We drill glass at home. How to make a hole in glass? Here are two easy ways for you to make a hole in the glass with your own hands

When working with installing mirrors in a bathroom or assembling furniture, the question often arises of how to drill a hole in the glass in such a way as not to damage it. There are many ways to accomplish this task. Some require the presence of a specialized tool, others require the use of improvised materials and knowledge basic properties this fragile material.

Drill glass with extreme care!

The main thing in the process of drilling glass at home is extreme caution and no haste, since the material is very expensive, and its damage can lead to large financial costs to buy a new one.

glass properties

In order to make an even and neat hole in the glass, you need to know how to properly use tools for processing it. For success, it is important to understand not only the process itself, but also physical and mechanical properties material.

Glass has a disordered or, as it is also called, amorphous structure. Its molecules are arranged randomly, like in liquids. The main component of any glass is silicon oxide with various additives, facilitating the melting of the material during its manufacture.

With a quick physical impact, glass is easily destroyed.

After solidification, the molecules continue to slowly chaotically move relative to each other, so, no matter how strange it may sound, glass is a very thick liquid. Such a special state of aggregation of the material predetermines its main properties:

1. Fragility. Although according to molecular structure glass and resembles a liquid, but with a quick physical impact, it collapses without the manifestation of plastic deformations.
2. Hardness. Glass is the closest relative of quartz, a mineral with a relative hardness index of 7 out of 10. Natural substances with indexes of 8, 9 and 10, topaz, corundum and diamond, are used as strong abrasives and are well suited for cutting and drilling glass. Exist a large number of artificial materials with high hardness. The first thing to be called alloy will win. Its main component - tungsten carbide - has a hardness of 9. Pobedit is very often used in drills and crowns for glass processing.
3. Strength. Glass is a brittle but rather strong material, although this parameter is not the same and depends on the direction of deformation. Glass withstands a fairly large compressive load, while it breaks much faster when stretched. This must be taken into account when transporting, processing and installing the material.

Glass drilling tools

Glass processing at home is carried out with the help of tools, the working surface of which is made of special alloys or inlaid with materials of high hardness. These include: win, corundum and its analogues, diamond. Pobedite and diamond drills are the most common.

Diamond coating is superior to glass in hardness.

Pobedit drills have a spear-shaped structure, and the working body can be represented as a single (Fig. 1) or two mutually perpendicular hard-alloy plates (Fig. 2). Such tools are used not only to create holes in glass and mirrors, but also in ceramics, for example, in tiles.

In order to make a large hole in the glass, for example, to install an outlet, the diameter of a conventional drill is not enough. In such cases, they resort to the use of crowns with abrasive - mainly diamond - coating (Fig. 3). These tubular drills have different diameters - from 3-4 to 120 mm. Drilling a hole with such a tool is much faster and safer than with a carbide drill, but due to larger area crowns in contact with glass require the use of fairly powerful drills.

There are also folk methods the use of improvised tools and materials for drilling glass and ceramics, but we will consider them a little later.

Rules and sequence for drilling holes in glass

Because glass is a very fragile material, it must be handled with extreme care. Regardless of the drilling method and the tools used, the sheet of material to be processed must be placed on a flat and non-slip surface. Carefully check for dirt, sawdust or grains of sand on the work table, as any foreign object that gets under the glass can cause it to crack during drilling.

A few common ways to create even holes in glass are:

Screwdriver provides low speed when drilling glass.

1. When using a carbide drill, use a powerful screwdriver or electric drill with speed controller. The number of revolutions of the tool per minute should be minimal - no more than 350-500. Before starting treatment, the surface is degreased with alcohol or turpentine. A very important action, on which the outcome of the operation largely depends, is the cooling of the drill and the surface to be treated. It is carried out as follows: around the place of the future hole, an annular limiter made of plasticine or putty is installed (Fig. 4). It will act as a “pool” filled with a heat-removing liquid and prevent overheating of the drill and glass. In order to prevent the appearance of cracks during drilling, the hole is first made about 1/3, after which the glass is turned over and work continues. After the hole has become through, its edges are treated with sandpaper rolled into a tube or a round diamond-coated file.
2. The use of a diamond-coated crown also requires cooling, but since the diameter of the restrictor in this case will be quite large, a simple system can be created from a dropper connected to a water source or bottle. This method makes it possible to work even on a vertical surface, which is especially important when processing ceramic tiles. One of the features of working with a crown is the need to constantly maintain its parallelism with glass. Even the slightest distortion should not be allowed, otherwise the voltage difference in this place will destroy the material.
3. A hole in the glass can be made with a conventional drill, having previously hardened it. To do this, warm up white color the tip of the drill, and then sharply immersed in oil. After the final cooling, the drill can be used in the same way as the carbide drill.
4. If there is a situation in which it is not possible to get the above tools, folk methods are used. The first of them is based on the creation of a drill from improvised materials - a steel rod with a cut at the end, into which a roller from a glass cutter is inserted and fixed (Fig. 5). The method is quite artisanal, since there is a high probability that during operation the roller will simply fly out of the clamp, which can lead to damage to the material.

