On Sat, 12 Sep 2009 12:49:06 -0700, in rec.crafts.jewelry "SteveB"
wrote:


We went to the glass shop yesterday to get some glass cut. Fred asked the
man, and he brought out a bit that cut a 1/8" hole. It looked like a core
drill, just miniature. Straight shoulders on the end of the bit. He cut
the hole with a hand drill. So, I believe what I am looking for is straight
sided core drill bits, just smaller ones. I am now researching prices, and
will look at the places you mentioned. We are going to cut holes in thin
slabs of Brazilian agate to make wind chimes.

Steve

Glass is softer than agate, and easier to drill, but the equipment is similar. A
hand drill will be quite tedius with agate, even if practical for glass, but it
would work if you don't have many holes to drill. Whether you will be using a
core bit (a tube) or a solid wire bit depends on the size of the hole you need.
Core bits are only made down to a certain size, and only offer an advantage in
sizes where leaving the center core intact instead of grinding it away, saves a
significant amount of grinding. The professional glass drilling rigs use a
drill press that can force water down through the core tube while drilling, thus
improving lubrication and removal of the grindings, but that's normally overkill
and not used for small holes such as you'd need to hang slabs of agate from a
wind chime design.

Also, Lapcraft and Crystalite are manufacturers, not places. they're generally
wholesale sellers, so what you'll likely find are resellers who carry those
brands.... They're primarily manufacturers of lapidary (stone cutting) diamond
tools of a number of sorts. Companies who's web sites you might check that
occur to me off hand, would be Kingsley North, Rio Grande, Gesswein, or others
who carry not just jewelry making, but lapidary supplies.

Peter