Any man should know how to drill a hole in glass if you do it with a special drill. You can also buy a regular metal drill, which is also convenient for making holes in a mirror or glass. If you take up this type work with insufficient experience, you can damage the glass so that it cracks. Therefore, you should take on the job without overestimating your capabilities. If there is uncertainty about own strength, it is better to seek help from to an experienced master.

Rules for drilling glass

If you have to drill a hole in any glass, it is better to first practice so that it does not burst on any unnecessary piece of glass. When performing the work, a considerable amount of diligence, accuracy, patience and care will be required. In this case, be sure to follow the safety rules, otherwise troubles may arise. Be sure to wear gloves and safety glasses before drilling a hole.

When drilling glass close to its edge, be sure to take into account the thickness of the material. If the glass is thick, then the holes must be made at a distance of 25 mm from the edge, and if it is thin, then at least 15 mm from the edge.

When working with a drill, you should remember that you need to do the work carefully, otherwise you can damage a fragile object. If you have to work with a mirror, then it has the same properties as glass.

Before starting work, the glass is cleaned of dust and dirt. After this, you should thoroughly wipe the area where you need to drill a hole with material soaked in gasoline or turpentine. To mark places for drilling, you need to take a marker. During the work process, a hand or electric drill can be used.

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Tools for drilling holes in glass

The process of drilling a hole in glass involves the use of such types of tools as:

1. Carbide drill with diamond coating.
2. A special liquid that allows you to wet the drill or the glass itself.
3. Marker.
4. Electric or hand drill.
5. Glass cutter
6. Sealing wax.

If you need to drill a small hole, it is best to use a diamond drill. An ordinary drill with a small diameter is also suitable for this purpose, if the right tool absent. It is recommended to harden the end of the drill, which requires simply heating the drill. After sharply pressing the end of the drill, which has turned white, into the prepared sealing wax, you should wait until the tool cools down. If the sealing wax no longer melts, then work begins on drilling holes in the canvas.

To drill glass or mirrors, you can use a special tubular drill with diamond coating and a drill that has a speed controller.

It is very convenient to make holes with a screwdriver, and not just a drill. Marking is not done using the usual way, that is, a cross placed in the center of the hole. Having decided on the diameter of the future hole, place a mark in the form of a square.

If a beginner uses a drill, it begins to slip significantly from the required mark. To prevent this from happening, you can use a small piece of wood or plastic. It is attached to the place of the glass where there is a mark, for which adhesive tape is used, and the drill is held while the work is being done.

It is important to prevent possible overheating of the drill, for which special stops are periodically made. When stopping, the tool and the product are cooled by wetting them with water. You should continue drilling at slow speeds. There is no need to make sudden or vigorous movements when making holes in the glass, since its structure is very fragile.

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Carrying out preparatory work before starting drilling

After laying the glass on a surface that is not only perfectly flat, but also strong, otherwise the material will crack, they begin to make markings. It is necessary to ensure that the glass product is positioned level and motionless. Before this you need to take a piece soft fabric and lay it under the canvas. Before starting drilling, mark the hole, the contours of which should be drawn using a glass cutter. The rotation frequency of the drill is adjusted to a level of no more than 350 rpm.

To install the drill to perform the work in the required location, a recess must be made. For this purpose, a roller type glass cutter is installed, which should be rotated along the axis to form a recess. After this they drill with a drill. You can avoid overheating of the drill by working without increasing the number of revolutions, and be sure to wet the drill and glass object with water.

To prepare glass for drilling holes in it with largest size diameter than the diameter of the drill, degrease it and use a marker to mark the place where it is necessary to drill. First make a hole small size, and then a nail of the appropriate size or bolt is inserted into it, which will hold tightly.

Next, a rope is tied to the nail, and on the other side its end is tied to a glass cutter. They make a special circle, its radius equal to length ropes. When a circle near the nail is made with a glass cutter, it is removed by gently tapping the blade so that the circle made comes out of a hole of a larger diameter, the edges of which are processed using sandpaper.