The second method is much more interesting, the history of its application goes back far into the past. It is based on the property of glass to crack when exposed to contrasting temperatures. In order to make a hole with this method, a small cone of wet sand is laid out on the surface of the glass. Through its top to the very bottom they make wooden stick or a metal rod channel, the diameter of which must correspond to the size of the future hole. Next, molten lead, tin or solder is poured into the channel (Fig. 6). After cooling, a pile of sand is removed along with the metal, and at the point of contact of the solder with glass, a smooth hole. The explanation is very simple: at the point where the temperature is elevated, the glass begins to crumble, and the wet sand around it does not allow the heat to spread further.

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. This procedure can be done with your own hands in a home workshop, but, of course, for this you need to know how to drill glass, what tools, supplies and equipment to use.

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

Understanding the characteristics of the material

Before you wonder how to drill glass at home, you should at least in general terms get to know the characteristics and features of this material.

The glass production process is quite complex. Perform it on industrial enterprises equipped with special equipment. The main stage of this process is the preparation of the melt, which includes several components. Such a melt for glass is subjected to a sharp supercooling, while the crystallization process is not completed completely.

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

• oxide category;
• sulfide;
• fluoride type.

Glasses, which may be opaque, are divided into Various types depending on the basic characteristics that the material possesses. So, glass is distinguished:

1. quartz, which is obtained by melting quartzite, also known as "rock crystal" ( given material may be of natural origin and occurs mainly in places where quartz deposits have been affected by lightning);
2. optical type, used for the manufacture of the main elements of optical instruments (lenses, prisms, etc.);
3. highly resistant to aggressive chemical substances and elevated temperatures;
4. industrial use (the most extensive category of glass used in everyday life).

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

1. potassium-sodium type (such glasses, which are distinguished by a clean and light internal structure, have a relatively low melting point, so they are often used for the manufacture of glass products complex shape);
2. potassium-calcium type (glass of this type have a surface without a pronounced luster, are characterized by high hardness and are difficult to melt);
3. lead type (such glasses have a pronounced brilliance, which makes them very similar to crystal, high brittleness with a fairly high plasticity of the internal structure, a significant specific gravity and a higher price when compared with the cost of products of other types);
4. borosilicate (they are highly resistant to temperature extremes and mechanical stress and rather high cost).

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

• glazing of windows and other translucent structures;
• container manufacturing;
• reducing the level of radiation;
• fiberglass production;
• smartphone screen protection;
• making dishes;
• production of thermometers capable of measuring temperature in the range from –200° to +650°;
• production of laboratory glassware (such glasses are highly thermally stable);
• production of medical products (ampoules, tubes, containers for medicines);
• fireplace screens and ovens (in such cases, heat-resistant glass is used);
• the manufacture of electric lamps (in this case, the so-called electric bulb glasses are used);
• production of incandescent lamps, x-ray tubes, ignitrons (this requires electrovacuum glass);
• creation of elements of optical instruments - cameras, microscopes, telescopes, etc.;
• production of thin-walled chemical containers and other products that require high resistance to chemical and thermal effects (quartzoid glasses, also known as vicor, are used for this).

What tools are used to drill glass

So that drilling glass does not end with its cracking and complete destruction, it is very important to know not only how, but also how to drill glass correctly. On the modern market there are many tools, some types of which can be used to create holes in the glass.

