JimsShip Posted August 25, 2015 Share Posted August 25, 2015 I have always loved using reclaimed scrap to make new inventive ideas, and IFI has always supplied me with some great ones.A friend found something online they asked if I could make since the prices quoted are really out of his budget, so he asked me to see what i can come up with. (OK which ideas i can "Borrow"). xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.com I have to wonder though, How do you think they drill a hole into the glass insulators without breaking them?Also. i've never seen the washers they use for some backing plates, are these common? I may have to buy some from them, I've never seen any before! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Comtois Posted August 25, 2015 Share Posted August 25, 2015 Huh. Pretty cool. I have a box full of insulators sitting in my shop that I picked up at an estate sale for next to nothing, under the premise that I could probably do something coo with them sometime. Now I know!Big-box hardware stores have glass drill bits, they are pretty pricy if you just have a one-time use for them (but if you can get the prices listed on that page, might be worth it!). You need to keep a pretty steady stream of water going to keep the glass from overheating and cracking. There are some good videos on youtube showing the process. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimsShip Posted August 25, 2015 Author Share Posted August 25, 2015 Also, this has been discussed many times in many threads, but just to clarify, all scrap should be obtained LEGALLY, and not picked up off the tracks without permission. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SmoothBore Posted August 25, 2015 Share Posted August 25, 2015 For some reason, the link in the original post, comes up as ..... xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.comBut, based on the rest of the comments, I'm going to take a Wild-Guess, ... that you're looking to drill holes in the dome ( top ) of the insulators.Five or Six years ago, I needed to drill 1/2" holes in the edges of hollow glass blocks, that are normally "mortared" into masonry walls.Patrish ( my Girlfriend ) wanted to stuff strings of "twinkle" lights into them, ... and then add ribbons and bows, to simulate a wrapped Christmas gift. The thing that I found worked best, were the "Diamond" coated core bits ( similar to a tiny "hole saw" ) ... that are readily available on Ebay, ... for about $1.00 each.In a Drill Press, ... using a plain water drip, ... I'd get about 3 holes worth of "tool life", ... when drilling the 5/8" wall thickness, of the glass blocks. Between Patrish, ... and Her 4 Sisters, ... and Her other Crafty Cronies, ... I drilled about 60 of the Glass Blocks, in one afternoon.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimsShip Posted August 25, 2015 Author Share Posted August 25, 2015 Huh, the hyper link and it's entire sentence has been changed to that. Am I in some sort of violation?Am I allowed to type the actual website here?Maybe someone from that site saw my post and doesn't want us to undersell them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted August 25, 2015 Share Posted August 25, 2015 If I had just a few holes to do I would go visit a local glass place and have them do it. Worth the hassle to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jukejoint Posted August 25, 2015 Share Posted August 25, 2015 Okay this is how I drill insulators, go to drillglass.Com chose what size bit you need turn your drill press to a slow speed get sum clay and make a ring around the top to hold oil in (cooking oil will work) wa la instant hole take your time the clay is the trick it holds the oil in place Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted August 25, 2015 Share Posted August 25, 2015 Huh, the hyper link and it's entire sentence has been changed to that. Am I in some sort of violation?Am I allowed to type the actual website here?Maybe someone from that site saw my post and doesn't want us to undersell them! It was probably a commercial site.Diamond drill bits are pretty common even at the big box stores. They'll last a LOT longer if you spin them fast and use gentle down pressure and do NOT put the bit in contact then turn it on, that just pops the diamond out of the matrix. Get it spinning THEN ease it into it.Coring is coring whether it's an 8" barrel or a 1/64" burr OR a diamond saw. They all work the same way and are vulnerable to the same problems.Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K. Bryan Morgan Posted August 25, 2015 Share Posted August 25, 2015 I used to drill glass with a drill bit actually designed to drill glass. Used to get them at the hobby stores when I lived in an area that actually had them The looked suspiciously like a concrete or stone bit. Maybe because that's exactly what they were. Carbide. Easy pressure, take your time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted August 26, 2015 Share Posted August 26, 2015 We used to drill glass and ceramic at the art restoration studio all the time. The diamond bits worked best for our applications, but the most important thing (after lubrication and getting the bit up to speed) was making sure that the bit didn't wander in the hole; that could snap both bit and workpiece. Clamping the workpiece down and using a drill press gave us the greatest success rate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.