How to Drill a Hole in a Shell With a Dremel

Be it a hobbyist, a beginner glass engraver or jeweler, or even just one of us regular quarantine-bored people who just want to indulge in a simple DIY task. When we're faced with drilling holes into a material as fragile as glass without much prior experience, we must first become accustomed with the tools available to accomplish such feats such as the Dremel Rotary Tool.

The first question that comes to our mind is how to drill hole in glass with a dremel tool, we are here to guide you through the step-by-step process to avoid the risk of breaking the glass by cracking or chipping it. Unfortunately it tends to break the sea glass quite easily if not handled with due diligence. And we're sure everyone can agree that damaging the seaglass can be a gruesome nightmare for anyone involved. Therefore, in today's article we are bringing you a complete guide to drilling holes in glass, so that you too can quickly become well-versed on the subject, and get on with the task at hand!

What is a Dremel Rotary Tool?

A rotary tool, in general, is a handheld power tool that essentially rotates like a router. There are many rotary tools available on the market today, each serving a purpose of their own caliber, however we have come across one particular tool that has proven to be more useful and user-friendly than most other tools put together.

The Dremel Rotary Tools, which come in many different varying models depending on your need and requirements. They are extremely high-performing and versatile, which explains their magnanimous appeal to hobbyists. Moreover, they have undoubtedly become a market standard today in terms of their market cap, reach, and response. As such, Dremel Rotary Tools are the perfect addition to any toolbox, regardless of whether you're making important repairs around the house, or indulging in your favorite hobby.

It can be used for carving, engraving, polishing, sanding, cutting, grinding, so on and so forth.

However, one thing to keep in mind is that they are not meant to replace a router, grinder, sander, or any other tool you may be seeking to replace. This is because in the realm of rotary tools, everything comes in miniature sizing, therefore raising them in status to a class of their own. Having said that, let's now jump into today's topic of focus that is; drill holes in glass using a Dremel tool.

Always Consider Safety First

Safety is an essential and of utmost importance to consider and lets discuss the safety equipment you will require, as well as the safety precautions you must keep in mind for your personal safety.

As we're all well aware, sea glass or a beach glass as a material is extremely sharp and can do some serious damage when attempted to be cut, if not properly handled.

Secondly, as we've mentioned earlier, the unparallel strength of the Dremel tool itself as it is spinning at very high speeds, means that when the drill bit cuts through the glass, it can launch off debris in the form of dust and pieces of glass into the surroundings.

To keep yourself well protected, you will require the following:

The Equipment

Something to protect your eyes, such as safety goggles.
Something to protect your nose, such as a dust mask.
Something to protect your hands, such as gloves.

The Precautions

You must always be aware of the direction of the spinning bit when it is cutting through glass. If and when possible, you should always prefer to have it spinning away from yourself. As you proceed to drill sea glass you must make sure that constantly make an effort to remove any debris from your workstation, and keep it neat and clean, and uncluttered.

Having a neat and well-organized workspace does more to help ensure your safety than you think; it means that you are now much less likely to unknowingly breathe in dangerous debris or particles that were launched in the air around you during the process. As a rule of thumb, you should always make sure that your glass is fully secured before you jump in to cut it. And lastly, in the event that the glass breaks, always keep in mind to wear gloves before attempting to clean up the mess.

Using the Right Bits & Attachments

The Dremel Tool comes with a variety of attachments and bits, which allows the most smooth and efficient user-experience and end results when it comes to working with different hard and soft materials. It is essential to ensure that you use the best possible bit in relation to your specific situation. For instance, there are Dremel bits available specifically for cutting through wood, plastic, ceramics, and the list goes on. However, using a glass bit or a diamond tipped bit is going to give you the advantage.

To install your specific bit, just insert it into the end of your Dremel tool, and fasten it tightly therein, to ensure that it is perfectly secured.

Coming back to our situation in focus, employing a glass bit is the magic step that is going to give you the advantage in this case.

Glass-Specific Dremel Bits

Seeing as that glass is a material of extremely fragile nature, it is understandable why it is essential that whilst working on it you use the proper Dremel bits. Something to keep in mind herein, is that any bit which possesses a diamond coating (Diamond tipped bit) is going to give you far better results as opposed to a solid metal bit, when working with glass.

Furthermore, another important aspect of bits to consider before you move in towards the cutting process, is the size of the bits. The Dremel bits come in a variety of varying sizes. Your choice of size largely depends on the resulting hole-size you're aiming to achieve. For instance, you may use a 663DR ¼" to drill a hole into glass, however the ⅛" option in the same may suit you even better, if you are looking to achieve a smaller hole size. The size of the Dremel bit is completely a personal preference, you can go as small or as large as you want, although you must keep in mind that the larger you go in size, the risk of overheating sooner is just as increased, and therefore, the larger the Dremel bit, the slower the speed you should go with at it.

Lastly, it is recommended to almost always use a diamond bit when working with glass, as the diamond coating allows the cut to be ever so smooth and quick. Without which, you highly risk cracking the glass.

Drilling a Hole in Glass – What You'll Need

A Glass Block
Dremel Rotary Tool
Diamond Grit Bits
A Workbench
Some Masking Tape
A Permanent Marker
Some Clamps
Access to Water

Drilling a Hole in Glass – The Process

Step 1. Taping & Marking

Glass being a slippery material, you cannot mark it without it rubbing off the very next second. To overcome this challenge, stick a piece of the masking tape to the surface you plan on drilling. Herein, make sure to make accurate measurements, then proceed to write on top of the masking tape with your permanent marker.

Step 2. Running through Water

Expose the glass to a slow stream of running water. This step will prevent glass dust from getting into the air and also helps the Dremel and glass cool.

Step 3. Making the Cut

You may now drill through the marked spots. However, remember that you may need to pause to avoid overheating, if the glass is relatively thick.

Step 4. Filing the Glass

Herein, you should deal with any sharp rough edges on your glass piece. To completely smooth such, a diamond file with 80-grit works best.

Also keep in mind to always use a light-hand or own speed to avoid breaking the glass.

Avoiding Breakage

To avoid breaking the glass, you must keep in mind the following:

Drill Speed: As mentioned earlier, the larger the bit, the slower should your speed be. You can always turn it up as you make your way deeper into the glass.

Pressure: Use an extremely light-handed approach and be forever gentle as even just the vibrations of your tool can effectively end up cracking the glass.

Lubrication: Make sure you use some water or lubricant on the glass. This will stop the dust from flying around, and it also effectively reduces the heat buildup. Speaking of temperature, using warm water can also help, as glass breaks easier when at colder temperatures.

Lifespan: Do not expect your drill bit to last forever. You'll never want to use a dull drill bit. Changing your drill bits after the average timespan will improve the overall quality of the results. The average lifespan for drill bits is usually 50 to 100 holes on softer materials, and about half that amount for harder materials.

With that we reach the end of this article which attempted to give you complete insight into how you can drill a hole in glass using a Dremel tool, whilst risking minimum breakage and maximizing your best result potential through employing the most effective of tips and tricks. Don't forget to check back for more of such interesting yet helpful content. Happy Drilling!

How to Drill a Hole in a Shell With a Dremel

Source: https://allgaragetools.com/how-to-drill-hole-in-glass-with-a-dremel/