Alternative names for barrel polishers include: jewellery tumblers, lapidary tumblers, stone tumblers, or rotary tumblers.
A barrel polisher intended for jewellery use comprises of a motor base unit and a revolving barrel. The barrel is used part-filled with water, mixed stainless steel shot, and a cleaning compound. As the drum rotates, the steel shot is repeatedly dropped onto the material to be polished. Over time the combined impact of all the tiny steel shapes will gradually polish and burnish the surface.
Although the components can be bought separately, it is usually most cost effective to initially buy a complete kit.