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How to use a glass cutter correctly?

To drill through glass with a glass cutter, you will need to use a diamond roller. After this, a special metal rod is prepared, in which a slot must be made by sawing. You can fix the roller using a rivet, which will allow it to be firmly fixed so that there are no rotations. When the drill is ready, it is attached to the drill, after which they proceed to making a hole in the blade.

When the object is laid on a perfectly flat surface, it is degreased, then the contour along the mark is drawn out with a plasticine bath. Its sides should be neat. It should be on the top side of the object, after which liquid should be poured into it. It can be not only water, but also turpentine. The sides allow you to fill the tray with liquid in a small amount only once. The main thing is to drill without special effort drill set at low speed.

When choosing a drill from hard alloy one thing to take into account important point, which is associated with heating the drill with glass during the drilling process. The end of the drill must be promptly cooled with turpentine or other liquid that promotes cooling, which will make the hole perfectly neat. Turpentine should be dripped into the hole that was created.

To cool the drill, use a liquid containing aluminum alum dissolved in acetic acid. Instead, a special mixture can be used, obtained using camphor with turpentine in equal parts. Therefore, to create protective edges, the use of plasticine is required.

If you rush while doing work, speeding up and putting pressure on the drill, you can ruin the glass object. It is drilled to the very half of the thickness, then it is turned over, then again they continue to drill a hole on the other side towards the first one. This way you can avoid chipping on the outer sides of the canvas. This method should be used when doing work at home.

When working at a very slow pace with the application of weak forces, be sure to control the force of pressure. You need to carefully monitor the speed at which the drill rotates electric drill. If you need to perform this type of work using bottles or other glass objects that have seams, it is better to move further away from the seams. This will increase the chances of maintaining the integrity of the bottle or other item.

If you need to create an even and neat hole in a 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, to do this you need to know how to drill glass, what 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 asking yourself the question of how to drill glass at home, you should at least general outline get acquainted with 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 a melt, which includes several components. Such a melt for glass is subjected to sudden supercooling, and the crystallization process is not completely completed.

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 has a melt, glasses are distinguished:

• oxide category;
• sulfide;
• fluoride type.

Glass, which may be opaque, is divided into Various types depending on the main characteristics of the material. So, glass is distinguished:

1. quartz, which is obtained by melting quartzite, also known as “rock crystal” (this material can be of natural origin and is found mainly in places where quartz deposits have been exposed to lightning);
2. optical type, used for the manufacture of basic elements of optical instruments (lenses, prisms, etc.);
3. characterized by high resistance to aggressive influences chemical substances And elevated temperatures;
4. industrial purposes(the most extensive category of glass, also 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, characterized 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 shine, are highly hard and difficult to melt);
3. lead type (such glasses have a pronounced shine, which makes them very similar to crystal, high fragility with a fairly high plasticity of the internal structure, 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 changes and mechanical stress and are quite expensive).

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

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

What tools are used to drill glass?

So that drilling glass does not end with it 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. A drill, the working part of which is made of hard alloy and has the shape of a feather or spear, allows you to make a hole in glass with a diameter of 3–12 mm. Using such a drill requires certain skills. However, even their presence and maximum care when performing work will not help to drill glass with this tool without small chips.
2. A diamond glass drill, the working part of which also has the shape of a spear, allows you to drill holes better. Such a tool, the cutting part of which is coated with diamond, provides softer drilling.
3. Glass drills, made in the form of a tube, are used in cases where a hole needs to be made in glass large diameter. It is more convenient to use a tubular drill complete with a drilling machine.
4. When using brass drills, the cutting part of which is coated with diamond, it is necessary to take care of their high-quality cooling, for which water or turpentine is supplied to the processing zone.
5. Tubular glass crowns, made with diamond coating on the cutting part, also require high-quality cooling. If you don't know how to cut a large hole in glass, this tubular drill bit 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 neat 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 need to perform the following preparatory steps:

