If you need to create an even and neat hole in the glass surface, it is not necessary to contact experienced and qualified specialists, whose services are quite expensive. Such a 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, what tools, consumables and equipment to use.
To drill through glass, use one of the methods discussed in this article.
We understand the features of the material
Before wondering how to drill glass at home, you should at least in general terms get acquainted with the characteristics and features of this material.
The glass production process is quite complex. It is carried out in industrial enterprises equipped with special equipment. The main stage of this process is the preparation of a melt, which includes several components. Such a melt for glass is subjected to sharp supercooling, while the crystallization process is not completely completed.
To prepare the melt, the mixture of the components that make up the future glass is subjected to significant heating - up to 2500 °. Depending on the chemical basis of the melt, glasses are distinguished:
- oxide category;
- sulfide;
- fluoride type.
Glasses, which can be opaque, are divided into different types depending on the main characteristics of the material. So, glasses are distinguished:
- quartz crystals, which are obtained by melting quartzite, also known as "rock crystal" (this material can be of natural origin and is found mainly in those places where quartz deposits have been affected by lightning);
- optical type, used for the manufacture of the main elements of optical devices (lenses, prisms, etc.);
- characterized by high resistance to aggressive chemicals and high temperatures;
- for industrial purposes (the most extensive category of glasses used in everyday life).
The question of how to drill a hole in glass most often arises when using products of the latter type. Industrial products, in turn, are also divided into several categories:
- potassium-sodium type (such glasses, characterized by a clean and light internal structure, have a relatively low melting point, therefore they are often used for the manufacture of glass products of complex shapes);
- potassium-calcium type (glasses of this type have a surface without a pronounced gloss, are highly hard and difficult to melt);
- lead type (such glasses have a pronounced luster, which makes them very similar to crystal, high fragility with a sufficiently high plasticity of the internal structure, significant specific gravity and a higher price when compared with the cost of other types of products);
- borosilicate (they are highly resistant to temperature extremes and mechanical stress and a fairly high cost).
There is also a classification of glasses by purpose. So, various types of glass are used for:
- glazing of windows and other translucent structures;
- manufacturing of containers;
- reducing the level of radiation;
- fiberglass production;
- protection of smartphone screens;
- making utensils;
- production of thermometers capable of measuring temperatures in the range from –200 ° to + 650 °;
- the manufacture of laboratory glassware (such glasses are characterized by high thermal stability);
- production of medical devices (ampoules, tubes, drug containers);
- fireplace screens and ovens (in such cases, heat-resistant glass is used);
- the manufacture of light bulbs (in this case, the so-called electric cone glasses are used);
- production of incandescent lamps, X-ray tubes, ignitrons (this requires an electric vacuum glass);
- creation of elements of optical devices - cameras, microscopes, telescopes, etc .;
- the manufacture of thin-walled chemical containers and other products that require high resistance to chemical and thermal effects (for this, quartzoid glasses are used, also known as vikor).
What tools are used to drill glass
So that the drilling of glass does not end with cracking and complete destruction, it is very important to know not only how, but also how to properly drill the glass. There are many tools on the market today, some of which can be used to create holes in glass.
- The drill, the working part of which is made of hard alloy and has the shape of a feather or a spear, allows you to make a hole in glass with a diameter of 3–12 mm. The use of such a drill requires certain skills. However, even their presence and maximum accuracy when performing work will not help to drill glass with this tool without small chips.
- A better drilling of holes is possible with a diamond drill for glass, the working part of which also has the shape of a spear. Such a tool, on the cutting edge of which is applied with diamond dust, provides a softer drilling.
- Glass drills, made in the form of a tube, are used in cases when it is required to make a hole of a large diameter in the glass. It is more convenient to use a tubular drill complete with a drilling machine.
- When using brass drills, on the cutting part of which diamond spraying is applied, it is necessary to take care of their high-quality cooling, for which water or turpentine is supplied to the processing zone.
- Tubular glass crowns made with diamond dust on the cutting part also need high-quality cooling. If you don’t know how to cut a large hole in glass, such a tubular drill can help you solve the problem.
