How to drill glass at home: video, options, because of

If you need to create a smooth and neat hole in the glass surface, it is not necessary to turn to experienced and qualified professionals, whose services are quite expensive. This procedure can be performed with your own hands in a home workshop, but, Of course, for this you need to know, how to drill glass, which tools to use, consumables and equipment.

To drill glass, use one of the methods, discussed in this article

We understand the features of the material

Before wondering about that, how to drill glass at home, it is necessary to get acquainted at least in general terms with the characteristics and features of this material.

The process of glass production is quite complex. It is performed at industrial enterprises, equipped with special equipment. The main stage of this process is the preparation of the melt, which consists of several components. Such a melt for glass is subjected to abrupt supercooling, the crystallization process is not complete.

To prepare the melt, mixture of components, which are a part of the future glass, subjected to significant heating - up to 2500 °. Depending on that, what is the chemical basis of the melt, distinguish glass:

• oxide category;
• sulfide;
• fluoride type.

Oxide glass is used to make the bottles (it is silicate)

Glass, which can be opaque, subdivided into different types depending on the main characteristics, which the material has. So, distinguish glass:

1. quartz, which are obtained by melting quartzite, also known as "rock crystal" (this material may be of natural origin and occurs mainly in those places, where lightning affected quartz deposits);
2. optical type, used for the manufacture of basic elements of optical devices (lenses, prisms, etc.);
3. are highly resistant to aggressive chemicals and elevated temperatures;
4. industrial purposes (the largest category of glasses, used including in everyday life).

The question is, how to drill a hole in the glass, most often occurs when using the latest type of product. Industrial products, in turn, are also divided into several categories:

1. potassium-sodium type (such glass, differing in pure and light internal structure, have a relatively low melting point, therefore, they are often used for the manufacture of glass products of complex shape);
2. potassium-calcium type (glasses of this type have a surface without a pronounced luster, are high hardness and difficult to melt);
3. lead type (such glasses have a pronounced luster, which makes them very similar to crystal, high fragility with a fairly high plasticity of the internal structure, significant specific weight and higher price, if you compare it with the cost of other types of products);
4. borosilicate (they are characterized by high resistance to temperature changes and mechanical influences and a fairly high cost).

In most cases, you need to drill window or window glass

There is also a classification of glass by purpose. So, different types of glass are used for:

• glazing of windows and other translucent structures;
• manufacture of containers;
• reduction of radiation levels;
• fiberglass production;
• protection of smartphone screens;
• making utensils;
• production of thermometers, capable of measuring temperature in the range from -200 ° to + 650 °;
• manufacture of laboratory glassware (such glasses differ in high thermal stability);
• production of medical devices (ampoules, tubes, containers for medicines);
• fireplace screens and ovens (in such cases heat-resistant glasses are used);
• manufacture of electric lamps (while using the so-called electroglass glasses);
• production of incandescent lamps, x-ray tubes, ignitrons (this requires electrovacuum glass);
• creation of elements of optical devices - cameras, microscopes, telescopes, etc.;
• manufacture of thin-walled chemical containers and other products, which require high resistance to chemical and thermal effects (to do this, use quartz glass, also known as vikor).

It is better to drill thick glass on the machine

What tools are used to drill glass

That drilling of glass did not end with its cracking and complete destruction, it is very important not only to know, but also how to properly drill glass. There are many tools on the market today, some types of which can be used to create holes in the glass.

1. Drill, the working part of which is made of hard alloy and has the shape of a pen or spear, allows you to make a hole in the glass diameter 3-12 mm. Using such a drill requires certain skills. However even their presence and the maximum accuracy at performance of works will not help to drill glass with this tool without small chips..
2. To perform better drilling of holes allows a diamond drill bit on the glass, the working part of which has the shape of a spear. Such a tool, on the cutting part of which a diamond coating is applied, provides softer drilling.
3. Drills on the glass, made in the form of a tube, are used in those cases, when you need to make a hole in the glass of large diameter. It is more convenient to use a tubular drill complete with a drilling machine.
4. When using brass drills, on the cutting part of which a diamond coating is applied, it is necessary to take care of their quality cooling, for which water or turpentine is fed into the treatment area.
5. Tubular crowns on glass, are made with a diamond dusting on a cutting part, also need quality cooling. If you don't know, how to cut a large diameter hole in the glass, such a tubular drill will help you solve the problem.

The main types of drills for glass

Product preparation

Wondering about that, how to cut a hole in the glass so, that the hole formed in it was as accurate as possible, and the glass itself did not crack, important to know, how to properly prepare it for processing. To drill glass with your hands, such preparatory actions must be performed:

1. The surface of the glass, which needs to be drilled, degreased with alcohol or turpentine. After that, it must be wiped with a dry cloth.
2. A glass sheet or mirror should be placed on the surface, which will prevent the product from slipping during processing.
3. Surface, on which the glass sheet or a mirror will keep within, should be more than the processed product. It cannot be allowed, so that the edges of the sheet protrude beyond it.
4. To that place, which needs to be drilled, it is desirable to stick masking tape or a piece of plaster, to prevent the tool from falling.
5. The center of the future hole is marked with a normal marker.
6. If you are familiar with drilling glass at home only by video, then to gain practical skills it is better to pre-train on unnecessary glass shards. This workout will allow you to drill glass later.
7. Drilling holes in the glass should be done as carefully as possible, without haste. At the same time the minimum pressure should be given to the used tool.
8. Drill on glass and ceramics, which will be used to perform processing, should be placed perpendicular to the surface of the product.
9. Do not drill holes in the glass in one pass, it is necessary to periodically stop the process, to allow the tool to cool completely.
10. When a glass sheet or mirror is drilled almost completely, the process should be stopped, turn the workpiece over and continue on the back of the product. This approach will allow you to drill a hole in a mirror or glass sheet of the highest quality, minimize the risk of chips and cracks.
11. To make the edges of the hole, which you drilled, even more neat, you can further process them with fine sandpaper.