1. The surface of the glass that needs to be drilled is degreased with alcohol or turpentine. After this, it must be wiped with a dry cloth.
2. The glass sheet or mirror must be placed on a surface that will prevent the product from sliding during processing.
3. The surface on which the glass sheet or mirror will be placed must be larger than the product itself. The edges of the sheet should not be allowed to protrude beyond its limits.
4. It is advisable to stick it on the place that needs to be drilled. masking tape or a piece of adhesive to prevent the instrument from slipping.
5. The center of the future hole is indicated using a regular marker.
6. If you are familiar with drilling glass at home only from videos, then to gain practical skills it is better to first practice on unnecessary glass shards. This training will allow you to subsequently drill glass efficiently.
7. Drilling holes in glass should be done as carefully as possible, without unnecessary haste. In this case, minimal pressure should be applied to the tool used.
8. The glass and ceramic drill that will be used for processing should be positioned strictly perpendicular to the surface of the product.
9. You should not drill holes in glass in one pass; you must periodically stop the process to allow the tool to cool completely.
10. When the glass sheet or mirror is drilled almost completely, you should stop the process, turn the workpiece over and continue with reverse side products. This approach will allow you to drill a hole in a mirror or glass sheet with the highest quality possible and minimize the risk of chips and cracks.
11. To make the edges of the hole you drilled even neater, you can further sand them with fine sandpaper.

Drilling glass using a regular 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 ordinary tool. In order to perform this procedure, you will need the following tools and supplies:

• a drill, which is usually used to drill metal, ceramic and tile materials;
• 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:

1. The glass sheet or mirror must be laid on an absolutely flat surface, and the edges of the workpiece must not protrude beyond its limits.
2. The area of ​​glass that needs to be drilled must be degreased using cotton wool soaked in an alcohol solution.
3. After fixing the drill bit for tiles and glass in the chuck, the minimum number of revolutions is set on the drill. Before starting work, you need 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 that 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 recess, through which holes are drilled in the glass.
5. To avoid throwing away the cracked object after drilling, this process should be carried out as carefully as possible, without exerting much effort. The minimum rotation speed of the drill chuck should be 250 rpm, and the maximum cannot exceed 1000 rpm.

How to make a hole in glass using 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 with lead;
• gas-burner;
• a metal vessel, which can be used as an ordinary mug.

The surface of the glass that needs to be drilled is degreased, as in all previous cases. A mound of wet sand is poured into the area where the center of the future hole should be located, in which, using a 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 a depression formed in a pile 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 alloy with glass, the dimensions of which fully corresponds, is easily removed from the material being processed. geometric parameters the hole being formed. A gas torch and a metal mug are used to bring the tin or lead to a molten state.

The cut made using the above method is different high quality and does not require additional modification.

Using a homemade drill

You can drill glass by making your own tool, 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 a 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 regular drill, you can give it the ability to drill through glass. To do this, the working part of the drill must be heated white-hot using a gas burner, and then cooled by dipping it into sealing wax.

How to drill glass correctly to get a high-quality 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 should not be moved from side to side.
5. The distance between the center of the hole and the edge of the workpiece must be at least 1.5 cm.

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

Application of glass cutter

You can drill through a glass sheet not only with a tubular drill or a processing tool ceramic tiles. A regular glass cutter is also used to create holes in this material. How to drill (cut) glass using such a tool? Simple rules should be followed: you cannot make sudden movements with the glass cutter, while gentle pressure is applied to it, and during the processing process, the cut being formed 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:

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

One of the fragile materials is glass, which must be handled very carefully. To carefully drill a hole in glass without causing a crack in it, you should follow the recommendations and carefully select the tools for the job.

Special crowns and drills

First of all, you need to purchase special devices. For this you will need:

• A drill with a pointed end.
• Drill bits.

Pointed drill bit mainly used in cases where you need to make a small hole. Lance-shaped ones can be regular or diamond-coated, which provides smoother drilling. But it is difficult to work with such a product, so it is preferable to use the second option.

