Drilling Stones

by Judy Ellis, Wirejewelry.com

Wire Jewelry Tip for October 16th, 2015

Drilling Stones

By Kate Richbourg ©2015

Today’s tip is from Kate Richbourg and I think you will love it!

Kate says: “Drilling stones is easier than you might think. The secret is the correct bit and WATER! My favorite Drill bits are the Diamond Core Drill Bits Set from Jewelrytools.com – (a sister site to WireJewelry.com). Use them in your Dremel, flex shaft or drill press.”

Here are some tips to consider when drilling:

1. Always use diamond drill bits wet. Use an old plastic container as a water reservoir. Place a small block of wood or rubber block in the water as a drilling surface. Hold the stone that you are drilling underwater with your fingers just underneath the surface of the water and drill.
2. If it’s not possible to drill underwater, dip the tip of the drill frequently (very frequently) in water to keep it cool and lubricated. Also dip the object being drilled.
3. If you see dark grey colored dust around the hole as you are drilling, that means that the drill and object are too hot and you are close to breaking your project and drill. Dip immediately if this happens.
4. Hold the drill bit at a 45-degree angle as you begin to drill. Apply slight pressure and as the drill begins to pierce the surface, rotate the tool upright to 90-degrees and continue to drill. This will provide a “seat” for the drill bit and prevent it from skittering over the surface of the piece you are drilling.
5. Start with a small bit to make a pilot hole. Increase the bit size if a larger hole is desired. Starting with a large bit increases the possibility of chipping or breaking the stone.
6. Drilling makes dust. Wear a dust mask while you work to prevent breathing particles in. Wear safety glasses. Objects can fly right out of your hands as you drill. Take care to protect your eyes.
   

I hope that you enjoyed reading Kate’s amazing tip on drilling stones! If you use this tip and love it – send us a picture of what you’ve made. We’d love to see it!

Happy Wrapping

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3 Comments

1. 

   Judi Morningstar

   October 16, 2015 at 9:23 am

   Thanks for the great tips. Last summer I picked up a few Petoskey Stones, the Michigan State Stone and was debating what to do with them. Do you have any tips for how to treat the surface of a stone such as this? Just out of the water they look dull but when wet you can see the fossil patterns.
2. 

   Sandra

   October 18, 2015 at 4:57 am

   Great tutorial. Thanks
3. 

   judy whitley

   October 18, 2015 at 3:41 pm

   Are there any stones you would advise NOT to drill yourself?