How Fast Should I Drill?

Good morning! Today, we will continue our series of tips and tricks to drilling glass with a some information pertaining to the speed of your drilling.

How fast should I drill?

Use diamond bits to drill hard, brittle materials like glass, ceramics and tile. Drill small holes using a round ball shaped bit. Drill holes 1/4" and larger using a diamond core bit. First, pick the shank size that fits your tool, and then choose a rounded end bit or core bit that matches the size of the hole you need.

Diamond bits (even coarse) will leave a smoother finish than spade bits or twist drills and won't chip and crack your work. With a little luck, the finish will be smooth enough, without any additional polishing. Drill speeds vary. Start out very slowly and gradually increase the speed. As a starting point, start hole saws at about 700-800 RPM. Start round end bits at 2500-5000 RPM. The larger your bit is, the slower you should start. The more lubrication you use, the faster you can drill.

Drilling faster increases friction, burns up the bit and causes the colorful drill tips. Everyone repeat after me: if your drill bit develops yellow, brown, blue or black “burn marks” around the tip, slow down.


Next time, we'll discuss pressure.

Basic Glass Drilling Tips

Good morning! We will be posting tips and suggestions for the time being to help you get started drilling glass. Today, we'll cover some very basic tips. More detailed tips and suggestions are soon to follow. Below are six tips to consider before you begin drilling:

6 Tips:

1. Use diamond bits to drill your glass, not carbide bits.
2. Use diamond hole saws to drill holes 1/4" and larger or to drill holes in thick glass like glass block or wine bottles.
3. Use plenty of lubrication/coolant to keep your drill tip cool and the hole clean.
4. Use less pressure! Let your drill bit drill at it's own pace.
5. Start diamond hole saws at 600-900 RPM.
6. Start diamond drill bits at 2500-5000 RPM.

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