---
product_id: 34394992
title: "National Geographic Starter Rock Tumbler Kit - Durable Leak-Proof Rock Polisher - Complete Rock Tumbling Kit with 4-Stage Silicon Carbide Grit - Geology Hobby, Rocks & Crystals (Amazon Exclusive)"
brand: "blue marble"
price: "$177"
currency: NZD
in_stock: true
reviews_count: 13
category: "Blue Marble"
url: https://www.desertcart.nz/products/34394992-national-geographic-starter-rock-tumbler-kit-durable-leak-proof-rock
store_origin: NZ
region: New Zealand
---

# 4-stage silicon carbide grit polish Leak-proof, rubber-lined barrel Durable motor for multiple batches National Geographic Starter Rock Tumbler Kit - Durable Leak-Proof Rock Polisher - Complete Rock Tumbling Kit with 4-Stage Silicon Carbide Grit - Geology Hobby, Rocks & Crystals (Amazon Exclusive)

**Brand:** blue marble
**Price:** $177
**Availability:** ✅ In Stock

## Summary

> 💎 Polish your passion, rock your world!

## Quick Answers

- **What is this?** National Geographic Starter Rock Tumbler Kit - Durable Leak-Proof Rock Polisher - Complete Rock Tumbling Kit with 4-Stage Silicon Carbide Grit - Geology Hobby, Rocks & Crystals (Amazon Exclusive) by blue marble
- **How much does it cost?** $177 with free shipping
- **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship
- **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.nz](https://www.desertcart.nz/products/34394992-national-geographic-starter-rock-tumbler-kit-durable-leak-proof-rock)

## Best For

- blue marble enthusiasts

## Why This Product

- Trusted blue marble brand quality
- Free international shipping included
- Worldwide delivery with tracking
- 15-day hassle-free returns

## Key Features

- • **Learn While You Create:** Step-by-step instructions and a full-color geology guide make this a perfect educational hobby.
- • **Built to Endure Every Batch:** Robust motor and leak-proof barrel ensure quiet, mess-free tumbling session after session.
- • **Award-Winning Quality & Support:** From the Toy Association’s Toy of the Year winner with dedicated U.S. customer care.
- • **Transform Rough Rocks into Gems:** Effortlessly polish stones into museum-quality gemstones with a simple 4-stage process.
- • **Complete Kit for Instant Creativity:** Includes ½ lb of rough stones, 9 gemstone types, 5 jewelry fastenings, and detailed guides.

## Overview

The National Geographic Starter Rock Tumbler Kit is a durable, leak-proof rock polisher featuring a powerful motor and a 4-stage silicon carbide grit system. Designed for beginners and hobbyists, it includes ½ pound of rough stones with nine gemstone varieties, jewelry fastenings, and educational guides. Quiet, reliable, and award-winning, this kit transforms rough rocks into stunning polished gems while fostering creativity and learning.

## Description

desertcart.com: National Geographic Starter Rock Tumbler Kit - Durable Leak-Proof Rock Polisher - Complete Rock Tumbling Kit with 4-Stage Silicon Carbide Grit - Geology Hobby, Rocks & Crystals (desertcart Exclusive) : Toys & Games

Review: Bought for 6 year old - Amazing rock tumbler—turned rough stones into gorgeous polished gems! This tumbler is a total winner for beginners and hobbyists alike. It runs super quietly (barely noticeable even in the living room), stays cool during long cycles, and the barrel seals perfectly—no leaks or mess. I followed the standard 4-6 week process with the included grit/polish steps, and the results are stunning: dull, jagged rocks came out mirror-shiny and smooth. Easy to use and clean, the motor is strong and consistent—no stalling with a full load. Great build quality for the price—feels durable and reliable. My family loves checking the progress every week, and now we have a beautiful collection of tumbled stones for jewelry and display. If you’re into rockhounding or just want a fun, satisfying project, this is fantastic. Highly recommend!
Review: awesome - awesome, good starter

## Features

- CREATE YOUR OWN GEMSTONES - Rock tumbling is a hugely popular hobby for kids and adults! This starter rock tumbler makes it fun and easy to turn rough rocks into beautifully polished gemstones, thanks to its simple operation and durable design.
- A TUMBLER THAT'S MADE TO LAST - The durable motor allows you to tumble multiple batches of rocks. An improved, leak-proof barrel is lined with rubber for quieter operation while tumbling on the sturdy tumbler base.
- ALL-IN-ONE TUMBLING KIT - This kit has everything you need and then some! You get ½ a pound of rough rocks with nine different types of gemstones inside, five jewelry fastenings, and our four-stage rock polishing grit.
- EASY TO USE AND EDUCATIONAL - Detailed tumbler instructions lead you step-by-step through the rock tumbling process, A full-color learning guide details how rocks are naturally polished and has fascinating facts about the gemstones in the kit.
- AWARD-WINNING PRODUCTS - Blue Marble, winner of the Toy Association's prestigious Toy of the Year Award, proudly develops products that foster education, imagination, and creativity, with a U.S. support team to ensure a stellar experience!