Used for making large diameter holes diamond-coated drill bits. The use of abrasive spraying is allowed, but with such a product the drilling is of insufficient quality. Therefore, it is recommended to use diamond-coated products, because with such crowns there is less chance that the glass will crack.

Depending on the hole you need to make, you can use drills of different diameters.

Necessary tools and equipment

In addition to the drill, you will need the following equipment for work:

• Drill.
• Scotch.
• Stencil (thick cardboard or a sheet of plywood will do).
• Water.
• Gloves.
• Protective glasses.

Drill must have adjustable rotation speed. It can be replaced with a screwdriver, which is more gentle. You can use both manual and electric. The main thing is that there is minimal drill runout. It is recommended to use a drill with a speed between 250 and 1000 rpm.

Stencil necessary to accurately drill a hole. To do this, a hole is pre-drilled in it. required diameter, and then it is applied to the glass.

Scotch additionally protects against small glass fragments. Water will be needed to cool the surface that will be drilled. For personal protection skin is a must have gloves, and glasses, which will protect the skin and eyes from fragments.

Glass preparation

Before starting work, you need to decide on the surface on which the glass will be drilled. It is best to use a table that is stable on the floor. It is advisable to cover it thick fabric or cardboard so as not to damage its surface during work. This will also prevent the glass from cracking.

It is impossible to drill glass while it is suspended, so it is used Smooth surface, to which the material will fit tightly.

After that:

• Glass is degreased with alcohol.
• Wipe clean with a soft dry cloth.
• Placed on the prepared surface.
• Tape is glued to the intended mounting location.
• A stencil with a drilled hole is attached.

Using a stencil you can make it more accurately required hole. It is necessary to ensure that the distance from the edge of the glass is at least 25 mm, otherwise the product may crack.

There is a second method without using a stencil. For this we take the usual plasticine and glued to the glass around the drill hole. Plasticine will act as sides. Water is poured inside to cool the glass.

Step-by-step instruction

After the markings are made, the main part of the work is done. To do this, prepare a drill, which is tightly inserted into the drill. It is necessary to check that it is well secured. Then the drill is turned on and brought to the marked drilling location at low speeds. The drill must be held strictly perpendicular to the glass.

When the depression is approximately 3 mm, you need to stop and drop a little water into it. Turpentine or kerosene is also used to remove heat from glass that is released during drilling.

Water is needed to cool the glass surface.

Then continue drilling at minimum speed. You should not press on the tool while working, because the glass is very fragile, and the drill may break if you do not follow these recommendations.

Drilling rules

To prevent glass from cracking during drilling, you must adhere to several rules:

• Turn on the drill at minimum rotation speed.
• Hold the tool at right angles to the glass.
• Do not apply pressure to the drill.
• Drill slowly in several passes.
• After each use, moisten the recess with water.

It is necessary to drill in several passes not only to avoid overheating of the glass, but also overheating of the tool. The drill also gets hot, so it needs to be constantly moistened with water.

Once the hole is made, you can remove any small roughness that has formed around it using fine-grit sandpaper.

If you hold the drill easily, you can prevent cracks from forming. In addition, the drill should not be rocked from side to side. It must be held strictly at a right angle.

In the video you can see the method of drilling thick glass. To do this, a method is used in which a hole is made on both sides.

How to make a hole with a larger diameter than the drill size

If you need to make a hole with a diameter slightly larger than the diameter of the existing drill, than the size of the drill, you can use a glass cutter. To do this, a hole is drilled according to the diagram described above. After that:

• A nail is inserted into the hole.
• A small rope is attached to the nail.
• The end of the rope is tied to the glass cutter.
• A circle is made.

The nail must be selected precisely according to the diameter of the hole so that it does not dangle, but stands firmly. The length of the rope, which is attached at one end to the nail and the other to the glass cutter, must be calculated so that it is equal to the radius of the desired hole.

