Glass Blocks - Drilling the hole?
 

Ok, so will a drill press work a million times better than a hand drill? My DH, bless his heart, spent 2 hours drilling one measly hole in a glass block for me to play with - with his hand drill and a glass & tile bit. I loved the way it turned out and want to do more, but on our second attempt at drilling - after going at it for about an hour and a half the block cracked and quite honestly it ended up being thrown on the ground afterwards;) . Anyway, my dad has a drill press and we're going there next week. Will this work better? Will I spend my entire Thanksgiving out in the barn spending hours drilling one block? If it will work better, can someone explain why so I can convince my DH (with something other than bedroom bribes!) to try again!

Thanks!
Dawn

I haven't tried it, but it should work easier with a drill press. I think the little bit of rocking that occurs when you use a hand drill may be a factor with cracking.

If you don't get a response with the exact answer to your question, maybe PM one of the people who did them that are in the gallery. I know that I have looked at doing these but I remember that teh poster had indicated that it had to be a drill press, that nothing else really worked - either it woudl break the drill bit or the glass or took too long - things like that, and only drill press would get through it. And I don't remember them saying that even with the drill press it took forever to go through - seems to me that it was like just regular drilling with the drill press. I have no idea what the difference is in the drilling, but apparently there's a huge difference. So look there and I'm sure that will help convince hubby. Maybe her hubby can email yours so help encourage his help!!! Mary

I know that somewhere on the internet I saw kits for making these blocks...I wonder if their blocks come drilled already....

I wish I could remember where I saw the durn thing.

Inky Antics, maybe?

Yeah - Inky Antics has 'em for $15/light - and the blocks are about 1/2 the size - I would love to be able to do these myself... Still searching elsewhere on the internet also... Thanks for the help so far, and, please, keep it comin'!

Thanks!
Dawn

I�m off to check out the gallery to see what everyone is making with block glass� I�ve missed that wagon� :confused:

WOW ~ I just checked out the gallery and these are beautiful! :p Just in case anyone else is interested�

Here are some instructions that Mary posted:
//www.splitcoaststampers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=105503

And here�s some in the gallery to check out:
//www.splitcoaststampers.com/gallery/showgallery.php?si=block+glass&limit=&x=13&y=7

Key to drilling
 

Make sure you put some cutting fluid where you are trying to cut the hole and it will make the process much easier - experience speaking here!

Andrea

I finally have an answer to someone's question!
We saw something like this at a craft fair with wired ribbon and flowers and they were selling them for upwards of $45! Mom and I looked at each other and said, we can make these.
Here is what I learned. My first hole took 20 minutes! Yikes! We want to make these for 15 people. I'm sure the drill press would be great, but I don't have one. We first used a cordless drill....which took the 20 minutues. Then someone let us borrow a regular power drill (corded). We had to buy a new bit b/c we killed the first one. While there, the cute kid in Lowes called his dad for help. He suggested spritzing water on the cube as you drilled and it worked. It took us all of 20 seconds this time. We are heading out to Lowes to buy more bricks tomorrow, now that we know it won't take hours to just drill the holes. Good luck. If you need any other info let me know.:-D

What kind of bit are you using??

My hubby and I were just talking about etching some glass blocks, so all this information is coming at a perfect time. He said he could just drill the holes! Ha, this should be good...I thought you had to have a diamond drill bit. But, the water spritzed over the spot sounds logical to help smooth the way. Do you put the hole in the lower back of the glass block?

Here is a tutorial for that on one of my friend's blogs. She tells you what bits and everything to use.

http://suckystamper.blogspot.com/index.html

Thank you for the link. I thought diamonds were involved!

Lots of water.........
 

Professional machines for cutting bricks and tiles have a continual stream of water hitting the surface. So for the rest of us (with ordinary drills) drilling into a glass block would take two people - one on the drill and one with the water.

That is so strange...my neighbor just brought me one of these last week that she got from someone selling them at work! I had never seen such a thing before...it is one that looks like a present...and now they are here! Cool!

I made about 25 of these last year as gifts and my mom also sold them at work. I used my dad's drill press and it worked like a charm! When my husband tried to it with a hand drill it was pretty well.. pathetic! anyway, once we used the drill press it was easy peasy!! I also did the wired ribbon look to make them look like presents.. they look great on a mantle when you do some verticle and some horizontal!! Oh, I didn't use any water on the block when using the drill press, it worked just fine. Oh, and I got my drill bit at home depot and it was a drill bit specifically for cutting glass! Hope that helps!

I saw some battery-powered LED rice lights on the shopping channel and this kind of project was the first thing that came to mind.

Any further thoughts?

TIA!
Dawn

Here's a thread going on at the DIY network boards.

http://boards.diynetwork.com/eve/for...492#5691010492

I just got in the drill bits from Harbor Freight, but, I haven't had time to drill the blocks yet, so, can't give any personal experience.

Suz

Water, Water, Water! Makes all the difference in the world! That, and a drill bit that you haven't completely dulled by trying to dry drill w/it! We just did 5 blocks in about 45 seconds each - with 1/2" carbide drill bits from Harbor Freight. We just submerged the block in the sink and drilled away! I'm so excited to be able to do more of these! Thanks to everyone for all the help!

Dawn

Dad and I used a 1/2" diamond drill bit in his drill press. He operated the press and I squirted water on the bit and glass with a turkey baster....apparently it was a sight to see...only took about 5 minutes though.

That would be a site to see! :wink: How did they turn out, Jessica? I am just now finding out about these glass blocks...but who am I kidding. I'd probably buy all the "stuff" and then they'd sit there. Plus I don't have a drill press...sigh.