Product preparation
Asking how to cut a hole in glass so that the hole formed in it is as accurate as possible, and the glass itself does not crack, it is important to know how to properly prepare it for processing. To drill glass with your own hands, you must perform the following preparatory steps:
- The surface of the glass to be drilled is degreased with alcohol or turpentine. After that, it must be wiped with a dry cloth.
- The glass sheet or mirror must be placed on a surface that will prevent the product from sliding during processing.
- The surface on which the glass sheet or mirror will be laid must be larger than the workpiece itself. The edges of the sheet should not be allowed to protrude beyond its limits.
- On the place that needs to be drilled, it is advisable to stick masking tape or a piece of plaster to prevent the tool from slipping.
- The center of the future hole is indicated using a conventional marker.
- If you are familiar with drilling glass at home only from video, then in order to gain practical skills, it is better to pre-train on unnecessary glass fragments. This kind of training will allow you to drill through the glass with good quality later on.
- Drilling holes in glass should be done as carefully as possible, without unnecessary haste. In doing so, the tool used must be subject to minimum pressure.
- The drill for glass and ceramics, which will be used for processing, should be positioned strictly perpendicular to the surface of the product.
- Do not drill holes in the glass in one pass; you must periodically stop the process to allow the tool to cool completely.
- When the glass sheet or mirror is almost completely drilled, stop the process, turn the workpiece over and continue on the back of the workpiece. This approach will allow you to drill a hole in a mirror or glass sheet as efficiently as possible, to minimize the risk of chips and cracks.
- To make the edges of the hole you drilled even more neat, you can additionally polish them with fine sandpaper.
Drilling glass with a conventional drill
Many home craftsmen are interested in the question of how to drill glass or a mirror, using not a tubular or other special drill, but an ordinary tool. In order to perform this procedure, you will need the following tools and consumables:
- drill, with which metal, ceramic and tile material are usually drilled;
- a low-speed drill, instead of which you can use a screwdriver;
- a piece of ordinary plasticine;
- turpentine;
- alcohol solution.
The drilling itself is performed in the following sequence:
- The glass sheet or mirror must be laid on an absolutely flat surface, while the edges of the workpiece should not protrude beyond its limits.
- The area of glass that needs to be drilled must be degreased using cotton wool soaked in an alcohol solution.
- After fixing the drill on the tile and glass in the chuck, the minimum number of revolutions is set on the drill. Before starting work, it is necessary to check the degree of drill runout: if it is too large, then the tool should be replaced with another one.
- On the surface of the glass 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 depression, through which holes are drilled in the glass.
- In order not to throw away the cracked object after drilling, such a process should be carried out as carefully as possible, without making great efforts. The minimum rotation speed of the drill chuck must be 250 rpm, and the maximum cannot exceed 1000 rpm.
How to make a hole in glass using sand
Few know how to make a hole in glass using regular sand. You will need:
- the sand itself;
- petrol;
- a small amount of tin that can be replaced with lead;
- gas-burner;
- a metal vessel, for which it is permissible to use an ordinary mug.
The surface of the glass to be drilled is degreased, as in all previous cases. A pile of wet sand is poured onto the area where the center of the future hole should be located, in which, using a sharp object, a depression is made with a diameter corresponding to the cross section of the hole being created.
Molten tin (or lead) is poured into a depression formed in a hill of wet sand, after which it is necessary to wait a few minutes. Then the sand is removed from the surface of the product, and a piece of metal-glass alloy is easily removed from the processed material, the dimensions of which fully correspond to the geometric parameters of the hole being formed. A gas burner and a metal mug are used to bring tin or lead into a molten state.
The cut made according to the above method is of high quality and does not require additional refinement.
Using a homemade drill
You can drill glass by making your own tool for this, the design of which includes a diamond roller from a glass cutter and a metal rod. The diamond roller, which will act as a cutting part, is tightly fixed in the slot made on the end part of the metal rod. By fixing such a tool in the drill chuck, you can drill any glass product, and the result will be of sufficient quality.
By hardening a conventional drill, you can endow it with the ability to drill through glass. To do this, the working part of the drill must be heated white with a gas burner, and then cooled by dropping it in sealing wax.
How to properly drill the glass to get a high-quality result? To solve this problem, it is enough to adhere to the following recommendations:
- To minimize the risk of cracking and splitting at the drilling site, the glass can be treated with honey and turpentine.