## Technical Specifications

| Specification | Value |
|---------------|-------|
| ASIN | B01I56RV0C |
| Best Sellers Rank | #12,535 in Toys & Games ( See Top 100 in Toys & Games ) #5 in Kids' Rock Tumblers |
| Customer Reviews | 4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars (11,004) |
| Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | No |
| Item Weight | 4.18 pounds |
| Item model number | NGTUMBLER2 |
| Manufacturer | Discover with Dr. Cool |
| Manufacturer recommended age | 8 - 12 years |
| Product Dimensions | 10.98 x 5.2 x 12 inches |
| Release date | October 13, 2017 |

## Images

![National Geographic Starter Rock Tumbler Kit - Durable Leak-Proof Rock Polisher - Complete Rock Tumbling Kit with 4-Stage Silicon Carbide Grit - Geology Hobby, Rocks & Crystals (Amazon Exclusive) - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81HyxXKFvrL.jpg)

## Questions & Answers

**Q: Can this be used to tumble glass to make sea glass?**
A: Yes! I have a spot where I find lots of shards of glass and rare colors but they just aren’t “cooked” enough. I got the tumbler to finish them. The glass I have is real sea glass not fake nor bottles I break (which I have never done and won’t because I like that I find my glass and know it has a story from whence it came!) I have found it along beaches and rivers but it just needed some extra time to be perfect but because of the color rarity I wasn’t going to toss it back!

**Q: Where can I buy more grit?**
A: Amazon (there are alternatives if you want to search for a specific one you need: coarse (60/90 grit), medium (150/220 grit), fine (500 grit), rock polish (TXP aluminum oxide) but below are two choices that will contain all you’d need, are approx the same lbs of material, and will work equally well):

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MRKI4W0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_8luBDbAX0440H

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07PYFGT44/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_SkuBDbZFZBTVW

**Q: How many pounds/ounces of rocks can you put into the barrel with grit for tumbling?**
A: The Rock Tumbler can hold 1lb (16oz) of rocks in the barrel with the grit for tumbling.Thank you for your inquiry!

**Q: How long does it take from start to finish? And can you use any rocks or only the ones that come with it**
A: Each grade of sand is a different grit. About 3 weeks and one extra week to polish. You can run any rocks even ones that you find.

## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Bought for 6 year old
*by N***E on January 29, 2026*

Amazing rock tumbler—turned rough stones into gorgeous polished gems! This tumbler is a total winner for beginners and hobbyists alike. It runs super quietly (barely noticeable even in the living room), stays cool during long cycles, and the barrel seals perfectly—no leaks or mess. I followed the standard 4-6 week process with the included grit/polish steps, and the results are stunning: dull, jagged rocks came out mirror-shiny and smooth. Easy to use and clean, the motor is strong and consistent—no stalling with a full load. Great build quality for the price—feels durable and reliable. My family loves checking the progress every week, and now we have a beautiful collection of tumbled stones for jewelry and display. If you’re into rockhounding or just want a fun, satisfying project, this is fantastic. Highly recommend!

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ awesome
*by F***3 on January 11, 2026*

awesome, good starter

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Ok, read my review and learn.
*by K***M on September 28, 2022*

I'm just gonna start off by saying, this Tumbler's issues are easily avoidable and I'll go over why your rocks aren't coming out shiny. I'll address the biggest issue people have with this Tumbler; The lid becomes increasingly harder to take off and put on. I, someone who had strength trained most of his life, had a difficult time opening and closing the lid after a while of using it. I do have a solution though. Nat Geo tells you to wash and dry the barrel and rubber lining inside it after every use, well, what happens when you're trying to push two pieces of dry rubber against each other? Yeah, it won't go so well. They stick and won't move. That's what's happening when the rubber of the barrel and the rubber gasket in the lid meet, not allowing you to turn and close. I realized that all it would need to work is to use a little oil. I took a Q-Tip, dabbed it in a little olive oil and just run it around where the lid gasket meets the rubbing barrel lining. Works like a charm! Even a meak child could open and close it after the oil. I would though recommend using something else in place of olive oil since after a while, it will start to rot and smell. I'd use a really light machine oil and use just enough to soak the tip of the Q-Tip. Interlude: I would also recommend taking the entire rubber barrel lining out, cleaning it and the inside of the plastic barrel. A lot of the time, grit and water gets in there and can cause bubbles in the rubber lining or the grit may harden and cause irregular weight on the barrel keeping your rocks from tumbling correctly. Last thing I want to go over is the lack of shine on your rocks. Nat Geo gives you grit for each stage of tumbling, grits one through three are decent but the "polish" is garbage. Their grits are pretty standard, all are Silicon Carbide, Stage One is 60/90#, Stage Two is 120/220# and Stage Three is 600#. All of those are fine and dandy but the "polish" is 1200# Silicon Carbide which will not get your rocks to have a luster. What you want is 1200# Aluminum Oxide. You can get a healthy amount from places like Kingsley North, Rock Tumbling dot com (yeah, I wrote dot come), The Rock Shed or Polly Plastics. You'll want to do two tablespoons of each grit per pound of rock plus media (if you use it) and tumble them for five to seven days. You should get a nice shine on your rocks after all that.

## Frequently Bought Together

- NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC Starter Rock Tumbling Kit - Durable Leak-Proof Polisher for Kids Complete Geology Hobby Science Kit, Rocks and Crystals Kids, A Great STEM Activity
- NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC Rock Tumbler Refill Kit – 1Lb. Gemstones and Rocks for Tumbling including Unpolished Amethyst and Quartz – Rock Tumbler Supplies include Rock Tumbler Grit and Jewelry Accessories
- Blue Marble National Geographic Rock Tumbler Grit and Polish Refill Kit - Tumbling Grit Media, Polish Up to 20 lbs. of Rocks, Works with Any Rock Polisher, Rock Tumbler Supplies

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*Product available on Desertcart New Zealand*
*Store origin: NZ*
*Last updated: 2026-02-11*