drilling holes in glass....what drill bit?

[deborahbur]

I want to drill some small holes in glass after it is fired. What is the best way.


Thanks
Deborah

[Fusionistic]

I have had good luck with a diamond burr in a dremel. Put the piece to be drilled in a pan of water so that the surface to be drilled is just below the surface of the water. The idea is to grind the glass away using the water as a coolant, rather than cut it like you would with wood or metal.

[Ron Coleman]

If you only nee to drill a few holes, check with any hobby store that sells Dremel tools for the diamond bits. Sears Hardware sells individual diamond points of sets of 4. The diamond points dont' look like a real drill bit, more like a little grinding point.

http://www.mytoolstore.com/dremel/dmdbits.html
The #7144 will drill many holes.
Check around for better prices.

Go slow and keep the point under water, like Fusonistic mentioned, at all times while you're drilling. A little clay dam around the hole will hold enough water for a hole in 1/4 inch thick glass.

If you have a bunch of hole to drill, try the Triple Ripple Bits below.

http://hisglassworks.com/pages/tripleripple.html

Ron

[Melissa Terman]

I asked the very same question some months back. Received some very fine advice, so I recommend checking the archives.

[Elizabeth]

Just did this process today!!! Used a diamond core drill bit which I ordered from Rio Grande. Not expensive and fits well in my Dremel. Also bought their Liquid Burr Life product to keep the whole mess cool. Just kept wiping a few drops of the product into the hole as I drilled, stopping frequently to check that I had enough to keep things lubricated. I suspect water would have done just as good a job, but don't like using a pan of water with an electric tool.

[sslickk]

If you have a drill press that is best. I use core drills from Crystalite corp. and a water bath for drilling stone and glass.

The bur life product is fine for jobs that won't generate a lot of heat. If your piece is over a mm or two thick the heat will start to affect the drill and the glass.

You'll get less holes per bit and have more of a chance to crack the glass.

Using water w/ a dremel is safe as long as you don't submerge the tool!

JC

[deborahbur]

So, if you use a drill press, which is a great idea, and water to keep the glass cool....what do you put the water in so you can put the glass in to drill it? Don't you have to have something under the glass so when the drill goes through, it doesn't drill through whatever is holding the water????

Thanks
Deborah

[sslickk]

Yep,
I use a square pan that has side that are about 1 1/2 inch to 2 inch tall.

I put a piece of wood in there to put the glass/stone on. That way it supports the back of the glass while keeping you from drilling through the pan.

Of course if your doing small pieces you don't need anything as big as I use. I'm somtimes drilling things of 6 inches long.

One problem w/ drilling is that the material is going to want to "pop" out the back... when you get towards the end of the hole, if you apply too much pressure the glass will give way and leave an unsightly concave area where some has broken away with the core.

So be careful to lighten up when getting to the point where the drill is going to go through. I've had some success with glueing a backing on the piece I'm drilling to avoid that. But it adds extra time to the process.

JC

[kelly alge]

Here's what I do to drill~ use a piece of modeling clay (plasticine) and make a snake- then wrap this around where you want to drill, fill inside with water and a couple drops of coolant if you want, drill just until you begin to get through the back side, then flip over and drill from the back side to finish the hole. It's probably a pain if you're doing lots of holes (I don't) but it's not as scary as the power tool in a big thing of water-

been shocked more than I'd like (not from drilling glass though)

[John]

Kelly ,your right it is pain to flip the glass over but it the way it is done in all glass factories to drill holes, unless you are fortunate enouh to have a "double headed drill" one on the top and one on the bottom.
i strongly suggest to flip it over if using a core drill. spear points are not as bad.

[Lia Howe]

On this board I got two of the best recommends for drilling glass.
1. Use Triple Ripple Drill bits. I have used lots but love these. Not as many break through the back.
2. Put a piece of foam or styrofoam in your water bath to support the glass while you drill. When you drill all the way through you won't hurt your drill bit in the wood.
I have been using both of these and I am getting great results. I should also say that I use a drill press. Hope this helps.Lia

[Joanne Owsley]

I have a cordless Mighty Mite (or something like that) by Dremel. I used it just this morning with a carbide drill bit for glass and tile. I used modeling clay as a dam to hold water. I was only drilling a small hole, but it worked like a charm.

[Bert Weiss]

So, if you use a drill press, which is a great idea, and water to keep the glass cool....what do you put the water in so you can put the glass in to drill it? Don't you have to have something under the glass so when the drill goes through, it doesn't drill through whatever is holding the water????

Thanks
Deborah

Deborah

Whatever bit you use, it will last longer in a drill press and with diamond coolant added to your water. I use Mortite or modeling clay to make a circular dam right on the glass I am drilling. You don't need much liquid to keep things cool. drill a bit then back off then drill some more etc. A great tip is to put duck tape underneath the hole to help push back against the bit when going througn the glass. This and the right pressure will minimize chipout which is the biggest challenge. You can put some modeling clay or another piece of scrap glass underneath the glass being drilled. The same technique works with core drills or small bits or of course, Burs