Sew Useful Contest: Make Your Own Buttons

Step 4 Drill S-L-O-W-L-Y

I find the hardest part of drilling glass to be starting the hole. This is when you are most likely to slip, and leave a skidding drill mark across your glass. Go slow and be careful.

Very Light Pressure is Key

When you start your hole, don't push down on the glass with the drill bit. Just touch it to the glass and let the bit do the work. Little pieces of glass will chip off, and you will slowly make a hole. If you push too hard, the glass may break.

Wash out the hole every few seconds

Every couple of seconds, remove the bit from the glass and let the water wash into the hole to remove glass bits and cool the glass. If the glass heats up too much from the friction, it will crack.

Drill halfway, then flip

This is a matter of personal preference, but I usually drill halfway through the glass, then flip it over, start a new hole, and drill through the other side to meet the hole. This prevents the chipping marks that can occur when you break through to the surface of glass from the inside.

First one hole, then the other

Once you are done with your first hole, pick a spot that is at least as far away as twice the width of your bit (e.g. if your bit is 2.1 mm, your second hole should be at a distance of at least 4 mm from your first hole), and drill your second hole using the same method.

Comments

[SupernovaDesigns]

How can you be sure that when you flip the button over, you are drilling over the hole on the front side?

[liskidder]

I added a video showing this. :)

[liskidder]

I eyeball it with opaque glass by looking at the glass from the side. It's easier with semi-transparent sea glass because then you can see the hole from the other side.