After drawing a circle with a glass cutter, you need to make gentle tapping movements. Due to this, the circle will come out of the hole. Then the rough edges at the cut site are processed with sandpaper.

What to do if you don’t have the required drill

Quite often, you don’t have a suitable drill at hand. Therefore, you can use their replacement:

• Make a hardened drill.
• Use copper wire.

Do it yourself hardened drill you can use a simple technology: take a regular drill, clamp it with pliers and hold the end of the product over gas burner. When the tip turns white, it should be immediately dipped in sealing wax. After a couple of minutes, the drill is taken out and cleaned of particles of sealing wax.

To correctly drill glass with a tempered drill, you can use the diagram described above. The only difference is the need to constantly wet the drill so that it does not overheat.

Copper wire used when there is no drill at hand. To do this, the wire is clamped into a drill. Then a special solution is prepared from sandpaper powder (it is better to use coarse-grained paper), camphor, and turpentine in a ratio of 0.5:1:2. When everything is ready, the mixture is poured onto the glass at the drilling site, and then a hole is made.

How to make a hole without drilling

If you don’t have the necessary drill or drill at hand, then there is another way to make a hole in the material. You can use the old way. You must have with you:

• Sand.
• Tin (or lead).
• Any thin and long object (you can take a wooden stick with a pointed end).

Work begins with degreasing the glass, onto which a small pile of wet sand is poured. A small funnel is made in it with a sharp object. The recess is made to the surface of the glass. The center of the funnel should coincide with the diameter of the future hole. A mixture of tin or lead (called solder) is then melted and poured into the funnel.

Used to prepare solder metal vessel and a gas burner.

After a few minutes the sand is removed. You get frozen metal, at the end of which there will be frozen glass. It should come off easily from the surface. The result is a perfectly smooth through hole in the glass.

When drilling glass, the main thing is to adhere to the technology of work and select the right material. To make a high-quality hole in the material without damaging it, it is advisable to:

• It is better to use a diamond-coated drill.
• Carefully select the diameter of the drill.
• Choose the right work surface: it must be stable.
• To prevent the glass from slipping, the table is covered with cloth, cardboard or plywood.
• Do not drill into tempered glass, which may break into small fragments.
• Do not put pressure on the drill while working.
• Carry out all actions slowly, constantly wetting the hole with water. This will help avoid overheating of the material and prevent the formation of cracks.
• Carry out the work wearing protective gloves and goggles to prevent splinters from getting into your skin and eyes.
• Before starting work, it is better to practice making holes on an unnecessary piece of glass.

When drilling a hole, you don’t need to try to do all the work at once. This is a rather labor-intensive process and takes a lot of time.

It often seems that such a fragile material as glass can only be processed by an experienced craftsman. But if a beginner treats the work with understanding and does it slowly, calmly, unhurriedly, then you can drill a hole in the glass perfectly.

Creating holes in glass may seem like a simple operation, but in practice it is a rather complex and responsible procedure. The structure of glass is malleable but at the same time very fragile. Therefore, the peculiarity of the operation lies not so much in the choice of the force of influence, but in the approach to its organization. the main task masters - not to lead to the formation of cracks, chips and breaks of the main surface. How to make a hole in glass without violating this condition? You can accomplish this task using special technologies and tricks that are available to almost any master. Next, the most popular and effective methods will be discussed.

Preparing glass for processing

Before any hole making or simple cutting operation, proper preparation should be made. Working surface The glass must be clean and, if possible, free from defective areas - during drilling, they can cause third-party chipping, which will ruin the workpiece. It is recommended to mark the lines of the future hole so that the physical flaws in the surface are located inside the circle, but do not go beyond. As an additional measure, the glass can be treated and chemicals, which, in particular, will relieve it of oil traces. If the question is how to make a small hole in glass, then you will have to prepare fixing equipment. The method of fixing the workpiece will depend on the technology for creating the hole, but in most cases such elements are mounted on a vice of a suitable configuration - damping soft material is placed directly into the contact areas.

