Rock Tumbler Jewelry: What to Make With Tumbled Stones

We research products independently. When you buy through links on this page, we may earn a commission from Amazon at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Learn more.

The best rock tumbler jewelry is simple: a bell-cap pendant, a wire-wrapped stone, a key chain or a pair of earrings, made from a hard, well-polished stone with a glued or wrapped finding. You don't need a jewelry bench. A few findings, a two-part epoxy and some patience will turn a batch of tumbled stones into gifts.

This guide covers what to make, how to attach findings so they stay put, and which stones survive daily wear. If your stones aren't finished yet, our how to rock tumble guide gets you there.

Pick the Right Stones

Jewelry rubs against clothing, keys and countertops, so hardness matters even more than in the tumbler.

Choose stones with a true polish, one that looks the same wet and dry, per Kingsley North's test. A stone that only shines wet will look dull once it's dry on a chain. Our guide to tumbled stones helps identify what you have, and our best rocks for tumbling guide lists hardness groups.

Shape matters too. Rocktumbler.com suggests medium-size stones that taper to a point for bell-cap pendants. Flat-backed stones suit glue-on bails, rings and earrings with pads.

Jewelry Ideas for Tumbled Stones

1. Bell-Cap Pendant (Easiest)

A bell cap is a small metal cap with bendable fingers that grips the top of a stone, with a loop for a bail. Rocktumbler.com's necklace steps:

1. Shape the cap. Set it on the stone where it will attach and bend the fingers until they touch the stone. A burnisher helps.
2. Prep the surface. Lightly sand the contact area so the glue has grip, then clean the cap and stone with detergent or a mild solvent to remove oils.
3. Mix epoxy. Rocktumbler.com uses Epoxy 330: one drop each of Part A and Part B on scrap cardboard, mixed thoroughly with a flat toothpick.
4. Glue and set. Coat the inside of each finger thinly, place the cap, and stand the stone upright in sand or clay so the cap stays level. Keep sand away from the epoxy.
5. Attach the bail and chain once the epoxy has hardened. Rocktumbler.com says it sets in about 15 minutes and needs roughly two hours to harden.

2. Glue-On Bail Pendant

A glue-on bail has a flat pad that bonds to the back of a flat stone. Use the same sand, clean and epoxy routine, and clamp or tape the bail in place while it cures. Rocktumbler.com suggests small spring clamps or transparent tape to hold alignment.

3. Wire-Wrapped Pendant

Wire wrapping cages the stone in wire instead of gluing it, so it works on any shape and lets you swap stones later. Use craft wire in a soft temper, wrap a frame around the stone's widest point, then twist a loop at the top for the chain. It takes practice, but needs no glue or curing.

4. Key Chains

Key chains take the most abuse, so use a hard stone (Mohs 7) and a sturdy bell cap or glue-on finding. Rocktumbler.com publishes key chain steps alongside its necklace steps. Kit tumblers from National Geographic, Dan&Darci and KomeStone include jewelry findings, and National Geographic's Starter kit lists a key chain among them, which makes this a good first project for kids. See our guide to rock tumblers for kids.

5. Earrings

Small, matched stones on glue-pad posts or bell caps on hooks. Sorting a batch for matching pairs is half the fun. Earrings see little abrasion, so softer stones work here.

6. Tie Tacks, Pins and Barrettes

Rocktumbler.com lists tie tacks, pins and barrettes among uses for small, flat-sided stones glued to findings.

7. Rings

Rings take constant knocks. Use only hard stones on adjustable ring blanks with a glue pad, and expect the bond to need occasional regluing.

8. Drilled Beads (Advanced)

Drilling a stone lets you thread it on cord or wire. It needs diamond-coated bits and water to keep the bit cool. Dremel says its 7103 diamond wheel point is for glass, semi-precious stones and other hard materials and should not run faster than 35,000 rpm. Wear eye protection and work wet to keep silica dust down. Our upcoming guide to Dremel rock polishing covers bits and tools.

Glue: What Holds and How to Use It

Rocktumbler.com tested several adhesives for bonding tumbled stones to metal findings:

Tips that make the bond last:

• Fit the finding before you open the glue. Bend caps and test them dry.
• Roughen only the contact area with fine sandpaper. Polished surfaces give glue little grip.
• Clean after shaping and sanding, to remove oils and dust.
• Hold parts still while curing, in a box of sand, with tape or with small clamps.
• Let it cure fully before wearing. Rocktumbler.com warns that epoxy bonds may fail with temperature extremes or rough use.

Basic Tool Kit for Tumbled Stone Jewelry

You can make most of these pieces with a short list of tools:

• Findings: bell caps, bails, glue-on bails, key rings, earring hooks or posts, ring blanks and chains.
• Two-part epoxy plus scrap cardboard and flat toothpicks for mixing, as Rocktumbler.com describes.
• Fine sandpaper to roughen contact areas, and a mild detergent or solvent to clean them.
• Chain-nose and round-nose pliers for bending caps, opening jump rings and forming wire loops.
• A burnisher to press bell-cap fingers against the stone.
• A box of sand or modeling clay to hold stones upright while the glue cures.
• Small spring clamps and transparent tape to hold parts in alignment.
• Wire cutters and craft wire if you plan to wire wrap.

Matching Findings to Stones

Sort finished stones by shape before you buy findings. Teardrop and tapered stones suit bell caps. Flat-backed stones suit glue-on bails, ring pads and earring posts. Irregular, lumpy stones are best wire wrapped, because a wire cage adapts to any shape. Pairs of similar small stones become earrings. If a batch produced lots of round stones, think key chains and bracelets with cages or glued caps.

Finish and Care

Wipe finished pieces with a soft cloth, and store them apart so harder stones don't scratch softer ones or the metal. Keep glued pieces away from heat and hot water, since Rocktumbler.com warns that epoxy bonds may fail with temperature extremes. If a stone scuffs over time, it can go back through the polish stage once removed from its finding.

Common Mistakes

• Using a stone that only shines wet. It'll look dull in the jewelry.
• Gluing to a polished, oily surface. Sand and clean first.
• Too much glue. Excess squeezes out and looks messy; a thin layer is stronger.
• Soft stones in rings or key chains. They scratch quickly.
• Wearing it before the epoxy cures.

Make It a Project

Tumble a batch with jewelry in mind. Pick hard, colorful rough, keep the best-shaped stones aside after polishing, and photograph them before and after. Our before-and-after guide shows what to expect at each stage.

FAQ