1.  NEVER pour the waste product from your barrels down the sink - it sets rock hard even under water and will rapidly cause a blockage in your pipework.  Find somewhere else to pour it - on the garden or I prefer to use a large outdoor water barrel - pouring the water out and then taking the slurry to the tip from time to time.

2.  NEVER use a barrel which has had Grit in it for the final polish phase - always ensure that you have one barrel especially designated for this purpose only.

3.  NEVER allow any grit to contaminate any machinery - your washing machine, your tumbler, your dishwasher etc - GRIT DESTROYS ALL MACHINES QUICKLY AND EFFICIENTLY.

4.  NEVER leave your barrels for more than 2 days without checking them - always keep an eye on them so that in the event of a problem such as a lid popping off you can be around to sort it out quickly.

5.  ALWAYS follow the manufacturers instructions for oiling the bearings on your tumbler, do not ignore this or you will quickly find yourself with a siezed up bearing - remember these machines need to run 24/7 without a rest!!

6.  ALWAYS use separate spoons/sieves/barrels for each type of grit - you must always avoid cross contamination of grits.

7.  ALWAYS protect your machines from damp air conditions and wet surfaces for obvious safety reasons.

8.  ALWAYS pay close attention to the washing stages - there is no point in attempting to polish stones if cross barrel contamination is occuring - they will simply never shine.