The nuances of making holes by drilling

Glass cannot be processed using the usual drilling method. If we are talking about workpieces of the same small size, then you can use a standard set of drills and drills, but before that, the working equipment should be prepared in a special way. First of all, a drill of a suitable size is heated to a white tint. Next, it must be immersed in sealing wax and held until the latter melts. After this, the tip is moistened in turpentine and you can begin the work process. There is another option that allows you to do round hole in glass by drilling - it step-by-step instruction is presented below:

• Camphor and particles of coarse sandpaper are crushed.
• The prepared elements are poured into a small container and diluted with turpentine.
• For the drill, prepare a small piece of copper wire, which must be clamped in the chuck.
• The previously prepared paste is placed on a clean glass surface.
• To position the copper equipment, a guide jig made of plywood is prepared.
• You can start drilling.

Creating Large Holes

Drilling methods are not always theoretically acceptable for making holes in glass, and not only for reasons of the high risk of chipping. In the case of holes with a diameter of more than 10 cm, no household equipment can cope with this task. But even in this case there is a way out, which also involves a drill. It is necessary to make a small through point in the prepared surface in the very center of the planned hole. For this, you can use any small-format glass with a diameter of less than 1 cm. You should not be afraid of third-party chips, because they will fall on the area that will already be removed. Now another question: how to make a hole in glass, having a small through opening in the center? A piece of wire is inserted into the created small hole and secured. The other end is fastened with a glass cutter. Next, after checking the reliability of fixation of the elements and the smooth movement of the tool in a circle, you can begin cutting in a circle.

Smelting hole

In this case, you will need to initially prepare equipment for preparing liquid tin or lead. Prepared accordingly and glass surface. It should be treated with gasoline, acetone or alcohol. Next, moistened sand is poured onto the marked area for forming the hole. There should be enough of it so that you can create a funnel, the bottom of which will fit the edges of the hole in size. After this, metal is poured into the created funnel. It will cool down in 1-2 minutes, after which it will be possible to remove the sand equipment along with the poured mold. This best option, if there is a question regarding how to make a hole in glass without a drill and with smooth edges. But the problem may arise in another aspect. No matter how precise a sand funnel is, it will be impossible to control the diameter that will form when the glass is melted with metal.

Cutting with a soldering iron

From the point of view of the quality of the result, this option can be called the opposite of the previous one. In this case, the master will be able to relatively accurately maintain the boundaries of the marked hole diameter, but the edges may be uneven. The process begins with creating a risk using a needle file. The task of this operation is to carefully mark the future melt with a soldering iron in depth. Now you can move on to next stage- how to make a hole in glass without drilling using a soldering iron? After warming up the tip of the device, you can start cutting. Moreover, there is no need to rush this process. It is advisable to perform melting in small sections, cooling the glass if necessary - otherwise there is a risk of deformation of areas not intended for processing.

How to make a hole in heat-resistant glass?

A very labor-intensive operation, and in such situations, limitations in methods due to the fragility of ordinary glass no longer matter. In some ways, such cutting is similar to the processing of metal surfaces. If we are talking about thin glass, then you can try drilling using diamond and solid-state nozzles. In any case, they cope with metal. But how to make a hole in glass of large diameter? To do this, you can use a powerful hammer drill with a crown equipped with the same diamond elements. How Alternative option You can also try cutting with an abrasive wheel, but it will provide a very rough result, which is not always suitable.

High-tech processing methods

This category of methods for creating holes is more likely to be industrial, although private craftsmen also acquire appropriate equipment for their needs. It's about about lathes and units that provide sandblasting abrasive cutting. It is water jets that give the highest quality results - how can you make a hole in glass using such equipment? First, the installation is fixed in machine clamps - there are practically no restrictions on size, including thickness. Next, consumables are refilled. They are made up of sand and water. The hole is created as a result of circular cutting with a water-sand jet along a pre-designated line. The automation itself will position the cutting direction, ensuring an almost perfectly even cutting.

