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A simple and fast method of drilling small holes in glass for jewelry or wind chimes.
Steps
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1Find a suitable container to submerge the glass under water while drilling.[1]
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2Support the glass inside the container with a small block of wood with some dense plastic foam on the top to cushion the glass.Advertisement
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3Place your glass on top of the support. Fill the container with water until it just covers it. The glass must be underwater during the entire drilling process.[2]
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4Put either a carbide or diamond-coated drill bit into your drill. You can use a hollow core bit if you wish, but I have had better success with a solid or even a tapered bit from the local home project store.[3]
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5Put on Safety Goggles/Glasses.[4]
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6Turn on your rotary tool. It should be spinning the bit at 20,000 to 30,000 rpm.
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7Lower the bit until it touches the glass. Hold the rotary tool so the bit is perpendicular to the glass.
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8Let the bit cut through the glass at its own speed. Do not try to force it to cut quickly. It will take a minute or two for it to go through the glass.[5]
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9When the bit goes all the way through the glass and into the support beneath the glass, lift the rotary tool to remove the bit from the glass and turn off the rotary tool.
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10Inspect your glass. You should have a nice clean hole all the way through.
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Community Q&A
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QuestionWhich electric drill turns at 20,000 to 30,000 RPM? Are you sure that drilling glass should be done at such speeds?
Community AnswerThere are many drill types on the market, and all show the RPM on the silver tag. Low RPM is geared toward heavy-duty slow rotation, such as thick mixes. Others are geared to rotate at high speeds for the drill bit to cut, such as glass. What is important when using any drill is to maintain a strong grip and control, and using a drill with VRS gives you speed control as well. If using for arts and crafts, I suggest using a very short drill that won't break at high speeds.
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Warnings
- Water and electricity are a dangerous combination. Never let water get in the motor or wires, etc. Yes, electrocution is possible with house current.⧼thumbs_response⧽
- Do not press down on the tool while drilling. Lightly hold the tool so it remains straight up and down and in the spot you've chosen for your hole. Do not press down. Let the weight of the rotary tool provide all the downward pressure on the bit. If you press down on the rotary tool, you will most likely cause the glass to crack and break because the bit will not have enough time to eat its way through the glass.⧼thumbs_response⧽
- To prevent shock, always plug into a GFCI outlet. Home stores sell GFCI extension cords, if needed. This is essential; don't mess around.⧼thumbs_response⧽
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Things You'll Need
- Safety glasses
- Glass - one eighth inch thick works best
- A container for water that your glass will fit inside. Do not use a glass container. The vibrations may cause the glass to shatter. Inexpensive, round bowls may be found at your local Thrift/Dollar store. Whatever container you use, it must be large enough to hold your glass piece and deep enough so you can submerge the glass.
- A carbide or diamond-coated drill bit
- A Dremel© or similar rotary tool – the only tool you are going to find that rotates 20,000 - 30,000 RPMs is an Air Driven Pencil Grinder; hand held drill motors do not exist in the 20,000 rpm range or 10,000; you can find Pencil grinders on Ebay for about 70 dollars for a cheap one
- Styrofoam, plastic foam, wood, modeling clay, or other support for the glass
References
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