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Drilling Glass

  • 17-06-2011 2:54pm
    #1
    trad
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,696 ✭✭✭


    I want to drill a hole in the base of a glass vase to make it into a lamp shade. Tghe hole is for the wiring to exit the vase.

    I bought a glass drill bit from McQuillans (8mm) and have bwwn trying it out on jars and bottles bound for the recycling bin.

    I've bracked every one of them.

    Anyone cracked the technique for drilling Glass?


Comments

  • #2
    Twin-go
    Closed Accounts Posts: 994 ✭✭✭Twin-go


    trad wrote: »
    I want to drill a hole in the base of a glass vase to make it into a lamp shade. Tghe hole is for the wiring to exit the vase.

    I bought a glass drill bit from McQuillans (8mm) and have bwwn trying it out on jars and bottles bound for the recycling bin.

    I've bracked every one of them.

    Anyone cracked the technique for drilling Glass?

    You could try using some masking tape on the glass and drill through it slowly. This worked for me drilling a mirror.


  • #3
    paddy147
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 15,858 ✭✭✭✭paddy147


    Masking tape and a mister bottle with water in it,you want to spray the base of the vase and the drill bit every few seconds so it doesnt heat up and break the glass.

    Use slow speed and light pressure and a propper glass/tile drill bit to drill glass or tile


  • #4
    CJhaughey
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 14,907 ✭✭✭✭CJhaughey


    What kind of drill bit are you using?
    I would use a diamond core drill myself especially if you are trying to make a hole that will take a flex, 8mm or so would be what you would need to make a decent size hole.
    They aren't dear, I paid something like 10euro from ebay in hong kong for a set of 8 or so from 3mm to 12mm
    They are great for drilling anything like glass/porcelain tiles etc.
    I had no success using the carbide tipped drillbits shaped like a shield they wrecked a lot of tiles before I found out about the diamond core drills.


  • #5
    trad
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,696 ✭✭✭trad


    I'm using an 8mm tungsten bit, used duct tape on it. Used an oil filter remover clamp to hold it and used a pedestal drill on the lowest speed. I also tried a variable speed hand drill very slowly.

    The water must be the key. I'll have to drink a few bottles of bear to try again tomorrow.


  • #6
    CJhaughey
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 14,907 ✭✭✭✭CJhaughey


    trad wrote: »
    I'm using an 8mm tungsten bit, used duct tape on it. Used an oil filter remover clamp to hold it and used a pedestal drill on the lowest speed. I also tried a variable speed hand drill very slowly.

    The water must be the key. I'll have to drink a few bottles of bear to try again tomorrow.
    Don't bother, throw that bit away and buy proper Diamond core ones, they are cheap and work great.


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