Drilling glass with an ordinary drill

Many home builders are interested in the question, how to drill glass or mirror, using a non-tubular or other special drill bit, and the usual tool. To perform this procedure, you will need the following tools and supplies:

• drill, with which the metal is usually drilled, ceramic and tile material;
• low-speed drill, instead you can use a screwdriver;
• a piece of ordinary plasticine;
• skipidar;
• alcohol solution.

The skirting board on plasticine glass is required to hold the coolant in the drilling zone

The drilling itself is performed in the following sequence:

1. The glass sheet or mirror must be placed on a perfectly flat surface, while the edges of the processed product should not protrude beyond it.
2. Plot of glass, which needs to be drilled, it is necessary to degrease, using cotton wool, soaked in an alcoholic solution.
3. After fixing in a chuck of a drill on a tile and glass on a drill the minimum quantity of turns is exposed.. Before starting work, it is necessary to check the degree of beating of the drill: if it is too large, then the tool should be replaced with another.
4. On the glass surface, which needs to be drilled (in the place of direct processing), it is necessary to fix a piece of plasticine, in the middle of which a small depression is made in the form of a funnel. Turpentine is poured into such a deepening, through which the drilling of holes in the glass is performed.
5. In order not to throw away a cracked object after drilling, such a process should be carried out as carefully as possible, without much effort. The minimum speed of rotation of the drill chuck should be 250 rpm, and the maximum cannot exceed 1000 rpm.

How to make a hole in the glass with sand

Little is known, how to make a hole in the glass, using ordinary sand for this purpose. You will need:

• the sand itself;
• gasoline;
• a small amount of tin, which can be replaced by lead;
• gas burner;
• metal vessel, as which you can use an ordinary mug.

The surface of the glass, which needs to be drilled, degrease, as in all previous cases. On the site, where the center of the future hole should be located, pour a slide of wet sand, in which with the help of a sharp object is made deepening in diameter, which corresponds to the cross section of the created hole.

Drilling a hole with molten solder

Molten tin is poured into the depression formed in the hill of wet sand (or lead), then wait a few minutes. Then the sand is removed from the surface of the product, and a piece of metal alloy with glass is easily removed from the processed material, the dimensions of which fully correspond to the geometric parameters of the molded hole. A gas burner and a metal mug are used for this, to bring tin or lead into a molten state.

The cut made by the above method is of high quality and does not require additional refinement.

Using a homemade drill

You can drill glass, having made for this purpose the tool, the design of which includes a diamond roller from a glass cutter and a metal rod. Diamond roller, which will act as the cutting part, tightly fixed in the slots, made on the end part of the metal rod. Fixing such a tool in the drill chuck, you can drill any glass product, the result will be quite high quality.

Homemade drill from a glass cutter

He hardened an ordinary drill, you can give it the ability to drill glass. To do this, the working part of the drill must be heated completely with a gas burner, and then cool, lowering into the wax.

Practical recommendations

How to properly drill glass, to get a quality result? To solve this problem, it is enough to follow the following recommendations:

1. To minimize the risk of cracks and splits at the drilling site, glass can be treated with honey and turpentine.
2. Pressure, which is done on the drill from above, should be minimal.
3. The drilling process itself must be performed by 5-10 seconds, then be sure to cool the tool in a container of water.
4. The drill must not be shaken from side to side.
5. The distance of the center of the hole from the edge of the workpiece must be at least 1,5 div.

Naturally, before drilling the glass, you must degrease it and lay it on a flat surface, which is best to use a wooden base.

The use of glass cutters

It is possible to drill a glass sheet not only a tubular drill or the tool for processing of a ceramic tile.. Used to create holes in this material and ordinary glass cutters. How to drill (cut through) glass, using such a tool? Simple rules should be followed: glass cutter can not make sharp movements, at the same time on it accurate pressure is shown, and in the process of processing the cut is tapped with the handle of the tool.

A compass is used to cut round holes of large diameter with a glass cutter

Non-standard methods of glass drilling

As non-standard methods, allowing to make a hole in the glass can be called the following:

• use of copper wire as a cutting tool, solution, consisting of one part camphor and two parts turpentine, to which abrasive powder is added;
• the use of a metal tube as a cutting tool, which is also used together with a special solution and abrasive powder;
• drilling with a piece of aluminum tube, copper or duralumin, on which cutting teeth are preliminary executed (drilling by this method is carried out using a special solution and abrasive powder).

Drilling glass with a copper tube

We have disassembled many ways to drill glass, in the conclusion we suggest to look at a detailed master class on execution of openings by means of a diamond crown.