[Jewelry making - Article 00123] - [Orchid] Tumble polishing with pearls, stones

[Linlahlum]

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    Hello: Catching up on e-mail ...this reply may be too late for use.
    Judy Hoch, she of the Tumbler manual,  recommended not tumbling
    anything with stones or pearls. She said the questioner might be
    able to get by with tumbling with walnut shell charged with
    compound, but that the pearls might pick up color. 

    I tried this as a test, having a big batch of tarnished silver/pearl
    jewelry returned from consignment, and wanting to find the best
    method before risking the lot. I tumbled in dry sawdust charged with
    rouge. The pearls did come out pinkish. Under magnification, red
    grains were embedded in the pearl. It was not possible to wash them
    out. Pearls are porous, and have a microscopic texture, whether you
    can see it or not. 

    You could probably tumble white pearls with a white compound, as
    long as you don't mind the fact that they will still have white
    compound embedded in them, which will do who-knows-what over time. I
    believe it will affect the luster, permanently. Try a test piece in
    plain walnut shell, for a longer run time. The light texture of the
    walnut shell might be enough, if tarnish is not too bad. Keep it
    mind that walnut shell or sawdust will work their way into every
    unimaginable crevice, such as bead holes, and you may spend a long
    time picking it out. 

    Cheap walnut shell source! Pet supply store; sold as bedding for
    reptiles. Husband came home with big bag for daughter's pet lizard.
    I pounced and commandeered half the bag; 1/4 the price, no bulky
    shipping. 

Good luck...
Lin

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