Buying Guide

Best Lapidary Equipment for Beginners

Start with the essentials: a saw, a grinder polisher, a tumbler and a few supplies. Here is how to build a first setup.

Decide what you want to make

Your first purchases depend on your goal. Tumbling stones for polished pocket rocks needs very different equipment from cutting cabochons for jewelry. Start with the process you want to try first and add machines as your skills grow.

If you want polished stones

A rotary tumbler is the easiest place to start. Small units such as the Lortone 3A suit a first batch, and a starter grit and polish kit supplies the abrasives. Read Choosing Your First Rotary Tumbler.

If you want to cut cabochons

A trim saw to cut blanks.
A grinder polisher to shape and polish, such as the CabKing 6 Inch Grinder Polisher.
Dop wax and sticks to hold the stones.
A polish such as cerium oxide.

Learn the basics in How to Cut a Cabochon.

Growing your shop

Add a slab saw for larger rough, a flat lap for flat surfaces, or a wet belt sander to speed up shaping.

Budget tip Buy the best saw and grinder you can afford. Consumables like blades, wheels and grit are cheap to replace, but the machine itself sets the quality of everything you make.

Not sure where to start? Browse blades or compare saws.