Good drill bits for glass.

[bubinga]

Is this a good set of bits to drill glass?
Or is the NS 2000 better?
BOSCH GT2000 4-Piece Carbide Tipped Glass, Ceramic and Tile Drill Bit Set , silver https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001GNC8RI/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[Chris705]

For glass I would recommend a diamond hole saw….. the bits you linked will work but when I used similar bits for drilling glass block it took an awful long time and used a clay dam with fluid to keep bit cool. Diamond hole saw was a fraction of the time.

 

[neophyte]

For glass you want hollow core diamond bits made for drilling glass.
If possible, you want a ring of some sort around the bit to hold water while you drill the glass, or a water feed, at least if possible.

 

[Steve_P]

above posts are correct. Diamond hole saw with a clay dam and water. Also, just in case, you can't drill tempered glass, so don't try that.

 

[bubinga]

For glass you want hollow core diamond bits made for drilling glass.
If possible, you want a ring of some sort around the bit to hold water while you drill the glass, or a water feed, at least if possible.

I thought I could do it in the kitchen sink with the faucet running?
I'm needing to drill maybe four or five holes in the bottom of a pickle jar.
Holes only need to be 1/8 to 3/16 of an inch in diameter.
I'm experimenting making a glass minnow trap I might start out with a baby one made out of a mason jar and see how that works. I'm not interested ATM in buying a glass minnow trap they are close to $70 with shipping now.

 

[bubinga]

above posts are correct. Diamond hole saw with a clay dam and water. Also, just in case, you can't drill tempered glass, so don't try that.

Not tempered as far as I know just a pickle type jar and starting out with a mason jar.

 

[bubinga]

For glass you want hollow core diamond bits made for drilling glass.
If possible, you want a ring of some sort around the bit to hold water while you drill the glass, or a water feed, at least if possible.

Diamond Drill Bit, 10 pcs Glass Diamond Hole Saw Set Drill Bits Extractor Remover Tools for Ceramics, Porcelain, Ceramic Tile 6mm - 30mm: Amazon.com: Tools & Home Improvement

Diamond Drill Bit, 10 pcs Glass Diamond Hole Saw Set Drill Bits Extractor Remover Tools for Ceramics, Porcelain, Ceramic Tile 6mm - 30mm: Amazon.com: Tools & Home Improvement

www.amazon.com

I wonder if these would be any good the only thing is I don't have a drill press here at the moment as all my stuff is in storage still.
Or if not using a drill press if the ones I linked to would be better?
From the reviews though it sounds like I might have a hard time starting these.
Lol I might end up going with A plastic bottle for now.

 

[engineer2]

Instead of clay, you can use plumber's putty.
As mentioned, you can't drill tempered glass or it will explode. Glass containers are usually not tempered.

 

[bubinga]

Instead of clay, you can use plumber's putty.
As mentioned, you can't drill tempered glass or it will explode. Glass containers are usually not tempered.

Oh really see I didn't know that.
It makes sense though. Well, looks like I might have a pickle jar for pickles coming (from ebay)LOL.
I guess I should have looked into that.
Well on second thought maybe the pickle jar would be okay without holes in it I was wanting water to pass through to oxygenate the water, but it's not like it's going to be left in the water overnight or anything I'll let you know when I come up with thanks for the advice about the jar being tempered I never thought of that, again it makes a lot of sense though.

 

[bubinga]

Oh really see I didn't know that.
It makes sense though. Well, looks like I might have a pickle jar for pickles coming (from ebay)LOL.
I guess I should have looked into that.
Well on second thought maybe the pickle jar would be okay without holes in it I was wanting water to pass through to oxygenate the water, but it's not like it's going to be left in the water overnight or anything I'll let you know when I come up with thanks for the advice about the jar being tempered I never thought of that, again it makes a lot of sense though.

I apologize I don't know what's wrong with my mind anymore?
I see something and just read it backwards, or don't read all of it?

Like today for example a guy was wanting a 15/16 in socket, in 3/8 drive.
I told him (this was on Facebook) snap-on has one, but 8 mm is right close as well.
Another guy came back and said it ain't no where close I said yes it is, and I put it in the calculator and argued with them that it's only a couple thousands difference he said read the original post again. I said, awe man I'm sorry.
I was reading 5/16.
Even when another guy wrote back and said, yes but he's wanting 15/16, I said yes I know but you can use 8 mm in a pinch it's only a couple thousands difference.
Oh dear, I guess I'm getting old thanks for reading.............
Anyways you say they are *NOT* tempered OKAY good to know.
Thanks again.

