Fastest way to make holes

[jer99]

I have to create multiple holes (4-5h in multiple wine bottle tops
I know that the tried and true method of making holes would be to drill.

This may take quitea while and was wondering if there was a faster method. I was thinking of some sort of torch since the only equipment I have is a kiln. I don't think a kiln will be useful as it might deform the glass.

Any ideas out there?

[jim burchett]

Drill baby drill

[AndyT]

I can drill a hole in a wine bottle in less than a minute with a drill press and the bottle submerged in water in a big plastic tub.

[Tod]

I'm not sure exactly what you're doing, but abrasive water jet machines make sweet holes in glass. You do need to be going thru only one thickness. Holes of almost any size (& shape!) can be drilled this way.
If you're making a series around a ring, you or the operator will need to devise a way to index the workpiece. Not that hard to do, but can be costly. Good for multiples. - Tod

[Jeff Wright]

I just recently tried an experiment to drill holes via sandblasting. Had some blown vessels that were 5-6mm thick. I created a simple stencil with a paper punch. Then I just concentrated the sandblasting in one area. I found that I made some really nice holes that way. Of course, I had to protect the inside of the vessel with newspaper so that when I actually blasted through the glass, the inside of the vessel didn't get sandblasted too!

[Brock]

A friend of mine uses his sandblaster to cut large sheets of 12mm float for room dividers and sculptures.
He clamps the sheet above and below the proposed cut line and just blasts through it.
But ya gotta have the horses . . .