How to Use a Drill for Jewelry Making: 3 Ideas

re: How to Use a Drill for Jewelry Making: 3 Ideas

KathleenS@59 — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 18:07:06 GMT

#1. Question to SANDY H. re: directions " I place the bit at an angle on the spot I want to drill the hole and turn the drill on for 30 seconds, after I am happy with the placement I center the drill and finish .." Why do you begin with the drill set on an angle rather than straight down? Wouldn't that make a little gouge? #2. I've read a few other sites mentioning drilling shells and it seems the dust is a major issue and to be avoided at all costs. Even if you're drilling under water it might be a good idea to use protective goggles for your eyes and a mask over your nose and mouth and cover any open cuts on your skin. If you breathe dust in, it gets embedded in your lungs and it won’t come out. It will literally be there forever. The dust isn't merely annoying, it's very TOXIC!!!! as well. This isn't a scare tactic but just passing words of caution I just learned to help safely achieve the best results. Kit

re: How to Use a Drill for Jewelry Making: 3 Ideas

backrubber90 — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 15:17:13 GMT

I have also been using a couple of different Dremels for a few years. My favorite use is sanding/buffing my polymer clay beads. I use the drill press and screw the bead onto another Dremel bit if I need to. I sometimes have to make my own sandpaper bits to get the finer grades. I just epoxy strips to worn-out regular Dremel sandpaper tubes. You can still get the Dremel drill press at Amazon.com (I just checked). There are also other types of work-station-type stuff for Dremels.

re: How to Use a Drill for Jewelry Making: 3 Ideas

Gyspy Mary — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 14:57:36 GMT

Oh! Dear! a new use for my craft drills, I have only two,now I need a vise and stand.etc. Meanwhile, I have drilled an additional hole in some wood,bone & glass beads, so I can use them for bails. (it has holes on all four sides)What fun! and $$ Saving as well. Thanks, Jean.maryb

re: How to Use a Drill for Jewelry Making: 3 Ideas

Mary Phillips — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 18:03:54 GMT

What great comments! I'm going to look for a Dremel stand. I just ordered some jeweler's tweezers to hang on to the shell with. One other thing to mention. Part of the reason you put the shell under water is that the dust is toxic if you breath it. I don't think anyone has mentioned that before. We are all a bunch of shell fanatics, aren't we! I call going on a beach walk "sea bead shopping" with no checkout line.

re: How to Use a Drill for Jewelry Making: 3 Ideas

sure beads working — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 17:28:07 GMT

my earring cards are 1/2 business cards with a small head and small holes in her ears for the earrings. I use my dremel to drill the holes a stack at a time I can get smaller neater holes that way than with a punch.

re: How to Use a Drill for Jewelry Making: 3 Ideas

SharonS@94 — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 16:54:17 GMT

I use my Dremel with the extension for finishing and polishing silver and gold jewelry after the soldering is done. There are many different kinds of bits for polishing different materials and there are burnishing brushes and cutting wheels if you need that kind of work.

re: How to Use a Drill for Jewelry Making: 3 Ideas

Moxie4 — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 15:31:49 GMT

Y'all have got me drooling over this Dremel tool you mention. I've recently taken a class on Cold Connections and my instructor told me to go straight for a drill press and to use a tumbler for polishing. I've been using both for two months. I hope I'm not missing out on anything.

re: How to Use a Drill for Jewelry Making: 3 Ideas

mypearlbox — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 12:50:11 GMT

Re; How to use a drill for jewellery making. When I am stringing pearls I always need to enlarge to holes on the last 4 pearls at each end of a necklace to take a double thickness of silk. I lost a lot of drill bits to start with because of the heat generated, but have found that 1mm titanium tipped bits of engineering quality do the job without the need of a cooling water bath. To hold the pearls in place for drilling I use an old electric drill chuck. I hope this idea might save a few fingers.

