Re: Glass drilling.

["Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>]

Original poster: "J. B. Weazle McCreath by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>" <weazle-at-hurontel.on.ca>

At 11:32 AM 23/12/00 -0700, you wrote:
>Original poster: "Nathan Morris by way of Terry Fritz
<twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>" <themfam-at-home-dot-com>
>
>All,
>I have an old heavy glass insulator that I would like to use for a torroid
>mount.  Does anyone on the list have a suggestion on how I might be able to
>drill a hole in it?  I have a drill and a standard set of bits, but I think
>that the conventional method might just ruin my bits.
>--Green Horn
>

Hi Nathan,

There likely is a modern method that others may suggest, but I've had
luck using a tried-and-true method that the old timers came up with.
Build a little dam from putty or play-dough around the spot where you
want to drill the hole and put some turpentine in it.  Then using a
broken off three cornered file as a bit, proceed to drill the hole
with slow turns and a firm and steady pressure.  A hand drill with
variable speed works OK, but the old timers used what is known as a
"brace" to do their drilling of glass for insulators and front panels
of homebrew ham radios.


73, Weazle, VE3EAR/VE3WZL

Listening: 147.030+ and 442.075+
E-mail:    weazle-at-hurontel.on.ca
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