Drilling holes in glass containers
A few people have been having problems, using the wrong tools or techniques. So here is a set of photos that shows the step-by-step.
1. Get the right drill bits. Burr bits made for the Roto-Zip tool work very well and last a long time. Diamond bits sold in big box stores wear out very quickly, and are available in sizes that are too large. Use a small burr bit for the pilot hole and a large one to finish drilling.
2. Get a large enough plastic basin that can completely submerge the container you want to drill. Fill it with water, fill the glass container and put the container on its side, making sure that no water spills out in the process. You want water inside the container, and a bit of water above it. (Thanks to Ray for the tip to completely submerge the glass container).
3. Drill the pilot hole. If the drill bit tip starts skidding on the glass, remove the glass and stick on 4 pieces of duct tape so that they leave a tiny square in the middle uncovered.
You should see cloudy billows of ground glass coming from the drill bit tip as soon as you start drilling. Use a powerful cordless drill on high speed or corded drill on low speed. Make sure the drill is NOT set to a hammer setting (if it's a hammer drill). The pilot hole doesn't need to be all the way through the glass.
4. Change the drill bit to a large one and center it on the pilot hole. If you stop seeing ground glass coming off the drill bit, you may need to replace the bit. Even the best burr bit will get dull after 2 dozen holes.
5. Check the depth of the drilled hole periodically, and ease up on the downward pressure as you get close to the inside surface. When you break through, you don't want to break the container with the drill.
Last edited by ALToronto; 04-27-2013 at 11:33 PM..
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