Conclusion

The fragility of the material significantly limits home craftsmen who need to make a hole in it. However, almost everyone traditional way The formation of round cutouts, subject to improvement, turns out to be effective in solving this problem. It is quite possible to make a hole in glass at home using a drill, glass cutter or soldering iron. Another thing is that the quality will not always meet expectations. Yet manual processing always involves risks of deviation from the direction of the cut. If the diameter is not particularly important, then you can turn to the smelting method - at least it allows you to count on the smoothness of the edge. If you need a high-quality hole, and one made exactly, then you won’t be able to do it without special equipment.

How to make a hole in glass

Making holes in glass.

There is an ancient, but for some reason now forgotten method of making holes in glass. The place on the glass where the hole should be is thoroughly washed from dirt and grease with gasoline, acetone or alcohol. Then wet fine sand is poured onto the washed area and a funnel is made in the sand up to the glass with a sharpened stick of the required diameter. Molten solder (can be lead or tin) is poured into the mold prepared in this way in the sand. After 1-2 minutes, the sand can be discarded and the solder cone can be removed. An even through hole is formed in the glass.

Drilling a hole in glass.

A hole in the glass can be drilled using a carbide drill. The secret to the success of this operation is in the liquid with which the glass is wetted. It is prepared from aluminum alum dissolved in acetic acid, or from a one-to-one mixture of camphor or turpentine. A plasticine roller is made around the drilling site. Liquid is poured into the resulting bath. The glass should lie on a soft cloth during processing.

Another way to make a hole in glass.

To work, you will need a carbide drill, plasticine for making a small bath, a mixture of equal parts of camphor and turpentine, and a piece of thick rubber.

Once again about how to drill a hole in glass.

How to drill a hole in glass in 10-15 minutes. To do this, you need to sharpen a flat file like a chisel and secure it in the chuck of a hand drill. Just remember to let the file cool while drilling and sharpen it periodically.

Drilling a large hole in glass.

The drill is made from a piece of aluminum, duralumin or copper tube 40-60 mm long. They hammer into it from one end wooden cork to a depth of 20-25 mm, and at the other end the teeth are cut out with a triangular file. A short screw 4-5 mm thick is screwed into the cork so that its smooth part protrudes 10-15 mm. The head is sawed off. A cardboard washer with a hole equal to the drilled diameter is glued to the glass on both sides. The glass is placed on a piece of rubber. A pinch of abrasive powder is poured onto the drilling site. Then insert the end of the screw protruding from the cork into hand drill, lubricate the teeth with turpentine and begin to drill. When the tube goes deep into the glass by at least 1/3 of its thickness, the glass is turned over and the drilling is completed on the other side.

Cutting round glass.

We offer a method for cutting round glass. A roller from a glass cutter is attached to one jaw of the caliper. The other sponge rests on the glass through a rubber washer. The roller is rolled in a circle several times, after which 3-4 tangents are made with a regular glass cutter, making it easier to chip the glass along the boundaries of the cuts. Sharp edges are cleaned with a file or emery under running water.

Marking a circle on glass.

An experienced craftsman will never begin marking a circle on a slippery surface before sticking a piece of adhesive plaster or electrical tape in the center of the circle (under the leg of the compass).

Curvilinear cutting of glass.

Glass can be cut along any curved line using a soldering iron.

A mark is made on the edge of the glass at the beginning of the line with a needle file. A few millimeters from it along the line of the future cut, the glass is heated with a soldering iron tip until a crack appears from the mark to the heating point. So, gradually moving the soldering iron, we go along the entire line. To speed up the process, you can periodically cool the glass with a damp cloth.

Drilling glass

1. Small holes are drilled in the glass with a regular drill, which is pre-hardened. The tip of the drill is heated white, and then quickly pressed into the sealing wax and held until the sealing wax stops melting. When drilling, the tip of the drill is generously moistened with turpentine. Small glass objects Can be drilled in water.

