Guess I never imagined we were rich or lucky as kids. We were always the poor family, but now I know dad was just cheap. Its OK, we owned everything we had. He was a product of the depression and preferred sleep at night to owing anyone, ever.
So yes, we had a succession of them when I was a kid. Maybe starting when I was 12 or 13 and continuing until Dad died 20 years later. No way he'd spend money for something he could make. He'd just scrounged motors from anything he could find. Then adapt them to drive a set of rollers. His jars were just old mason or ball jars, and we used them until the glass wore through, or nearly did. They were cheap and everywhere. To add traction to the outside so the rollers would turn them, he put a couple of rubber bands on the outside.
Everyone in the family was skilled at fixing problems with them. You knew the instant you entered the house because the rumble wasn't coming from the basement. Yes it takes time, lots of it. But his later versions had long rollers that could carry more than one jar. Each was clearly labeled as to what was in it, the grit, etc. Things rumbled on downstairs. It took months to round over and then clean up and polish a "load" of stones. Some were great, others kind of failures, but we motored on regardless.
Over the last few years we've been seeing and buying them at yard sales an flea markets. Mostly brand new but with something missing. Often its just the grit needed. They go cheap because many times in flea markets the sellers have no idea what they've got or what its worth. We won't pay much. Its now the domain of my wife. She never experienced the months long grinding that is required. The noise kind of got to her, which I found amusing. If she wants to tumble, she's got to be willing to hear the noise. Its kind of comforting because you know all is well when its working.
But just as much fun was our stumbling upon a rock and mineral show out in Bueny (Buena Vista, CO). The natives wil tell you its bueny no mexican pronounciation. They hold this huge rock show every August. It'll be in a couple of weeks, where hundreds to thousands of folks roll in with their displays and sell or trade their excess. A few years back we discovered one seller who was offering one gallon old style milk cartons full of tumbled rocks. For about $5 each. So we made a few places in the already overloaded jeep and on we went. My guess is that for $5, we were ahead in grit and electricity! Never overlook a bargain.
Another thing to look out for is stones. Find a mountain stream or river. If you're in Bueny, the Arkansas river flows past. Find a sand or gravel bar, or pull off the road almost anyplace where you can see rounded stones, maybe from an ancient river. Just pick up already rounded and pretty stones and put them in a bag. My wife makes the bags from old levi's legs, sewing one end shut. Then when full enough (too full you can't lift or carry) you just wrap a piece of old wire around it a few times and twist it shut.
Materials are where you find them!
