TIGER
starting to shine!
Member since August 2014
Posts: 46 
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Post by TIGER on Oct 20, 2016 7:13:37 GMT -5
Hi guys, just wondering if anyone can point in the right directions. I'm looking to drill some of my stones, agates, jasper and the like. Where in the UK is the best place to get some, don't want to spend loads as i'm still new to this and don't want to bugger things up. Probably 1mm or slightly smaller, maybe up to 1.5mm
Many thanks in advance
Tiger
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metalsmith
Cave Dweller 
Member since October 2012
Posts: 1,537
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Post by metalsmith on Oct 22, 2016 14:10:44 GMT -5
Hi guys, just wondering if anyone can point in the right directions. I'm looking to drill some of my stones, agates, jasper and the like. Where in the UK is the best place to get some, don't want to spend loads as i'm still new to this and don't want to bugger things up. Probably 1mm or slightly smaller, maybe up to 1.5mm Many thanks in advance Tiger Hi Tiger welcome to the forum from a fellow UK resident. It is usual to say hi in the Welcome section of the forum. Can you clarify - you say you would like drill some of your stones and then ask for where to get some. Is that drill bits or additional rock material? Manchester Minerals might offer a good start. Personally from painful and not entirely successful experience, I'm not a fan of drilling. For the harder agates, drilling should be done slowly and under water with a diamond bit. Others on the site might also have more to help. |
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metalsmith
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 1,537
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Post by metalsmith on Oct 22, 2016 14:26:50 GMT -5
I see you're in Ayrshire, Scotland. The Burn Anne Agate page of Agates of Scotland refers to a location where Agates can be found not very far from you in Wikipedia might help. Also, Kendal Minerals on ebay is reasonably local for you though I don't know whether they have a shop with a footprint. Hope this helps |
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metalsmith
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 1,537
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Post by metalsmith on Oct 22, 2016 15:03:15 GMT -5
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TIGER
starting to shine!
Member since August 2014
Posts: 46
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Drill help
Oct 22, 2016 15:35:19 GMT -5
via mobile
Post by TIGER on Oct 22, 2016 15:35:19 GMT -5
Ok thanks guys. I have stones was just looking for something to drill with. Well somewhere to buy the drill bits.
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metalsmith
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 1,537
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Post by metalsmith on Oct 22, 2016 16:11:49 GMT -5
Check out the diamond shank bits at Cookson's here |
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Mark K
Cave Dweller
Member since April 2012
Posts: 2,818 
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Post by Mark K on Oct 22, 2016 18:15:07 GMT -5
If you are in Ayrshire, then you are very close to my ancestral home, Closeburn.
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zarguy
fully equipped rock polisher
Cedar City, Utah - rockhound heaven!
Member since December 2005
Posts: 1,791
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Post by zarguy on Oct 22, 2016 23:12:57 GMT -5
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TRG
starting to shine!
Member since October 2016
Posts: 31
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Post by TRG on Dec 8, 2016 17:39:25 GMT -5
I agree with Lynn, don't buy the cheapest ones with min. coating unless you only plan on drilling 1 or 2 stones. I was tired of them wearing out so quick and finally bought sintered diamond drill bits and still have them. Th diamonds are throughout the metal not just on the surface. They work until the whole top of the bit is gone. Faster cutting as well. In the long run depending how many you plan to do is worth it to not have to keep buying them. Search for Sintered Diamond Drill bit that may be closer to home or that will ship international. Here's where I got mine for a reference with great instructions as well. www.kingsleynorth.com/skshop/product.php?id=96072&catID=1030 |
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ziggy
spending too much on rocks
Member since June 2016
Posts: 483
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Post by ziggy on Jan 17, 2017 18:43:18 GMT -5
Hi Tiger Personally from painful and not entirely successful experience, I'm not a fan of drilling. Me either. The blowout craters on the bottom side seem to happen even when I'm super careful. It might be due to the fact that most of the stones I am drilling are no more than mohs 3 in hardness (Michigan septarian nodules and Petoskey stones.) Because of this I have decided to (for the most part) no longer drill holes and instead do some groove wrapping. Hubby is building a groove router right now just for that. |
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Post by melhill1659 on Jan 17, 2017 21:21:32 GMT -5
I've actually had great success drilling wholes. Are you ready for this southern ingenuity??    I make my own molds (100% silicone & cornstarch) to hold the stone securely and put box tape on the back. |
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Post by melhill1659 on Jan 17, 2017 21:22:35 GMT -5
I practice on similar scrap first
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metalsmith
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 1,537
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Post by metalsmith on Jan 18, 2017 7:44:52 GMT -5
I've actually had great success drilling wholes. Are you ready for this southern ingenuity?? I make my own molds (100% silicone & cornstarch) to hold the stone securely and put box tape on the back. Do you consider the back support to be the source of your success? Presumably that prevents blowouts just as would happen with splintering on drilling wood. |
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Post by melhill1659 on Jan 19, 2017 20:03:36 GMT -5
I've actually had great success drilling wholes. Are you ready for this southern ingenuity?? I make my own molds (100% silicone & cornstarch) to hold the stone securely and put box tape on the back. Do you consider the back support to be the source of your success? Presumably that prevents blowouts just as would happen with splintering on drilling wood. I'm not totally sure to be honest but I have worked wood since child hood and recently cut acrylic for homemade saw hoods and have used this method in all 3 ventures and never had any problems with any of them. An it seems several people do. I also go extremely slow letting the cutting agent do all the work without force. |
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ziggy
spending too much on rocks
Member since June 2016
Posts: 483
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Post by ziggy on Jan 19, 2017 22:01:59 GMT -5
Do you consider the back support to be the source of your success? Presumably that prevents blowouts just as would happen with splintering on drilling wood. I'm not totally sure to be honest but I have worked wood since child hood and recently cut acrylic for homemade saw hoods and have used this method in all 3 ventures and never had any problems with any of them. An it seems several people do. I also go extremely slow letting the cutting agent do all the work without force. All my drilled rocks look great......on one side  . |
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Post by tims on Feb 27, 2017 4:09:47 GMT -5
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dalan
off to a rocking start
Rock it to me!
Member since March 2017
Posts: 8
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Post by dalan on Apr 25, 2017 18:58:18 GMT -5
Does the drill bit speed matter much? I have a drill press but am having a hard time getting the bits to perform the way I see them in the tutorial video. It takes me 20 minutes or so (and much frustration) to drill a 1.5mm hole.
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dalan
off to a rocking start
Rock it to me!
Member since March 2017
Posts: 8
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Post by dalan on Apr 27, 2017 12:28:41 GMT -5
I upped my drill speed to 3k rpm, and that seems to have helped some. Also ordered some new bits from Rock Shed.
-Another Dave
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metalsmith
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 1,537
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Post by metalsmith on Apr 28, 2017 12:54:13 GMT -5
High speeds burn diamonds. Slow speeds take time.
In between, choose your rate!
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lookatthat
Cave Dweller
Whatever there is to be found.
Member since May 2017
Posts: 1,360
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Post by lookatthat on May 20, 2017 17:39:13 GMT -5
That's a funny listing. The English is not quite correct, and yet it's accurate. I love the part about drilling like a chicken pecks rice. |
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