This is not exactly woodworking, but I suspect some of you can-do people know the answer! I bought a “bit to drill glass and attempted to drill a hole through a glass block. The bit is a diamond-shaped paddle. It seems to cut glass by beating the edges endlessly. I was surprised the special bit for glass was not a stone or diamond encrusted. I drilled for some time and still am not through the glass.
Any advice?
The glass block is the common architectural blocks that can be used to make Christmas decorations.
Thanks for any comments.
z3
Replies
I've seen the bit you described and never gave it much merit. My method for drilling a hole through glass: A diamond coated bit on a die grinder running with a trickle of water. The bit was basically a shaft with diamond dust. Forgot where I got it. I used a die grinder because I could get many thousands of RPM, and it eliminated the danger of electrical tools and water. The water kept the dust down and lubed the bit.
Suppose you could use a Dremel instead of the air tool. I think the key components are the combination of diamond, speed, and water.
I drill a lot of holes in glass making kaleidoscopes and other goodies. Glasswork is my "other" hobby and do a lot of work that incorporates both. I drill all my holes using diamond coated bits in a Dremel and using water as a lubricant. I mostly put 1/8" holes in a double layer of glass that I have fused together, maybe 3/16-1/4" thick. I hold the glass in a small dish of water (make sure it's on a GFI breaker!), not a running stream. I start at an angle and then turn straight up to finish. I can drill those holes in maybe 10 seconds.
I have seen those silly paddle shaped bits in the store but never used one. I have no idea how they could even work. I know the decorations that you are making and they have a pretty good size hole, not sure how they are drilled since any water you use to lubricate would also have to be cleaned out. The water ends up pretty nasty quickly due to the ground glass off the bit. I do know someone that made a bunch of those last Christmas, I'll try to ask him next time I see him how he drilled them.
The glass blocks usually have the miniature Christmas lights "stuffed" in them. I'm thinking a half inch diameter hole is the minimum needed.
Water inside would not be good! Although there is probably a way to deal with that also.
These are common enough that there must be some way to drill a hole that doesn't take an hour. I'm currently about 1/4 inch deep.
If you can find out how it's done, I would be very appreciative.
I anticipate making some grandfather clocks next winter. The glass over the face requires an inside corner. I made a G F clock some years ago and the glass cutter had an awful time cutting it. I have wondered if cutting a hole in the corner would help. That corner just has to be cut and I am apprehensive about the project. Got some good ideas?
Hi Tinkerer... Here's an easy solution for your grandfather clock glass problem. Start by making a full size ACCURATE pattern for the size of glass you will need. Find a 'Stained Glass' studio or supplier in your area. These guys have a great tool called a 'Ring Saw'. It's a cross between a band saw and a scroll saw with an eight inch throat. It cuts glass as easily as you would cut soft wood. You may have to pay a few dollars for the service, but it can be EASILY cut out without any problem. I've tried this neat machine and I'm trying to convince my wife that she NEEDS it for her stained glass work. SawdustSteve
Thanks for the lead. Now to find a stained glass studio. The yellow pages list neither "stained" or "studio." Suppose I can just start asking around or go to a different town. That has been a concern for some time. I just knew there had to be an answer.
"Glass, Stained"
tinkerer,
It will make your glass cutter's life easier, if you make the inside corner, an inside curve. The radius need not be too large, 3/4 - 1" is plenty. The show side of the door does not need to show the curve. Make the top rail of the door with the sharp corner, rabbet for the glass, then by hand, round over that sharp corner on the rabbet only. As long as it is symmetrical, it looks fine.
Ray
I just had some glass cut for the Hood door of a grandfather clock I am finishing up. Went to a local glass shop in the area, took the door with me. In order to make the transition from the arc at the top of the frame to the sides, they drilled about a 3/8" hole. Cost me $34.
