How To Polish Rocks With A Dremel

Polishing rocks with a Dremel is fairly easy and straightforward because most people have a Dremel at the house and if you don’t then you can pick one up online or at the hardware store. If you’re worried about not knowing how or where to start then you’ve come to the right spot. Keep reading below to learn the basics of polishing rocks with a Dremel tool.

A Dremel can do numerous tasks, and cutting and polishing stones are two of them. You’ll need two attachments for polishing gems with a Dremel.

 

1. A sanding attachment that allows you to use different coarseness of sandpaper.
2. A polishing wheel is the second requirement.
3. Dremel 4000 with cord

 

Of course, there’s a bit more to the process, but we’ll get to that in a second. You’ll need a decent set of eyes, protective gear, a rock or gem with a Moh’s hardness of 5 or less, Dremel, bits and attachments, a polishing compound, and a diamond saw if you’re going to be cutting.

I like to break the process down into 3 phases. The first phase will be the cutting phase and this is where you will use the most coarse sandpaper (the lower the number grit the more coarse the paper is). The second phase I like to call the sanding phase because you’re still removing material but not as fast as the cutting phase (sandpaper grit should be 600 to 1200 range). The third and final phase is the polishing phase. This is when you remove all of the fine scratches and you begin to see a mirror finish on the surface of the rock. You won’t be using sandpaper during this phase but you will be using a polishing compound made from some type of oxide or diamond.

 

 

Guide On Cutting and Polishing Rocks With A Dremel

Cutting rocks with a Dremel is more straightforward than many people think it is. If this is your first attempt then you’ll want to choose a softer stone because it makes the cutting and polishing process quicker.

Go ahead and put on your goggles and face mask and let’s get to cutting and polishing some rocks.

 

Step 1

Set up your workspace with everything you need from the start. Don’t forget you’ll need a container of water with a spout that allows it to drip because you need to keep the rock and Dremel attachment cool while grinding. Heat is the enemy and you want your grinding, sanding, and polishing wheels to last as long as possible.

Determine how you’re going to hold the stone. Will you use your hands or some type of vice?

I recommend scribing or drawing the outline of the shape you want to carve directly onto the rock. After you finished this step, you need to take notice of how much material needs to be removed before you get to the outline. If its a decent amount then use a diamond trim saw or diamond cabochon wheel to remove bulk material.

If you don’t have a trim saw or diamond wheel then you’ll have to work with what you have.

Pick your point to start at the edge of your specimen, and try to cut a straight route along the border. You may have to cut around the sides instead of the middle, depending on the thickness of the rock.

Cut around the entirety of the stone for the desired shape.

 

Step 2

Now that your stone has its desired shape we move to the sanding phase. You’ll need to swap out your Dremel attachment for a sanding wheel. 600 grit is preferred but it depends on how deep the scratches are on the surface of the rock. Start removing the scratches left by the diamond cutting wheel and make sure to take breaks to check your progress.

I’d recommend wearing head-mounted magnifying glasses. This allows you to inspect the surface at 10x power and removes strain from your eyes.

 

Step 3

We’re not done sanding yet. Swap the 600-grit paper for the 800-grit sandpaper to give a smoother finish to the stone. Don’t forget to rotate the rocks as you sand them.

The surface of the stone should have a dull shine and feel very smooth to the touch.

 

Step 4

We’re approaching the final stage of sanding. Use 1000 to 2000 grit sandpaper to give the stone the final touch it needs. Once again you’ll be removing the scratches left by the 800 grit and the dull shine should be very close to a mirror-like finish but have a slight haze to it.

 

Step 5

Swap out the sanding attachment for the polishing wheel. You will want to make sure the size of your wheel fits in the nooks and crannies of the specimen. Dip the polishing wheel in your compound, diamond or oxide. Now you’ll work the polishing compound into the stone until a mirror-like finish appears. Make sure you remove all of the haze left by the 1000-grit sandpaper.

 

How To Polish Agates With A Dremel

Polishing agates with a Dremel is very straightforward and here is the process broken down step by step. Start off by creating a rough outline and then use the Dremel to cut around the edges. Next up is sanding and you’ll work your way from 600-grit to 2000-grit. After you’re done with the sanding you move to polish. Choose your polishing compound, diamond or oxides. Buff out all of the haze left from the 2000-grit.

Congrats, you’re done with your first agate. I’m sure you made some mistakes along the way and missed some scratches but you did it. Now go find another piece of agate and try again. I promise you’ll get better each time and after 3 to 4 pieces you’ll be very proud of what you created.

 

How To Polish Crystals With A Dremel

You will need your polishing wheel attachment, a Dremel, and the compound of your choice. Polishing compounds differ to a degree, but most of them are a type of oxide. Make sure you check to see what compounds should and shouldn’t be used on the specimens you’re working with. The polishing process is the same, but here are a few things to keep in mind when using a Dremel to polish stones.

 

1. Choose a Dremel with a low RPM for rock polishing. Variable speed options are best. Models with single or high-low options don’t work as well as the variable speed.
2. You’ll find pros and cons with using battery-powered Dremels, as opposed to the plug-in varieties. The trailing wire can be cumbersome but you have constant power no matter how hard you press the wheel against the stone.
3. Work in a well-ventilated area. Outdoors is the ultimate option, and don’t forget an N95-rated mask or respirator. A respirator is ideal because it covers half of your face and uses the correct mask filters.
4. Keep the Dremel bit as flat as possible to the rock’s surface when sanding tight angles. This helps sand down the areas evenly.
5. You will want a small enough polishing wheel to fit in the crevices and crannies.
6. Don’t apply too much pressure when sanding or polishing rocks. This can cause the diamond bits to wear down quickly.
7. Cerium Oxide is a good choice for polishing compounds as it works well with most stones.

 

Polishing rocks with a Dremel isn’t too difficult as long as you have the right gear. Patience is a virtue, and you might need some when you first get started. Once you’ve done it enough, it’s like second nature.