ROCK TUMBLING: From Stones to Gems to Jewelry

With no indication that she is especially interested or experienced in this particular hobby, the author of various craft books introduces the lapidary art--briefly defining gemstones and distinguishing between precious and semiprecious (a matter of hardness), then offering some cursory suggestions for finding and buying rocks, testing for hardness and preparing them for tumbling, collecting equipment and putting it to work, and making the tumbled stones into jewelry. Buying tips include no helpful specifics except the titles of two lapidary magazines, and though Meyer does mention, well into her instructions on techniques, that ""after several weeks--or maybe a couple of months"" you will be ready for the grind cycle, we would expect (along with some safety warnings about the plug-in tumblers that are sold as toys) more and earlier emphasis on the fact that stones aren't polished in a rainy afternoon session. We'd rate this low on the hardness scale.