- The pressure applied to the drill from above should be minimal.
- The drilling process itself must be performed for 5-10 seconds, after which it is imperative to cool the tool in a vessel with water.
- The drill must not be rocked from side to side.
- The distance between the center of the hole and the edge of the workpiece must be at least 1.5 cm.
Naturally, before you drill the glass, you must degrease it and lay it on a flat surface, which is best used as a wooden base.
Glass cutter application
You can drill a glass sheet not only with a tubular drill or a tool for processing ceramic tiles. A regular glass cutter is also used to create holes in this material. How to drill (cut through) glass using such a tool? It is necessary to follow simple rules: you cannot make sharp movements with a glass cutter, while gentle pressure is applied to it, and during processing, the formed cut is tapped with the handle of the tool.
Non-standard glass drilling methods
Non-standard methods for making a hole in glass include the following:
- the use of copper wire as a cutting tool, a solution consisting of one part of camphor and two parts of turpentine, to which an 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 tube made of aluminum, copper or duralumin, on which cutting teeth are preliminarily made (drilling according to this method is also carried out using a special solution and abrasive powder).
Surprisingly, it is a fact that with a hammer you can make an even hole in the glass of any geometric shape, be it a round hole or a square one.
In this article, we will look at how to make a hole in glass with a hammer.
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1. Take for example a square piece 18 by 18 centimeters, 4 mm thick. Look at the glass to be free of defects such as cracks and scratches initially, as this will reduce your chance of success punching a hole in the glass. |
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2. We use a glass cutter, the tip of which is lubricated with oil (machine or sunflower). For example, in the center of the glass, we apply a geometric figure with a glass cutter, in our case it will be a square. |
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3. Place a soft surface, such as a towel, on the glass, and then lift the glass so that only one edge touches the table surface. Using a hammer, start applying light blows to the glass, to the cut with the glass cutter. See if cracks have appeared in the places of the cut, if not, then strike a little harder. After cracks have appeared throughout the cut, then with a small hammer blow to the center of the hole, remove the piece of glass from the main sheet. |
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4. With luck, you will get an even hole in the center. |
There are times when you need to make a hole in the glass. In fact, this is not so easy to do. In this article, you will learn a couple of ways to solve this problem.
How to drill glass
If you need to make a hole in the glass, for example, to hang a mirror or insert a handle in a glass cabinet door, you can use these and simple methods.
For the first method you will need:
- the glass itself
- drill for metal
- drill
- acetone
- turpentine
- alcohol
To drill a hole in the glass, you need to lay it on a flat surface, for this you can use a large sheet of plywood, the edges of the glass should not hang.
The rotational speed of the drill on the drill is set to "one" or "minimum", depending on the configuration of the drill. It is necessary to exclude strong beating of the drill so that the glass does not crack when drilling, a drilling machine is better in this case.
Degrease the glass surface with acetone or alcohol in the place where we will drill it. The drill is placed in the center of the intended hole, the drill turns on, when drilling, you need to drip a little turpentine onto the glass, in the place of drilling. You can simply make a small funnel circle out of plasticine and pour turpentine into it.
To prevent the glass from cracking, you need to press the drill easily, without unnecessary effort.
The second method requires:
- glass
- solder in the form of lead or tin,
- fine wet sand
- stick, sharpened under a cone, and the tip of the stick should have the diameter of the intended hole
- alcohol or acetone.
The work is carried out as follows: the surface of the glass is degreased in the place where the proposed hole will be located. Sand is poured into the drilling site, with a slide of three centimeters in height. A hole is made in the sand with a stick so that a funnel is formed, molten solder is poured into the funnel.
Glass is inherently extremely fragile and must be handled with extreme caution. In order not to receive additional losses during its cutting, you need to use the tools correctly and adhere to the appropriate working technique. First of all, you should familiarize yourself with the cutting device itself.
Choosing a glass cutter
Each glass operation requires a specific type of cutting tool. There are three main types of glass cutters:
- Oil;
- Diamond;
- Victory;
- Roller type.
Diamond glass cutters can work with workpieces up to 10mm thick. Their main element is a small natural diamond securely fixed inside a special holder with a wooden handle. Small holes are provided for breaking off individual pieces of glass.
