Polishing – Optional Activity

Experiment 10A: Step-by-Step Polishing Process

What You'll Do:

1. Choose Your Polishing Projects:
   • Pick smooth river rocks or beach stones (avoid super hard rocks like quartz for your first tries)
   • Choose stones with interesting colors or patterns
   • Make sure stones are clean and dry before starting
2. Set Up Your Polishing Stations:
   • Station 1: Coarse sandpaper (rough grit) for initial shaping
   • Station 2: Medium sandpaper for smoothing
   • Station 3: Fine sandpaper for refining
   • Station 4: Very fine sandpaper for pre-polish
   • Station 5: Polishing compound (toothpaste works great!) for final shine
3. Follow the Step-by-Step Process:
   • Step 1 (Coarse - 5 minutes per stone): Remove rough spots and create basic shape
   • Step 2 (Medium - 5 minutes): Smooth out the coarse scratches
   • Step 3 (Fine - 5 minutes): Remove the medium scratches
   • Step 4 (Very Fine - 3 minutes): Create a really smooth surface
   • Step 5 (Polish - 5 minutes): Use soft cloth with polishing compound for final shine
4. Quality Control Like a Pro:
   • Look at your stone after each step with a magnifying glass
   • Take photos showing your progress
   • Notice how scratches get smaller and smaller
   • Compare your finished stone to the original rough material

International Gem Society

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