How To Drill Sea Glass

What You Will Need:

Sea Glass or other types of beach pottery
A Rotary Tool or Drill (Cordless/Electric) or Upright Drill
Optional Drilax Flex Shaft
Drilax Diamond Drill Bits 1mm to 3mm (you may prefer assorted sizes)
Collet or adjustable chuck
Shallow dish to contain water
Piece of soft wood under the glass
Water to cool and lubricate
Safety mask – googles

Initial Set Up

Mark your piece when you want to drill
Fill up your plastic shallow dish with water (about 1 inches deep)
Select your drill bit, attach it with your chuck or collet, get ready to drill

Warning:

Always be extra careful water near an electric drill. Make sure your drill and working area and of course hands stays dry. Do NOT touch electrical appliances with wet hands.

How to Drill Sea Glass

1- Keep the sea glass in the water with your fingers or a type of wise / clamp.

2- Angle the diamond drill bit at about 45 degrees (90 degrees is perpendicular, so half way in the middle).

3- Start your drill at your slowest speed, do not apply too much pressure.

Please be patient.

Do not speed up your drill or apply extra pressure.

You will eventually make a hole, 1 minute sooner or later. Do not lose your patience. You may end up breaking the piece, your drill bit or ruin the tip of the bit.

4- As soon as you make your initial mark, slowly move the drill to perpendicular (vertical) position.

5- Keep it slow and with light pressure.

6- Every 10-15 seconds, move the drill bit up and let water in the hole you make.

7- To give you an idea, you can drill a regular sea glass within 60 seconds.