Rock tumblers are useful pieces of machinery for polishing rocks. However, there are certain places you want to run rock tumblers and places you do not want to run rock tumblers. This article will cover both places in detail so you can have the best experience running your rock tumbler.
Things to Look for When Choosing a Spot to Run Your Rock Tumbler
There are some traits of areas where running a rock tumbler makes sense. This article will cover these traits and explain why these areas are so good for a rock tumbler. Ideally, you want to run your rock tumbler in an area that has all of these traits.
Electricity Nearby
Rock tumblers are powered by electricity, which means you must run it in an area near an electrical outlet. You could use an extension cord to extend the range, but we strongly discourage the use of an extension cord as they will reduce the power of the rock tumbler.
Water Nearby
Next, a rock tumbler tumbles rocks through water, so it’s nice to have a source of fresh water near where you plan on running the rock tumbler. This source of water can be anything from a sink to a well.
It just needs to be fresh water. It should be close otherwise you will have to carry over water to the rock tumbler, which can be annoying.
Dry Area
Electricity and water do not mix. This means you should run your rock tumbler in an area that does not get wet.
Basically, do not run your rock tumbler outdoors unless you plan on monitoring it the entire time it runs, which is unlikely. This means do not run your rock tumbler outdoors unless you live in an extremely arid climate. But even that’s not recommended for the reason listed below.
Constant, Cool Temperature
Rock tumblers use the air to cool them. This means you should not run your rock tumbler in an area that is warm or that’s in direct sunlight.
Your rock tumbler can overheat if it’s run in a warm area or in direct sunlight. Overheating can actually break your rock tumbler or cause expensive electrical damage to it, so it’s strongly recommended to only run a rock tumbler somewhere that has a constant, cool temperature.
Places That Can Handle Noise
Rock tumblers are noisy pieces of machinery. It’s literally a bunch of rocks tumbling around in a bucket for hours – it can get annoying after a long enough time.
We recommend using a rock tumbler in an area where no one can hear the rock tumbler running.
Places Without Children or Pets
A rock tumbler has spinning parts, electricity, and makes a decent amount of noise. These are all things that can make pets, especially dogs, nervous and cause them to attack the tumbler. The last thing you want is your dog pulling the power cord to the tumbler and hurting themselves or damaging the tumbler.
The same applies to small children that may find the noise a tumbler makes interesting. This could result in them sticking their finger in a moving part or harming themselves with some of the wires on the tumbler.
Now, you want to avoid areas that pets or children can access, but you still need to have a location that is convenient enough for you. It’s often easier to run the tumbler in an area that you can easily restrict pets or children from entering than find an area that they cannot enter.
Places That Can Easily Be Cleaned
Rock tumblers themselves are not very dirty. They do a good job keeping the water and rocks inside the tumbler. The problem arises with the loading and unloading process. It’s especially common when opening the tumbler for some rocks and water to fall out of it.
This means you do not want to run your tumbler in an area that is difficult to clean such as your living room on an expensive carpet.
What Are The Best Places To Run a Rock Tumbler?
We covered the traits of good places to run a rock tumbler, but what are the best places to run a rock tumbler?
This varies depending on your personal situation. Most people tend to run their rock tumbler in their garage or basement. Garages and basements areas are indoors, easy to clean, dry, and usually have electricity and water nearby. You can also run a rock tumbler in a workshop, but avoid running it on a workbench because the tumbler can fall off the bench while it’s running.
What If You Don’t Have a Garage or Basement to Run a Rock Tumbler?
The most common place to run a rock tumbler is a garage or basement for the reasons listed above. However, not everyone has access to a garage or basement. You may live in an apartment or your house may not have a garage or basement.
This does not mean you should run the tumbler outside, though.
Do you have a shed?
Many houses without a garage or basement will have a shed. This is not the ideal location to run a rock tumbler unless it has electricity, but it will still work if there’s no other option available. You can run an extension cord to the shed if necessary.
Where to Run a Rock Tumbler in an Apartment?
Running a rock tumbler in an apartment is challenging. The noise that they produce can annoy neighbors and there’s often no place to run it that can easily be cleaned. You will likely have to compromise on some of the points listed in the first section if you live in an apartment.
Anyway, if you live in an apartment, then you can run your rock tumbler in your closet. You may also be able to run it on your kitchen counter, but you have to be careful as they can sometimes jump off the counter while in operation.
Final Thoughts
To summarize, the best place to run your rock tumbler is in a basement, garage, or shed because these areas are dry, easy to clean, and far enough away that the noise will not bother you.
If those areas are not available to you, then a closet or even your kitchen counter would work (make sure it does not fall off while operating).
The main thing you want to look for in a spot to run your rock tumbler is a cool, constant temperature and dryness. Hot temperature or wetness can destroy your rock tumbler, so areas like that should be avoided at all costs.