In high school shop class (many, many years ago) I drilled a hole through one of those glass blocks to make a lamp. If I remember right, I made a clay dam around the hole, filled it with emery powder and oil, and then used a steel tube with a slot cut in the end to drill the hole. Seems like it took a heck of a long time to make the hole.
Good luck, George
You don't stop laughing because you grow old. You grow old because you stop laughing. - Michael Pritchard
Thanks for reinforcing my impressions! The die grinder thing sounds like something a machinist would use.
If I drill long enough with this diamond-shaped paddle bit, I will eventually get through the glass. It just seems there would be an easier way. Maybe there are some other bits in specialty magazines.
Thanks for the ideas about water and the clay dam.
I had a friend do this back around Christmas--the hardest part was slowing the drill press down to a speed that would not crack the blocks. I never asked them what kind of bit they used. Tom
The glazier I have worked with drills and installs mirror walls .These are often 12 ft long and have electrical recepts through them.He uses Brass tube fitted with an arbour.The end has slots hack sawed every 1/4" or so round the edge.He then builds a dam of plastercine on the glass ,fills it with kerocene and valve lapping paste.With the mains drill mounted on a suction stand uses it like a drill press and cuts through in a couple of mins (two overlapping holes ).Then he nibbles out the waste with grozing pliers to give an outlet shaped hole.
Here's a link from the Breaktime side of life. It's from the John Bridge forum -- a forum for tilers that's pretty mucy "THE tile site" for Breaktimers. It's a link for bits used for drilling porcelain tile -- the hardest stuff I've ever cut/drilled. Regular masonry/glass bits hardly even scratch the stuff. You might find something there you could use. It may be that the bit you have, if it's from a hardware store, is not very high quality -- these pro bits are around $60 & up each.
Mike Hennessy
Pittsburgh, PA
Ooh, a $60 solution!?!?! You mentioned a link?
z3
"You mentioned a link?"
Doh! I hate it when I do that! ;-)
http://www.constructioncomplete.com/TileEquipment/TileDrillBits/PorcelainDrillBits.html
Mike HennessyPittsburgh, PA
"Ooh, a $60 solution!?!?! You mentioned a link?"
I did exactly what you are trying to do last winter for the wife. I got the bit at Lowes, It was similar the LV bit, but was made of steel. It is diamond coated. I believe it was made by Panasonic. The packaging was black and green. The printing on the bit "Made in UK -10mm-25/64" I had to cut a slot, which was the only way to slide the miniature christmas lights into the glass block, that required three holes, and then drilled the left over center out with this bit. I cut at least 50 holes using this bit. I used a bench top Delta variable speed drill press, slowed way down. I would squirt a drop of water onto the glass, then start drilling, with heavy pressure, then half way through would back out the bit an add more water. This worked very well, the bit was about $ 18 and it go another 50 holes at least. Sorry if the picture is blurred, best I could do with the cheap camera I have.
I'd use a diamond hole saw
http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=1&p=32277&cat=1,180,42316
These aren't the greatest, but they are relatively cheap. A tad hard to start but I tilt the saw and spray with water. Better ones are available at good tool stores.
These are the only things I've found that will reliabile drill porcelain tile as well: Carbide usually won't even scratch them, and if you use impact you make a conical hole. So I have a full set of these.
Hmmm funny you should say $60.00, that's just how much these are!
http://www.delphiglass.com/index.cfm?page=itemView&itemsysid=148214
That's for a whole set. Just a 1/2" bit is $16.95. I do not have experience drilling holes in glass, but I have bought other glass supplies from Delphi and they are a good bunch.
Thanks to all who chimed in here to make suggestions! You gotta love the Internet! It seems to me that a diamond-encrusted core cutting bit makes the most sense. It would be fun to make some of the Christmas decorations and surprise some friends and relatives.
Take it to a glass shop with the right equipment. Should cost you $30.
Pardon my spelling,
Mike
Make sure that your next project is beyond your skill and requires tools you don't have. You won't regret it.
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