2. A hole in the glass can be drilled using copper wire. To do this, you need to prepare a paste consisting of coarse emery, camphor and turpentine. One part of camphor powder is dissolved in 2 parts of turpentine and mixed with 4 parts of coarse emery. The resulting paste is applied to the place where the hole needs to be drilled. A piece of copper wire is clamped into the drill chuck. It is convenient to drill glass through plywood (conductor) that has guide holes. The glass must lie on a hard and level surface.

3. To drill a hole with a diameter of more than 4 mm in thick glass, use a copper tube. On the glass around the intended hole, a fence in the form of a ring is made of plasticine or putty with internal diameter 40-50 mm and height 8-10 mm. Corundum powder is poured inside the ring (it can be easily prepared by grinding a piece of unusable emery wheel). The powder is poured with a small amount of water to form a liquid paste. Drill holes copper tube, clamped in the chuck drilling machine. The diameter of the tube should be slightly smaller than the diameter of the selected hole. It is very important that the end of the tube is strictly perpendicular to its axis - this can be easily achieved by protruding the tube onto lathe.

4. A hole in the glass can be made using molten solder. On the surface of the glass, previously thoroughly degreased with acetone, gasoline or alcohol, pour a small mound of slightly moistened river sand. Using a sharpened stick, make a conical depression in it and clear an area equal to the future hole from sand. In the received sand mold molten solder sticks at a temperature of 250-300 °C. After the solder has cooled, the sand is removed, and the solder cone is removed along with the glass circle stuck to it.

Unconventional methods glass drilling.

1. A thin steel drill, heated white, is hardened in mercury or a piece of sealing wax and sharpened. Then prepare a saturated solution of camphor in turpentine, moisten it with a drill placed on the brace, and quickly drill the glass, which is then wetted at the point of convergence with the said solution. This method can drill through 1cm thick glass in less than one minute.

2. In order to drill a hole in the glass, we recommend taking a triangular file, dipping it in turpentine and carefully drilling the hole.

3. You can also drill the glass on a lathe with a copper rod, lubricating it with oil and sprinkling with sandpaper. Special attention should be pointed at the hole when the drilling process comes to an end and only the last one remains thin layer, since the glass can easily crack.

How to make a hole of any diameter in glass.

The glass is thoroughly degreased with acetone, gasoline or alcohol. Then a handful of slightly moistened fine river sand is poured onto the place where the hole will be. After this, using a pointed stick, a cone-shaped hole is made in the sand crust down to the glass. Its diameter at the bottom of the cone should be equal to the diameter of the hole being made in the glass. Then molten solder (tertiary or tin) with a melting point of 200-300 ° C is poured into the sand mold. After the solder has hardened, its cone is removed... along with the column of glass stuck to it: the hole is ready.

If the glass is not properly degreased, it can burst in any direction and ruin the work.

How to make an attachment for an electric drill
for drilling holes in glass.

Take a diamond or roller from any glass cutter and secure it in the slot of the steel rod. The diameter of the rod should be slightly smaller than the diameter of the diamond or roller. The roller is attached to the holder with a rivet, and so that it cannot rotate. Then attach such a device to a steel rod in a drill instead of a drill - and you can drill holes in the glass.

The operation of such a device is shown in the figure "Drills the roller".

Cutting large holes in glass.

To cut a large round hole in glass, you must first drill in the center small hole, then strengthen one end of the wire in it, and attach a glass cutter or diamond to the other end and cut a circle with it. Then, using a glass cutter or diamond, several radii are drawn along a ruler from the hole to the circle line. After this, they take the glass in their hands and quietly hit it from the back with the wooden handle of a hammer. The cut pieces of glass should fall out. It is advisable to knock out the cut out pieces of glass in water. This reduces the likelihood of damage to the glass being processed.

© "Encyclopedia of Technologies and Methods" Patlakh V.V. 1993-2007