 

[engineer2]

Glass containers used for everyday items are run through an annealing lehr. It is an oven that slowly cools the containers to remove stresses right after forming. Food and liquid containers are never tempered. You can drill those safely. In my experience I have found some specialty containers made of thicker glass tend to crack now and then. Wife wanted a bottle light made from a Disarono rectangular Amaretto bottle and every one I tried to drill cracked. Oh well.

 

[techkelly]

Just make sure you use a good center punch.

 

[bubinga]

Glass containers use for everyday items are run through an annealing lehr. It is an oven that slowly cools the containers to remove stresses right after forming. Food and liquid containers are never tempered. You can drill those safely. In my experience I have found some specialty containers made of thicker glass tend to crack now and then. Wife wanted a bottle light made from a Disarono rectangular Amaretto bottle and every one I tried to drill cracked. Oh well.

This is the jar I have coming.

Empty 1 Gallon Glass Jar w/Airtight Leakproof Plastic Lid - Wide Mouth Easy | eBay

AIRTIGHT & LEAKPROOF PLASTIC LID - This lid is high quality and will not break. One Gallon of Personalization - With this UberChef Glass Jar Storage Container with Lid, the only limit to what they can be used for is your imagination!

www.ebay.com

 

[nadogail]

I recall reading in Popular Science, sometime in the 1950's, where they used a piece of copper tubing and valve grinding compound. The "Tinker's Dam" was made with Plumbers Putty.

 

[bubinga]

I recall reading in Popular Science, sometime in the 1950's, where they used a piece of copper tubing and valve grinding compound. The "Tinker's Dam" was made with Plumbers Putty.

Yes, I read that in another thread here.
The fellow's dad used to do that.

 

[seber]

Diamond plated hole saws have gotten incredibly cheap but I wonder if it is even possible to drill glass with a handheld drill. The process with a drill press is light tapping to allow the coolant to circulate.

 

[AndyL]

Home Depot, harbour freight, just about everyone has this set... Use that long tapering bit to punch through then open it up with the big one to 1/8".

Dremel or drill, just go slowish you're literally sanding a hole in the glass, vary pressure, yep running water is good.

Built many aquarium wiers etc with them - just have to be patient.

 

[neophyte]

Diamond plated hole saws have gotten incredibly cheap but I wonder if it is even possible to drill glass with a handheld drill. The process with a drill press is light tapping to allow the coolant to circulate.

When doing stained glass work, you just hold the glass over the bit and push down.
It’s not overly accurate, but the hollow core bits are also used for edge grinding glass, so the holes are usually bring enlarged as well.

 

[Half-fast eddie]

I donstained glass. Those bits posted by AndyL work fine, HF has them. They also used to have small “hole saws” in like 1/4” dia that worked well.

 

[Steve_P]

You do not necessarily need a clay dam, they obviously do not use them in a glass factory, but they do have a constant supply of water spraying on the drilling and grinding processes. If you only need small holes, then I'd try the HF set above, or your original idea.

 

[bubinga]

You do not necessarily need a clay dam, they obviously do not use them in a glass factory, but they do have a constant supply of water spraying on the drilling and grinding processes. If you only need small holes, then I'd try the HF set above, or your original idea.

Yeah just small holes 6 mm maybe.
So you think the ones I first think to would be okay for my application?
If I had my drill press here, I would get one of the diamond coated circular ones but I'm afraid of them skipping around I like the idea of the Spade point on the ones I linked to.

 

[bubinga]

Home Depot, harbour freight, just about everyone has this set... Use that long tapering bit to punch through then open it up with the big one to 1/8".

Dremel or drill, just go slowish you're literally sanding a hole in the glass, vary pressure, yep running water is good.

Built many aquarium wiers etc with them - just have to be patient.

Those look nice.

 

[bubinga]

Home Depot, harbour freight, just about everyone has this set... Use that long tapering bit to punch through then open it up with the big one to 1/8".

Dremel or drill, just go slowish you're literally sanding a hole in the glass, vary pressure, yep running water is good.

Built many aquarium wiers etc with them - just have to be patie

Those look nice.