1. The 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 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.
2. To perform better drilling of holes allows a diamond drill on glass, the working part of which also has the shape of a spear. Such a tool, on the cutting part of which diamond coating is applied, provides softer drilling.
3. Drills for glass, made in the form of a tube, are used in cases where it is required to make a hole of large diameter in glass. 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 diamond coating is applied, it is necessary to take care of their high-quality cooling, for which water or turpentine is supplied to the processing zone.
5. Tubular crowns on glass, made with diamond coating on the cutting part, also need high-quality cooling. If you do not know how to cut a large diameter hole in glass, this tube drill will help you solve the problem.

Product preparation

When wondering 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:

1. The surface of the glass to be drilled is degreased with alcohol or turpentine. After that, it must be wiped with a dry cloth.
2. The glass sheet or mirror must be laid on a surface that will prevent the product from slipping during processing.
3. 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.
4. It is advisable to stick masking tape or a piece of plaster on the place that needs to be drilled to prevent the tool from slipping.
5. The center of the future hole is indicated using a conventional marker.
6. If you are familiar with drilling glass at home only from the video, then in order to gain practical skills, it is better to first practice on unnecessary glass fragments. Such training will allow you to subsequently drill glass with high quality.
7. Drilling holes in the glass should be done as carefully as possible, without too much haste. At the same time, minimal pressure should be exerted on the tool used.
8. The drill for glass and ceramics, which will be used to perform the processing, should be placed strictly perpendicular to the surface of the product.
9. Do not drill holes in glass in one pass, stop the process periodically to allow the tool to cool completely.
10. When the glass sheet or mirror is almost completely drilled, stop the process, turn the workpiece over and continue from the back of the workpiece. This approach will allow you to drill a hole in a mirror or glass sheet with the highest quality, minimizing the risk of chips and cracks.
11. To make the edges of the hole you have drilled even neater, you can further process them with sandpaper small fraction.

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 for this, but an ordinary tool. In order to perform this procedure, you will need the following tools and supplies:

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

Drilling itself is performed in the following sequence:

1. The glass sheet or mirror must be laid on a completely flat surface, while the edges of the workpiece must not protrude beyond its limits.
2. The section of glass to be drilled must be degreased using cotton wool soaked in an alcohol solution.
3. After fixing in the drill chuck for tiles and glass, the minimum number of revolutions is set on the drill. Before starting work, it is necessary to check the degree of runout of the drill: if it is too large, then the tool should be replaced with another one.
4. 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 recess, through which holes are drilled in the glass.
5. In order not to throw away the cracked object after drilling, such a process should be carried out as carefully as possible, without much effort. 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 with sand

Few people know how to make a hole in glass using ordinary sand. You will need:

• the sand itself;
• petrol;
• a small amount of tin, which can be replaced by lead;
• gas-burner;
• a vessel made of metal, 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. On the site where the center of the future hole should be located, a hill of wet sand is poured, in which, with the help of sharp object a recess is made with a diameter corresponding to the cross section of the hole being created.

Molten tin (or lead) is poured into the recess formed in the 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 cup are used to bring tin or lead into a molten state.

The cut made according to the method described above 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 the cutting part, is tightly fixed in the slot made on the end part of the metal rod. By fixing such a tool in a drill chuck, you can drill any glass product, and the result will be of sufficient quality.

tempered conventional drill, you can give it the ability to drill glass. To do this, the working part of the drill must be heated to white with a gas burner, and then cooled by lowering it into sealing wax.

How to drill glass correctly in order to get a high-quality result as a result? To solve this problem, it is enough to adhere to the following recommendations:

1. To minimize the risk of cracks and splits at the drilling site, the glass can be treated with honey and turpentine.
2. The pressure exerted on the drill from above should be minimal.
3. The drilling process itself must be performed for 5-10 seconds, after which it is necessary to cool the tool in a vessel with water.
4. The drill must not be moved 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 cm.

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

Glass shelves, tables, boards for the kitchen are not only beautiful, but also practical. However, to make this shelf or table, you need to attach the glass to the rest of the parts using self-tapping screws. Not every person is able to correctly make holes in a transparent surface without damaging the glass itself.

Watch our video on how to drill glass at home and try decorating your home with original glass shelves.

