Pictures of Tumbled Polymer Clay Beads

I have been trying out finishing my polymer clay beads by tumbling them. I tumbled them with 3 grades of sandpaper and with flannel. Here the tumbled beads are being compared with beads made at the same time but not tumbled.



The tumbled beads are smaller, rounder, smoother and shinier. They also have less fingerprints and nail marks. I could probably have gotten them smoother and gotten rid of the marks by tumbling them longer -- and possibly also with a coarser grade of sandpaper.



I tumbled them for about 20 hours total. (There is much more detail about the process in my previous post.)











A good selection of the beads seen. The non-tumbled beads are on the left, the tumbled beads are on the right.

A closer look at the groups of beads, notice the nail prints visible in the non-tumbled beads on the left.

A close up of the amethyst point inspired beads. The tumbled bead is much smoother and shinier.

Close - ups of two swirly beads.