About

Fred's Story

It all started when a friend took him to Rock River in Vermont. The first day there, his pockets were completely full, and his pants were falling down. He kept going back, hauling five-gallon buckets of stones home. The problem was that they looked great wet but dull when dry. That question — how do you make them look good all the time? — led Fred to lapidary work, tumbling, and eventually opening the shop.

"A lot of mistakes were made" along the way, as Fred will readily admit — trying different tumblers, grits, polishes, and methods until landing on a process he's genuinely proud of. The results speak for themselves: hundreds of varieties in stock, nearly all tumbled right here on Pine Banks Road.

the Trade is in my blood

I was adopted at birth and discovered my biological family about five years ago. I learned I am 17% Italian and that both my grandfather and great-grandfather were rock polishers. Their death certificates even state they worked in the granite sheds in Barre, VT.

Picture to the right were unidentified workers from 1896 Beck & Beck Granite Shed, Barre VT. Could be of of my relatives there!

Source: Barre Life Summer 1982, The Barre Granite Association, Barre, VT.

The Workshop

Fred runs a professional-grade lapidary workshop with the following equipment:

  • Diamond Pacific 40T Rotary tumbler

    Used primarily for the first tumbling stage with rocks of similar hardness such as jaspers, agates, petrified wood, and quartz. Handles a mix of smaller stones along with a few larger pieces using 36 grit over a 10-day cycle.

  • 10 LB MJR - tumbler

    Used for all four tumbling steps when first purchased and now mainly used for dry polishing fluorite and other soft stones with ground corn cob. Made from PVC fittings and simple enough that a similar version could likely be built at home.

  • Lortone QT12 "Big Blue" Tumbler

    This tumbler has proven to be durable, easy to clean, and has only needed a few replacement parts such as a lid seal and drive belt. It is now mainly used for stage two with 120/220 silicon carbide for seven days and runs much quieter than larger rotary and vibratory tumblers.

  • Thumlers Model B "Big Red" Tumbler

    This was the first large tumbler used and made it possible to process much more material at once. It is durable and easy to clean, with the only drawback being the six thumb screws used to secure the lid.

  • Lot-O Twin Vibratory tumbler

    Used to achieve a faster, more efficient polish with less grit and polish than rotary tumblers, completing batches in about six days. Slightly noisy but reliable, it pairs well with rotary tumblers for the best results—rotary for shaping and vibratory for finishing.

  • Ultra Vibe 18 Vibratory tumbler

    Used to streamline the tumbling process by running full batches for steps three, extra fine, and final polish with various grits and polishes. Loud and workshop-ready, it eliminates the need to track stones individually in colanders.

  • Highland Park 12" Slab Saw

    Used to cut slabs for cabochons and medallions with consistent thickness ensured by a dial indicator. Reliable over the years with an MK301 blade and mineral oil for lubrication and cooling, despite an early capacitor replacement.

  • Lortone 6″ Trim Saw

    Used to trim most of the material around a traced shape, cutting close while leaving the line for the next step. Reliable equipment that uses mineral oil to lubricate and keep the blade cool.

  • 6″ Cab King Cabachon Machine

    Used to shape, grind, and polish cabochons after the rough material has been trimmed. Multiple wheels allow for smoothing and refining the stone through each stage of the process.

  • Tumbling Grit Cart

    Used to organize and store tumbling grits and supplies for each stage of the tumbling process. Keeps materials easy to access and helps keep the workspace clean and efficient. A practical setup that makes switching between grit stages quick and convenient.

The Journey

2016 — Started tumbling on the property with small 3 lb barrel tumblers.

2018 — Upgraded to larger tumblers. Joined the Keene Mineral Club.

2020 — Launched online sales. Added vibratory tumbling for superior polish.

Today — 250+ varieties in stock. Walk-in Saturdays, by-appointment weekdays.

  • Petrified wood. It's technically a fossil, but it is my favorite because of the incredible variety of colors, and the fact that it really was a tree millions of years ago. Some pieces show visible rings and a mix of agatized or opalized sections. I always have a lot of petrified wood in stock, from full-size logs to smaller limb casts to smaller gem-quality pieces.


  • Yes — I am a member of the Keene Mineral Club, which provides access to restricted rockhounding sites across New England that most collectors never get to visit.


  • Yes — all tumbling is done right here at the shop in Putney. I started with a 3-pound tumbler and now run a 40-pound tumbler (with multiple sizes in between). The process is similar to sanding wood — going from coarse grit down to a fine polish.

    Learn more about our Tumbling Service.


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