To make holes in the glass, we need:
- a special drill, we will use a diamond-coated crown with a diameter of 8 millimeters;
- drill or screwdriver;
- glass;
- glass blank;
- scotch;
- masking tape;
- a container with water to cool the surface that we wake up to cool.

We insert the drill into the drill and clamp it well there so that the drill does not dangle during drilling, but is exactly in the center.

Before we start drilling our main element, we must first prepare our workpiece. To do this, we attach adhesive tape to it on one side, it is needed so that when we drill a hole in the glass, small fragments did not fly off or lay on the table, but were glued to the adhesive tape.

The place that we will drill is moistened with water. This is necessary in order to cool the glass surface and the drill itself.

It is impossible to immediately take and drill a hole in the glass, the drill will crawl over the surface. For this, we need a template so that by inserting a drill into it, we can easily drill a hole already in the material we need.

In order not to damage the table, place a small piece of cardboard or a regular board.

Everything is ready, remove the tape and wipe with a damp cloth.

Now you can start drilling through the blank of the main glass.

We glue the workpiece to the place where we will drill the hole and fix it with masking tape so that it does not go.

Pour the workpiece with water.

The workpiece can be removed when the drill fits snugly into the main glass and does not jump off to the side.

It is better to drill glass from two sides. For the second side, we also need a template to go deeper a few mm inward.

Then we remove everything superfluous from the glass with a cloth so that there is no dirt and smudges.

If you need to create an even and neat hole in a glass surface, such as a glass block, it is not necessary to contact experienced and qualified specialists, whose services are quite expensive. This procedure can be done with your own hands in a home workshop, but, of course, for this you need to know how to drill glass, what tools, supplies and equipment to use.

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 at industrial enterprises equipped with special equipment. The main stage of this process is the preparation of the melt, which includes several components. Such a melt for glass is subjected to a sharp supercooling, while the crystallization process is not completed completely.

To prepare the melt, the mixture of components that make up the future glass is subjected to significant heating - up to 2500 °. Depending on what chemical basis the melt has, glasses are distinguished:

• oxide category;
• sulfide;
• fluoride type.

For the manufacture of bottles, oxide glass is used (it is also silicate)

Glasses, which can also be opaque, are divided into different types depending on the main characteristics that the material has. So, glass is distinguished:

1. quartz, which is obtained by melting quartzite, also known as "rock crystal" (this material may be of natural origin and is found mainly in places where quartz deposits have been affected by lightning);
2. optical type, used for the manufacture of the main elements of optical instruments (lenses, prisms, etc.);
3. highly resistant to aggressive chemicals and elevated temperatures;
4. industrial use (the most extensive category of glass used in everyday life).

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

1. potassium-sodium type (such glasses, which are distinguished by a clean and light internal structure, have a relatively low melting point, so they are often used to manufacture glass products of complex shape);
2. potassium-calcium type (glasses of this type have a surface without a pronounced luster, are characterized by high hardness and are difficult to melt);
3. lead type (such glasses have a pronounced brilliance, which makes them very similar to crystal, high brittleness with a fairly high plasticity of the internal structure, a significant specific gravity and a higher price when compared with the cost of products of other types);
4. borosilicate (they are highly resistant to temperature extremes and mechanical stress and rather high cost).

In most cases, window or display glass drilling is required

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

• glazing of windows and other translucent structures;
• container manufacturing;
• reducing the level of radiation;
• fiberglass production;
• smartphone screen protection;
• making dishes;
• production of thermometers capable of measuring temperature in the range from –200° to +650°;
• production of laboratory glassware (such glasses are highly thermally stable);
• production of medical products (ampoules, tubes, containers for medicines);
• fireplace screens and ovens (in such cases, heat-resistant glass is used);
• the manufacture of electric lamps (in this case, the so-called electric bulb glasses are used);
• production of incandescent lamps, x-ray tubes, ignitrons (this requires electrovacuum glass);
• creation of elements of optical instruments - cameras, microscopes, telescopes, etc.;
• production of thin-walled chemical containers and other products that require high resistance to chemical and thermal effects (quartzoid glasses, also known as vicor, are used for this).

