Drilling holes in glass?

[Val Eibner]

Just would like to know what the wise glass artists with lots of experience use to drill holes into glass...the tool and bits use?? I would really appreciate some direction in this technical area. I have looked at the Dremel tool site on the net that doesn't support that type of drilling. Also, looking into buying a delta 8" drill press to do the work with a carbide bit or a diamond bit. Help... Val

[Peg]

I use a cordless Dremel 7800 in a stand, with diamond bits. Works a treat. I chose cordless 'cos I keep the bit under water and mains electric wouldn't be safe.

The bit tips don't last very long (maybe 10 holes in 6mm BE fused glass) - though after a small hole is drilled I sometimes widen them using old bits to grids the edges away.

Peg

[Tony Smith]

Depending on the size of hole, people use the triple-ripple diamond drills or core drills. Some people have had luck with the diamond coated wire drills, but they don't seem to last as long (or cost as much) as the triple ripple bits. Also the bits will last longer if you use a drill press. Drills are always used submerged under water (with frequent withdrawal/plunging motions to flush the fines and rewet/cool the bit) so you need to drill inside a container of water or form a dam around the hole and fill it with water. Mortite rope caulking (found in any hardware store) works well for this.

Drill bits can be found at Kingsley North http://www.kingsleynorth.com/coredrills.html

Tony

[nancyB inMD]

I have been using a corded Dremel with tripleripple bits for tiny holes. I need to make some holes i 1/8 inch in size and am not sure how well the Dremel will do the task or hold up to what I assume is more wear and tear and stress on the motor because of the size of the hole and thickness of the glass.. At Corning, we used a Fordham with Flexi shaft. How could one adapt that for use in a small Drill Press? I did not feel that I was drilling the holes at 90* angle by just eyeballing with the Fordham . I know it would mean even more of a challenge with thicker glass.

For a regular drill press, what rpm should I look for to do this sort of drilling?


thanks,
nancy B in MD

[Bruce]

I drill lots of holes when I am making my wind chimes. I use the Dremel
mounted in the Dremel drill press. I run it on the highest speed and use
the up and down motion already suggested. My drill bits come from wherever I can find them cheap. I use anything that has diamond on the bottom. They come in round, cylinder, tapered and straight. I probably get about 75 to a hundred holes out of a bit. The sets run about five to
ten dollars and have about ten to twenty bits, it comes out pretty cheap per hole. And as already noted, be sure and run them in water.

[Tony Smith]

For a small drill size you want to be running you foredom at the middle of it's range... same with a dremel. In a small drill press, you want to use it as fast as it will go. You can get a drill press attachment for you dremel which will help keep the bit straight.
http://www.dremel.com/productdisplay/at ... lor=99CCFF

Tony

[Val Eibner]

Thanks everyone for replying to my drilling inquiries. The dremel site doesn't support the use of their tools for drilling in glass...they should wake up and acknowledge glass as a material that needs some more tool and bits support. I have a 30 year old dremel that still works, but I might get a new one and a dremel press to boot. I have a good line on a 8" delta drill press for under 100.00 Cdn. tempting. I am starting to get really interested in acquiring a larger kiln as well. My knowledge is expanding every day on what is required for glass fusion and larger projects. My days as a clay sculptor is now being interrupted by glass and very happy for it. V.