re: How to Use a Drill for Jewelry Making: 3 Ideas

bluelapis — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 05:19:55 GMT

I have been using dremel tools for over 10 years now and must have at least one of most of their tools. I use them almost every day. I like the larger corded dremel for drilling, especially in harder items. And I agree that using the drill press rig mentioned by PiecesofD is the way to go to have the most control and to get nice straight holes. I also use this rig for polishing my jewelry because it gives me the use of both hands to hold my piece. I like the flex shaft tool that attaches to the base of my dremel scroll saw for etching and carving as well as drilling holes in softer or thinner materials like plastics or wood. It doesnt weigh as much as the regular Dremel, and is thinner and easier to hold for finer work. As far as bits go I mostly use the standard dremel bits for almost every job. They have one for every application from cutting and drilling to buffing and polishing, and dont cost that much considering the quality. (No I dont work for or own stock in Dremel. I just find for my money they are invaluable tools for any level of crafting.) I do use a regular corded drill to make jump rings and coils though, like AutEv wrote, and much for the same reason. But also because the dremel just goes too fast to suit me for this task, even at the lowest speed. Whichever drill you use though, for whatever task you're working on, always remember the safety glasses!!!

re: How to Use a Drill for Jewelry Making: 3 Ideas

AutEv — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 01:58:30 GMT

Drills are awesome for making jump rings and coils. Since there's also discussion of Dremels here, I'd like to mention that I would NOT suggest using a Dremel to do this because if something goes wrong you can't just take your finger off of the trigger ...

re: How to Use a Drill for Jewelry Making: 3 Ideas

SandyH@40 — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 00:43:19 GMT

I have drilled many holes in glass and I get my bits from Delphiglass ,they are a little more expensive but for the serious user they are worth the cash. I use a rubber eraser at the bottom of bowl with just enough water to cover the piece of glass, Making sure to put firm pressure on the glass and eraser with my left hand, , I place the bit at an angle on the spot I want to drill the hole and turn the drill on for 30 seconds, after I am happy with the placement I center the drill and finish making sure it has enough water. I fuse glass and not everyone will be going through thick glass , but I this has worked well for me.

re: How to Use a Drill for Jewelry Making: 3 Ideas

PiecesofD — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 00:18:03 GMT

I use my Dremel to drill and polish all kinds of things. For glass and rock, I use a diamond bit and submerge the piece under water, on top of a piece of foam. I also use my Dremel Drillpress. I'm not sure if they are available anymore, but this is one tool I wouldn't want to be without.

re: How to Use a Drill for Jewelry Making: 3 Ideas

pwong2 — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 23:51:50 GMT

Sassy Sean, You can use any Dremel. Some Dremel tool comes in single speed; some come with 4-5 speeds. It’s depending on your preference. The rule of thump is go to hardware store and ask and check around, touch and feel…see this what you want. But when you have one you will have fun with this equipment. It’s easy to use and come with all the attachments (almost). Making sure that the drill is able to hold the small drill bit. If it’s not you have to purchase this tool call Pin Vice holder that can locked into the drill. If the tool you purchase be able to abject speed. You should adjust the speed to the lower speed, and take you time. My own preference is to get Dremel with adjustable speed because I have difference speed to play with. Some Dremel comes codeless, I like codeless but sometime codeless power doesn’t last as long as plug-in because of battery need to be charge all the time. It’s hard to say which one you should buy…..start out cheap one or mid price first.

re: How to Use a Drill for Jewelry Making: 3 Ideas

Myalli — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 23:04:39 GMT

I have something to say, and I would never use a drill without a stand and something to keep my hands away from the drill bit. I've made lots of production jewelry, and stands are cheap enough that you can spring for one and not chance an accident. I have a dremel stand, and it's quite nice.

re: How to Use a Drill for Jewelry Making: 3 Ideas

BLONDIE-POP — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 21:39:24 GMT

what a great artical. how funny i have a bunch of shells i would love to put holes in, but never thinking to use my dremel. i have had my dremel for over 10 years & sometime i think it has been overused. lol it has been used on all types of media. i even polish some jewelry with it still. but getting back to the subject.......years ago i had a handful of real beach glass. i search sites with beach glass for days. i feel on this site of how this woman puts holes in her glass pieces. water in pan, stable raised object, thin sponge, glass, covered in water.,,.,.,.,.and drill. i could not believe what i read. told my husband and said "i will frizz my hair playing in water with an electric device". p.s. it work great after i stood and looked for over 2 hours. i just never thought of using that method for my shells. i always make a nice homemade silver bail and glue it on. this would save me monies in the long run. i agree with LEE T. i use a metal punch also, why drill if you don't have 2. the sound of the punch makes me NO all is round and clean & clear. thank you for reasurring what i am doing is correct. D-R-I-L-L O-N U A-L-L