Drilling thick glass is best done on a machine

WHAT TOOLS ARE USED FOR DRILLING GLASS

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

1. The 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 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.
2. To perform better drilling of holes allows a diamond drill on glass, the working part of which also has the shape of a spear. Such a tool, on the cutting part of which diamond coating is applied, provides softer drilling.
3. Drills for glass, made in the form of a tube, are used in cases where it is required to make a hole of large diameter in glass. 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 diamond coating is applied, it is necessary to take care of their high-quality cooling, for which water or turpentine is supplied to the processing zone.
5. Tubular crowns on glass, made with diamond coating on the cutting part, also need high-quality cooling. If you do not know how to cut a large diameter hole in glass, this tube drill will help you solve the problem.

The main types of glass drills

PRODUCT PREPARATION

When wondering 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:

1. The surface of the glass to be drilled is degreased with alcohol or turpentine. After that, it must be wiped with a dry cloth.
2. The glass sheet or mirror must be laid on a surface that will prevent the product from slipping during processing.
3. 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.
4. It is advisable to stick masking tape or a piece of plaster on the place that needs to be drilled to prevent the tool from slipping.
5. The center of the future hole is indicated using a conventional marker.
6. If you are familiar with drilling glass at home only from the video, then in order to gain practical skills, it is better to first practice on unnecessary glass fragments. Such training will allow you to subsequently drill glass with high quality.
7. Drilling holes in the glass should be done as carefully as possible, without too much haste. At the same time, minimal pressure should be exerted on the tool used.
8. The drill for glass and ceramics, which will be used to perform the processing, should be placed strictly perpendicular to the surface of the product.
9. Do not drill holes in glass in one pass, stop the process periodically to allow the tool to cool completely.
10. When the glass sheet or mirror is almost completely drilled, stop the process, turn the workpiece over and continue from the back of the workpiece. This approach will allow you to drill a hole in a mirror or glass sheet with the highest quality, minimizing the risk of chips and cracks.
11. To make the edges of the hole you drilled even neater, you can further process them with fine sandpaper.

DRILLING GLASS USING 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 for this, but an ordinary tool. In order to perform this procedure, you will need the following tools and supplies:

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

A side on plasticine glass is needed to hold the coolant in the drilling zone

Drilling itself is performed in the following sequence:

1. The glass sheet or mirror must be laid on a completely flat surface, while the edges of the workpiece must not protrude beyond its limits.
2. The section of glass to be drilled must be degreased using cotton wool soaked in an alcohol solution.
3. After fixing in the drill chuck for tiles and glass, the minimum number of revolutions is set on the drill. Before starting work, it is necessary to check the degree of runout of the drill: if it is too large, then the tool should be replaced with another one.
4. 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 recess, through which holes are drilled in the glass.
5. In order not to throw away the cracked object after drilling, such a process should be carried out as carefully as possible, without much effort. The minimum rotation speed of the drill chuck must be 250 rpm, and the maximum cannot exceed 1000 rpm.

There are situations when you need to make a hole in the glass. You can turn to specialists for help - they know how to carefully drill glass without breaking it, but many home craftsmen prefer to do it themselves.

Drilling methods differ from each other by the type of tool used, consumables, drilling technology and other points.

Glass characteristics and production features

Before drilling a hole in glass, you should understand the features of this material. Its production process is quite complicated, as it involves the use of special tools:

1. The main stage of production involves the creation of a melt, which includes certain components. This requires exposure to a temperature of about 2,500 degrees Celsius.
2. To create a strong structure, the molten composition is rapidly cooled. Due to this, the hardened alloy crystallizes.

It is the chemical composition of the alloy used that determines the main operational qualities, as well as the likelihood that the structure will not crack during machining.

Depending on the chemical composition the following glasses are distinguished:

1. Sulfide.
2. Oxide.
3. Fluoride.

Different glass products should have different performance characteristics.

There are glasses:

1. Optical. There are various optical instruments, main part which can be called a combination of prisms and lenses. For their manufacture, special glass is used.
2. Quartz. When melting quartzite, glass can be obtained, which is used in the manufacture of various dishes and decorative elements.
3. With high chemical resistance. Some types of glass can withstand exposure to petroleum products and other chemicals. They are used in the manufacture of containers and protective structures.
4. Industrial purpose. This group has become widespread in industry and everyday life.
5. Hardened material with more high strength. Glass can be tempered in a variety of ways.