Carefully! In cheap glass cutters, artificial diamonds are installed, which are slightly inferior in strength to natural ones and can work with material no more than 5 mm thick.
The roller glass cutter works thanks to a durable tip with a metal roller made of tungsten cobalt alloy.
An oil glass cutter works on the same principle as a roller glass cutter, however, a special oil is supplied to the tip from a reservoir on the holder to reduce friction and thereby increase the life of the device.
Glass cutting sequence
To properly cut glass with a glass cutter, you need to carry out a set of preparatory measures:
- Finding a convenient place for slicing. A writing desk or other flat surface will do;
- Cleaning glass from dirt, dust and other foreign materials;
- Prepare protective equipment - gloves, goggles, and a waste box.
Carefully! During cutting, the glass should not vibrate or vibrate; its surface should closely adhere to the working area.
Cutting glass with a diamond glass cutter is like a drawing lesson in school. It is enough to take a ruler or template, attach it to the glass and draw the desired line along them with a working tool. After that, a shallow, barely noticeable trace will remain on the surface of the material. The process itself should be accompanied by a slight crackling sound.
In order for the work to be done efficiently, you should adhere to some recommendations:
- At a distance of 3-5mm from the edge of the glass, it is necessary to reduce the pressure on the tool in order to maintain its edge;
- The cutting tool is extremely sharp, so you don't need to press too hard on it. This way you can get a deep cut with convex edges;
- Line drawing time should be minimal. A meter-long piece of glass is cut in 2 seconds;
- In no case should you make a new cut along the same line.
After drawing the line, you need to divide the solid sheet of glass into two parts. This is done by tapping the cutter handle along the line made. To do this, you first need to slip a piece of glass to the edge of the table, so that the line is at its end, and gently knock along its entire length. You just have to hold the second piece of glass sheet with your hand so that it does not fall.
Carefully! For those who will be engaged in glass cutting for the first time, it is recommended to "practice" on waste and other pieces in order to gain experience and feel the intricacies of working with the tool. In most cases, this is sufficient to avoid unforeseen situations and unwanted losses in the future.
How to cut a round hole with a glass cutter
Cutting glass with a glass cutter involves not only drawing horizontal lines using templates or rulers, but also creating some non-standard designs. One of these is cutting a round hole inside a single piece of glass. To do this, use the same glass cutter, fixed on a special leg, resulting in a tool similar to a compass.
The most common devices of this type are made with a rubber suction cup at one end and an adjusting bit at the other. They are firmly fixed on the glass surface and allow making ovals of various diameters.
Video
How to make a hole in glass? Here are two easy ways.
There are times when you need to make a hole in the glass. In fact, this is not so easy to do. In this article, you will learn a couple of ways to solve this problem.
If you need to make a hole in the glass, for example, to hang a mirror or insert a handle in the glass cabinet door, you can use these and simple methods:
For the first method you will need: glass itself, a drill for metal, a drill, acetone, turpentine, alcohol. To drill a hole in the glass, you need to lay it on a flat surface, for this you can use a large sheet of plywood, the edges of the glass should not hang.
The rotational speed of the drill on the drill is set to "one" or "minimum", depending on the configuration of the drill. It is necessary to exclude strong beating of the drill so that the glass does not crack when drilling, a drilling machine is better in this case.
Degrease the glass surface with acetone or alcohol in the place where we will drill it. The drill is placed in the center of the intended hole, the drill turns on, when drilling, you need to drip a little turpentine onto the glass, in the place of drilling. You can simply make a small funnel circle out of plasticine and pour turpentine into it.
To prevent the glass from cracking, you need to press the drill easily, without unnecessary effort.
The second method requires glass, solder, in the form of lead, or tin, wet fine sand, a stick sharpened under a cone, and the tip of the stick should have the diameter of the intended hole, you will need alcohol or acetone.
The work is carried out as follows: the surface of the glass is degreased in the place where the proposed hole will be located. Sand is poured into the drilling site, with a slide of three centimeters in height. A hole is made in the sand with a stick so that a funnel is formed, molten solder is poured into the funnel.
In a minute - two remove the sand from the glass surface, remove the solder, the hole is melted. Before work, it is better to check the technique and try to make a hole in the glass on an unnecessary shard.
And now our traditional video: