks!**We bought this for our son as a 7th birthday gift. It's the perfect mid-range rock tumbler! It's sturdy and doesn't seem like it will break. It's been running now for over 2 weeks. It's definitely not silent, but with its rubber barrel, I suspect it's tougher and quieter than one with a plastic barrel. We keep it in the basement, but can see it'd be annoying if it was somewhere in the house. It has a handy feature where you can set it for up to 7 days and it'll tell you how many days are left- great for a kid! It includes a nice little instruction manual with information about the history of rock tumbling and description of the rocks included. It's a nice, reasonably-priced kit that includes everything you need to start tumbling rocks right away!Update: now that we've completed a batch, I figured I'd add some info. We still think it's a nice kit! The little sieve that comes with the kit is very handy! Our final stones were smooth and lovely. However, they weren't really shiny. After some reading, we learned that there is a bit of an art to this and we need to be a little more meticulous in the cleaning of the tumbler between grits. Overall, though, our 7-year-old is quite pleased with the kit. We bought the jasper set and will try that next!Update #2-- SHINY ROCKS!We did a few batches and couldn't get shiny rocks and we lost interest. My kiddo is now almost 9 but just started becoming interested in geology a lot more. We decided to try again. After reading some about it, I decided to try a better brand of grit and IT WORKED! We bought Rock Tumbler Grit for 3 Pound Tumblerby Professional Grade Rock Polishing GritAnd followed the instructions **carefully,** making sure to clean the tumbler tub very meticulously after each tumble. We also purchased tumbling pellets (Rock Tumbler "Sinking" Plastic Pellets / Beads Used For Final Polishing & Burnishing Stages) for the final two stages. The new grit had an additional stage which made all the difference. The jade set came out mostly lovely and shiny. They were not all consistently shiny, but I see promise! I added a picture using the flash to show off the polish. We're going to try the nee grit with a different set of stones now.
Jonathan Gray
2025-07-24 16:36:03
This rock tumbler set is pretty neat and super easy to use!. Kit included different grit for stages of tumbling and has a users manual that explains perfectly how to use and how long to tumble for. Great for any beginner. Tumbler is noisy but once you get used to it. Decent quality of material. Kit comes with a variety of neat rocks and also a poster showing what is what. Great value to add or start a collection
MaryLen
2025-07-12 18:21:19
It is incredibly loud. There is no place in my house that I can run this overnight.I live in Canada, cannot leave water in unheated shed.There is enough abrasive material for one tumbling cycle.The cycles take 3 - 6 days each. Many of the included rocks are so small, they are unusable after the 2nd or 3rd cycle.This product could be better. It does exactly as intended. My son is more knowledgable since we purchased this product.
Ramon
2025-07-06 11:18:24
Mi hija se li ha pasado genial puliendo piedras
Mr. P. M. Piper
2025-07-01 21:59:40
The media could not be loaded.
Marie
2025-06-06 15:53:26
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!
Zazzua
2025-06-04 21:10:47
This was the best Christmas present! Perfect for starters of any age. Comes with the first round of rocks to tumble and all the grit and tools needed. I love my tumbler very much. Beware it can be noisy but that just part of the process.
B. Diaz
2025-05-12 14:00:04
**updated review below--- we got shiny rocks!**We bought this for our son as a 7th birthday gift. It's the perfect mid-range rock tumbler! It's sturdy and doesn't seem like it will break. It's been running now for over 2 weeks. It's definitely not silent, but with its rubber barrel, I suspect it's tougher and quieter than one with a plastic barrel. We keep it in the basement, but can see it'd be annoying if it was somewhere in the house. It has a handy feature where you can set it for up to 7 days and it'll tell you how many days are left- great for a kid! It includes a nice little instruction manual with information about the history of rock tumbling and description of the rocks included. It's a nice, reasonably-priced kit that includes everything you need to start tumbling rocks right away!Update: now that we've completed a batch, I figured I'd add some info. We still think it's a nice kit! The little sieve that comes with the kit is very handy! Our final stones were smooth and lovely. However, they weren't really shiny. After some reading, we learned that there is a bit of an art to this and we need to be a little more meticulous in the cleaning of the tumbler between grits. Overall, though, our 7-year-old is quite pleased with the kit. We bought the jasper set and will try that next!Update #2-- SHINY ROCKS!We did a few batches and couldn't get shiny rocks and we lost interest. My kiddo is now almost 9 but just started becoming interested in geology a lot more. We decided to try again. After reading some about it, I decided to try a better brand of grit and IT WORKED! We bought Rock Tumbler Grit for 3 Pound Tumblerby Professional Grade Rock Polishing GritAnd followed the instructions **carefully,** making sure to clean the tumbler tub very meticulously after each tumble. We also purchased tumbling pellets (Rock Tumbler "Sinking" Plastic Pellets / Beads Used For Final Polishing & Burnishing Stages) for the final two stages. The new grit had an additional stage which made all the difference. The jade set came out mostly lovely and shiny. They were not all consistently shiny, but I see promise! I added a picture using the flash to show off the polish. We're going to try the nee grit with a different set of stones now.
Jonathan Gray
2025-04-14 16:34:59
This rock tumbler set is pretty neat and super easy to use!. Kit included different grit for stages of tumbling and has a users manual that explains perfectly how to use and how long to tumble for. Great for any beginner. Tumbler is noisy but once you get used to it. Decent quality of material. Kit comes with a variety of neat rocks and also a poster showing what is what. Great value to add or start a collection
MaryLen
2025-03-17 15:33:00
It is incredibly loud. There is no place in my house that I can run this overnight.I live in Canada, cannot leave water in unheated shed.There is enough abrasive material for one tumbling cycle.The cycles take 3 - 6 days each. Many of the included rocks are so small, they are unusable after the 2nd or 3rd cycle.This product could be better. It does exactly as intended. My son is more knowledgable since we purchased this product.
Ramon
2025-02-18 09:45:18
Mi hija se li ha pasado genial puliendo piedras
Mr. P. M. Piper
2025-01-09 17:27:58
The media could not be loaded.
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