The following materials are distinguished by scope:

1. For the manufacture of containers.
2. For glazing window frames.
3. Reducing the level of radiation.
4. in the production of fiberglass.
5. Protect the screen of mobile and other devices.
6. For making dishes.
7. For the manufacture of medical devices.
8. Protecting the surface of the oven and fireplace screens.
9. For the manufacture of various sources Sveta.
10. For the manufacture of various optical devices.

It should be borne in mind that some glasses cannot be machined. This is due to the fact that their structure has a high rate of fragility. You can cut a round hole in a jar, on a glass plate and many other products.

What tools are needed

Various tools can be used to drill a hole in glass. Correct selection tool allows you to exclude the possibility of damage to the material during processing. The most common varieties are:

Diameter cutting tool must correspond to the diameter of the hole to be obtained in the product.

Preparing a glass blank

It is possible to make a hole in the material correctly if the workpiece is carefully prepared. The instruction looks like this:

1. Surface treatment with alcohol or turpentine. Then clean the surface with a clean cloth.
2. The workpiece must be positioned on the base so that it does not change its position during processing.
3. The base on which the workpiece will be placed must be bigger size. The edges of the glass must not be allowed to extend beyond the base, as carelessness can damage it.
4. Masking tape is glued to the surface where the hole is drilled. This will prevent slippage of the tool at the beginning of processing.
5. The center of the hole can be marked with a marker.
6. If the work is carried out for the first time, you can make a test hole on unnecessary glass.
7. When performing drilling work, you should be as careful as possible. Haste can cause serious defects.
8. When working with glass or ceramics, you need to ensure that the drill is located strictly perpendicular to the surface - so the hole will be of high quality.
9. It is not recommended to process in one pass. This is due to the fact that glass is considered difficult to process; during prolonged drilling, the cutting edge may heat up. When the tool is heated, part of the heat is transferred to the material, deteriorating its performance.
10. When the through hole is almost obtained, you should stop the process, then turn the product over and continue drilling from the reverse side. So you can get a quality hole.
11. You can finish the edges with sandpaper. It is recommended to choose paper that has a fine fraction.

The use of a conventional drill

If glass processing does not involve mass production, then there is no need to purchase special tools. Its cost is quite high, with long-term operation, the surface of the cutting edge wears out. Here's how to drill a hole in glass with a conventional drill press. You will need:

1. Drill for working with metal or ceramics. In their manufacture, a hard alloy is used that can withstand long-term operation.
2. Drill with low speed and drilling machine with the ability to adjust the number of revolutions.
3. Ordinary plasticine.
4. Turpentine.
5. Alcohol solution.

Drilling instruction:

1. The glass is placed on a flat surface. The edges should not go beyond it.
2. The processed area of ​​glass is degreased.
3. After fixing the tool in the chuck, set the minimum speed. Too high rotation speed of the drill can lead to deformation of the workpiece. In addition, the degree of runout of the tool must be low, as a variable load can lead to cracking.
4. Plasticine is placed on the surface to be treated, which will eliminate the possibility of the tool slipping. A small hole is created in the central part.
5. To reduce the likelihood of cracks, work should be done carefully. Too much force causes various defects. The minimum rotation speed must be 250 rpm. With a high resistance of the material to mechanical stress, an indicator of 1000 rpm is set.

During machining, chips of fine fraction are formed - safety glasses should be used during work.

Benefits of using sand

When using a cutting tool, the surface is likely to be damaged. The use of sand will help to avoid this. You will need:

1. Fine sand.
2. Petrol.
3. Gas-burner.
4. Small amount of tin.
5. A vessel made of metal.

Work order:

1. The surface is degreased. To do this, you can use an alcohol solution.
2. In the area where you need to get the required hole, a hill of sand is poured. It is slightly dampened.
3. With the help of a sharp object, a small indentation is created.
4. Molten tin is poured into the created recess, after which you need to wait a bit.
5. A hill of sand is removed from the surface. After that gas burner tin melts.

It should be borne in mind that it is rather difficult to obtain a high-quality hole in this way, therefore, machining the hole with a drill is additionally necessary.

Even minor errors can lead to serious defects in the processed material. Here are tips on how to make a hole in glass without damaging it:

The same methods are also suitable for those who are going to drill a mirror at home. To obtain large holes, a special tool called a glass cutter should be used. Design features allow you to get high-quality holes in the shortest possible time.