I want to drill a hole in a glass vase to turn it into a lamp. Any suggestions on how to do this


squishums , Thursday, 29th of July 2010 11:32:04 AM

I want to drill a hole in a glass vase to turn it into a lamp. Any 
squishums
suggestions on how to do this 
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Grape juice , Friday, 30th of July 2010 11:35:11 PM

Use a very thin nail to drill and eventually start making it  
Grape juice
bigger if required by just slightly dusting/sanding the edges  
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SweetBottom , Saturday, 31st of July 2010 02:09:16 AM

Buddy is correct they make drill bits for glass. BUT.. the  
SweetBottom
trick with glass is it needs to be wet ground or drilled. So you will need  
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to keep the area wet & the water circulated it keeps the glass cool &  
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prevents shattering  
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the drill bit can attach to a dremel. you can use some putty in a larger  
circle dam formation & pour water in, stop ever minute or so & dump &  
refill. You will need to be sure to not let the water get too high &  
sucked into the dremel (it will short & so might you!)  
 
you may go thru a few bits if the glass is thick & or a rigid or ''hard''  
glass (yes there are degrees of softness in glass)  
 
all the best!  
 
 
 
 
 

Yam , Sunday, 1st of August 2010 11:24:42 PM

http://drillglass.com/drillingglass.html  
Yam
 
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TuTs , Monday, 2nd of August 2010 07:15:10 PM

I found this good website  
TuTs
http://users.ticnet.com/mikefirth/coldwork.htm  
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. just go down the page to ''drilling'' and he covers it pretty well  
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B &;* C , Tuesday, 3rd of August 2010 12:34:12 AM

I have done this before,use a variable speed drill (at a very  
B &;* C
slow speed)with a drill bit designed for glass(looks like a spear tip)  
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score the spot first with a glass cutter, then pack some putty around it &  
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add some oil to the spot & begin drilling .the putty keeps the oil on the  
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spot you are drilling.this may take a hour or more but easy does it.also  
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once you start to come thru the other side you have to be even more  
carefull(maybe switch to using a dremel tool with a small stone tip?)  
 
 
 
 
 

Krusty , Wednesday, 4th of August 2010 11:51:53 AM

make sure that any drill bit you use if specifically for glass.  
Krusty
and take your time, trying to rush through your project is a sure way to  
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wreck it!  
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Smurfy , Thursday, 5th of August 2010 06:36:00 PM

Its probably not recommended, but if you must it would probably  
Smurfy
be best to start with a small drill bit and work your way up to the desired  
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size. Glass is kinda tricky so I don't know if it would turn out very good.  
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honeycakes , Friday, 6th of August 2010 12:26:26 AM

First: don't do it!  
honeycakes
 
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Second here is why: Glass is not like pottery, or wood that you can drill  
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through. It is like a frozen liquid. It just happens to be solid at room  
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temperature. The structure of glass is under a great deal of tension. If  
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you put stress on that structure, like trying to drill into it, it will  
crack and shatter.  
 
Third, buy some flowers, put them in the vase, and buy something else to  
turn into a vase, preferable already with a hole in it.  
 
 
 
 
 

Cuddlebear , Saturday, 7th of August 2010 04:25:54 AM

Start with a very small ''steel'' bit. Use water on the vase as  
Cuddlebear
you are drilling the pilot hole. A variable speed drill on slow speed will  
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help you to not break the vase.  
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I recommend you go get another vase or glass similar to the one you want  
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to turn into lamp to experiment on.  
 
Also I used masking tape to keep the glass from being so slick. The bit  
kept jumping around. Masking tape made a place to start and also helped to  
keep the little tiny shards from flying all over.  
 
 
 
 
 

snoogie , Sunday, 8th of August 2010 02:20:29 PM

A simple, slow and methodical tapping with a sharp steel drill  
snoogie
bit will first powder the glass, then eventually form a hole thru the  
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glass itself. E-A-S-Y does it, though, it is a slow process-graduate up in  
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size slowly.  
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I've made some decent bongs, er.glass vase lamps using this method.  
 
 
 
 
 

ReRe , Monday, 9th of August 2010 03:21:01 AM

Very carefully.  
ReRe
Use a carbide bit. Check out the web sites for HGTV, Martha Stewart, and  
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DIY Network for more info.  
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honey bunch , Tuesday, 10th of August 2010 06:17:49 PM

Not difficult at all with the right tools. Go to lowes and get  
honey bunch
a glass drill, but it into a drill, and start. Do not put a lot of  
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pressure on it, let the drill do the work. Keep the spot where you are  
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drilling oiled to keep the glass cool so that it will not break in the  
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process  
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x  
 
 
 
 
 

Tinker Toy , Wednesday, 11th of August 2010 06:26:47 PM

DRILL IT VERY VERY SLOWLY.AND WEAR SAFETY GOGGLES.  
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Kinksey , Thursday, 12th of August 2010 03:07:11 PM

Go to your DIY store and ask for a drill bit for glass, honest  
Kinksey
you can buy them I used to sell them  
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Mugums , Friday, 13th of August 2010 07:19:21 PM

take it to a glass blower.  
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