When you say go slow are you talking my feed rate or my spindle speed or both or do I use a faster spindle speed or nice and slow on my drill?

Also do I use water with these?

 

[bubinga]

Well this set be okay? It's reasonable too I'm not looking to put a whole lot of money into this right now.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07N66M1RR/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[AndyL]

Also do I use water with these?

Yup, needs to be wet/cooled, probably best to check the how-to drill glass with a Dremel video on YouTube, I'm sure speeds will be addressed. But yeah cutting is a slow process because you're effectively sanding away a layer at a time.

 

[bubinga]

Yup, needs to be wet/cooled, probably best to check the how-to drill glass with a Dremel video on YouTube, I'm sure speeds will be addressed. But yeah cutting is a slow process because you're effectively sanding away a layer at a time.

Okay, thank you.

 

[bubinga]

Simple but slick, this guy on YouTube took a 2 liter pop bottle, drilled a hole about 1/2 way up, filled it with water, takes the cap off for water to flow, puts the cap back on, to stop water flow!

 

[csp]

Milwaukee diamond coated hole saw from Home Depot. You could be done already.

And you can use these in a hand drill. I've done several glass insulators.

 

[bubinga]

Milwaukee diamond coated hole saw from Home Depot. You could be done already.

And you can use these in a hand drill. I've done several glass insulators.

Thanks I'll check it out.
I wouldn't be done by now though LOL...... eBay never shipped my bottle, my gallon bottle. I'm going to have to open a claim I guess and get another glass jar from Amazon.
I didn't think much of it for a $13 item, but this guy has a good money negative reviews where people didn't get their items and he never answered his messages.

 

[bubinga]

Milwaukee diamond coated hole saw from Home Depot. You could be done already.

And you can use these in a hand drill. I've done several glass insulators.

So this one here would be good these Milwaukee's are they the best? Sounds like these last longer than the cheap ones? This is a 3/16"

Milwaukee 3/16 in. Diamond Max Hole Saw 49-56-0503 - The Home Depot

Make your heavy drilling work at ease with the use of this durable Milwaukee #16 Diamond Plus Hole Saw W Arbor.

www.homedepot.com

 

[Half-fast eddie]

You don’t “need” to use water when you drill, but 2 comments: the water will cool the bit so it lasts longer. For the few little holes you need that’s probably not a factor. And #2 the water will suppress the silica dust, which can be harmful to you lungs. Again for your particular project it’s probably not an issue.

If you buy the cheap set of 30 you should probably use a bit that is either round or flat on the end, it will drill faster. The pointed ones that look like they will zip right through … the diamonds wear off the point pretty quickly and stop cutting. They do work well for grinding on the side of the bit when reaching into a tight space.

 

[bubinga]

You guys are going "to kill me" (You all gave me advise about drilling glass) but I ended up at this point going with plastic.
For now at least. I may still make one out of glass in the future, but this was basically free.
I got a big plastic jar at Kroger's that had pretzels in it. And the neck from a plastic vinegar bottle.
Pictures should show it pretty well. I did try the trap, but I just don't think the minnows were around in the river yet.

 

[Half-fast eddie]

I bet that works just as well. Maybe better. No issues with dropping a wet slippery glass jar and breaking it.

 

[Bubba Fett]

You don’t “need” to use water when you drill, but 2 comments: the water will cool the bit so it lasts longer. For the few little holes you need that’s probably not a factor. And #2 the water will suppress the silica dust, which can be harmful to you lungs. Again for your particular project it’s probably not an issue.

If you buy the cheap set of 30 you should probably use a bit that is either round or flat on the end, it will drill faster. The pointed ones that look like they will zip right through … the diamonds wear off the point pretty quickly and stop cutting. They do work well for grinding on the side of the bit when reaching into a tight space.

Yeah, suppressing the dust is probably more important. It is not a good idea to breath glass particles in.

 

[bubinga]

Thought you might like to see the latest creation.
Got one of those glass jars at a thrift shop, the kind with the tap on it, took the tap off,
Leaving about a 5/8" hole in what I made the bottom. Sink in the water just fine.

 

[bubinga]

Diamond plated hole saws have gotten incredibly cheap but I wonder if it is even possible to drill glass with a handheld drill. The process with a drill press is light tapping to allow the coolant to circulate.

I have my drill press(s) here now.