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Post by rockjunquie on May 27, 2019 13:13:44 GMT -5
Drilling stones is a little more... interesting than I thought it would be. No blow outs, but I did break the bit in the stone 2 times. (I'm learning.) Worse was when I drilled a hole in the metal dish holding the water. So, I jumped on amazon and found Creme Brulee ceramic dishes that perfectly fit the bill. They are shallow enough that I can still hold the cab, Not too big around and I won't easily drill a hole in them. They come in a 6 pack, too. (plus the bottom is unglazed- pefect for streak test) I have found that holding the cab with my left hand is working just fine. Sure beats using the moldable plastic. Faster, too.
4" around and 1" deep
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gemfeller
Cave Dweller 
Member since June 2011
Posts: 4,064 
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Post by gemfeller on May 27, 2019 14:42:58 GMT -5
Some folks around here (guess who?) do things in a much fancier way than I do. I just found an old plastic container that I cut to size so it fit under the drill. In a pinch I use a tuna can. Then I perch the item to be drilled on a thin block of wood that's submerged in the water. I hold the slab/cab in place with my free hand and drill halfway through the item. Then I flip it and drill from the other side. When I do drill all the way through the stone the wood helps prevent a blowout or drilling through the container. Emphasize "helps." I still get blowouts sometimes. The wood adds a little "grip" so the stone doesn't move around easily when held with moderate pressure.
I made a simple index from a narrow strip of aluminum folded into a U shape. I held it closed and drilled a hole through both strips near the open end. I slip the slab I'm working on in the open end and use the drill holes to align and mark both sides. Drilling from both sides eliminates the chance of a blowout. On dark stones that don't show a Sharpie mark I use a dab of Witeout. Works OK for me. Old Chippewa Method.
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Post by Pat on May 27, 2019 15:30:23 GMT -5
Tela, Bed, Bath, and Beyond sells a set of those dishes WITH a butane torch. 😀
I no longer use the fancy setup of my little video, but do it by hand similar to your method. Don’t need to use the thermoplastic stuff except for bigger items.
We save the Tupperware-like containers that hold thin sliced turkey or ham in them from deli section of grocery store.
Line it with cardboard from cat food boxes. I can feel it immediately when I break through the stone and into the cardboard.
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Post by rockjunquie on May 27, 2019 15:51:16 GMT -5
Some folks around here (guess who?) do things in a much fancier way than I do. I just found an old plastic container that I cut to size so it fit under the drill. In a pinch I use a tuna can. Then I perch the item to be drilled on a thin block of wood that's submerged in the water. I hold the slab/cab in place with my free hand and drill halfway through the item. Then I flip it and drill from the other side. When I do drill all the way through the stone the wood helps prevent a blowout or drilling through the container. Emphasize "helps." I still get blowouts sometimes. The wood adds a little "grip" so the stone doesn't move around easily when held with moderate pressure. I made a simple index from a narrow strip of aluminum folded into a U shape. I held it closed and drilled a hole through both strips near the open end. I slip the slab I'm working on in the open end and use the drill holes to align and mark both sides. Drilling from both sides eliminates the chance of a blowout. On dark stones that don't show a Sharpie mark I use a dab of Witeout. Works OK for me. Old Chippewa Method. Love your idea of using the doubled template. 
I had been using a little tin, but I made such a mess when I drilled through the little piece of wood and the tin. I still use wood under the stone, but the ceramic should prevent the water deluge.
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Post by rockjunquie on May 27, 2019 15:52:36 GMT -5
Tela, Bed, Bath, and Beyond sells a set of those dishes WITH a butane torch. 😀 I no longer use the fancy setup of my little video, but do it by hand similar to your method. Don’t need to use the thermoplastic stuff except for bigger items. We save the Tupperware-like containers that hold thin sliced turkey or ham in them from deli section of grocery store. Line it with cardboard from cat food boxes. I can feel it immediately when I break through the stone and into the cardboard. Yeah, I'm already getting a much better feel and "ear" for when it is close to the end.
Simple is always best. |
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Post by HankRocks on May 27, 2019 19:03:19 GMT -5
Tela, I took one of the black take-out containers with the clear top and cut a hole in the clear top. Cut a flat piece of wood to fit snugly in the black bottom so it would not float when I filled withenough water to cover any stones to be drilled. What's left of the clear top acts like a splash guard as I do all of my grinding indoors at the breakfast table(not wishing to upset the boss!!). As I mentioned earlier somewhere, the wood gives me a bit of cushion for the rock and may be helping prevent blowouts and still protect the drill bit.
It's not elegant, classic East Texas rig and all that's missing is the Duct Tape, but it is very functional.
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Post by rockjunquie on May 27, 2019 19:09:49 GMT -5
Tela, I took one of the black take-out containers with the clear top and cut a hole in the clear top. Cut a flat piece of wood to fit snugly in the black bottom so it would not float when I filled withenough water to cover any stones to be drilled. What's left of the clear top acts like a splash guard as I do all of my grinding indoors at the breakfast table(not wishing to upset the boss!!). As I mentioned earlier somewhere, the wood gives me a bit of cushion for the rock and may be helping prevent blowouts and still protect the drill bit. It's not elegant, classic East Texas rig and all that's missing is the Duct Tape, but it is very functional. Great idea! But, how do you hold the stone? |
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Post by HankRocks on May 27, 2019 19:21:40 GMT -5
Tela, I took one of the black take-out containers with the clear top and cut a hole in the clear top. Cut a flat piece of wood to fit snugly in the black bottom so it would not float when I filled withenough water to cover any stones to be drilled. What's left of the clear top acts like a splash guard as I do all of my grinding indoors at the breakfast table(not wishing to upset the boss!!). As I mentioned earlier somewhere, the wood gives me a bit of cushion for the rock and may be helping prevent blowouts and still protect the drill bit. It's not elegant, classic East Texas rig and all that's missing is the Duct Tape, but it is very functional. Great idea! But, how do you hold the stone? I just hold by hand which is not too difficult for my hands. May not be as practical for someone with non-country boy hands(hope that does not offend anyone). Have thought about placing a slightly raised fence of some sort on the wood that the rock could be pushed against making for an easier hold. Or maybe using a Router to make a slight depression in the wood for the rock, again not sure of the shape to use. |
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cosmetal
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since September 2018
Posts: 115
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Post by cosmetal on May 27, 2019 20:31:46 GMT -5
All genius and elegant solutions (no duck tape, please!). I used a 1"x2" piece of oak, ball-peened the heck out of one end just hard enough to dimple it, and then E6000'd it to the bottom of a deep-dish, metal pie cooking plate.
The oak stays submerged and the peened depressions help keep the stone from slipping.
I guess you could duck tape the oak to the plate if it makes you happy? 
James |
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cosmetal
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since September 2018
Posts: 115
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Post by cosmetal on May 27, 2019 20:37:19 GMT -5
If I get really paranoid about stone slippage, I take a small ball of Museum Wax, stick it to the oak and "smoosh" the stone into the wax ball.
The wax can be sticky, but comes off with some acetone.
James |
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Post by rockjunquie on May 27, 2019 20:37:21 GMT -5
Great idea! But, how do you hold the stone? I just hold by hand which is not too difficult for my hands. May not be as practical for someone with non-country boy hands(hope that does not offend anyone). Have thought about placing a slightly raised fence of some sort on the wood that the rock could be pushed against making for an easier hold. Or maybe using a Router to make a slight depression in the wood for the rock, again not sure of the shape to use. I hold it with my hand, too, and I live downtown. |
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cosmetal
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since September 2018
Posts: 115
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Post by cosmetal on May 28, 2019 18:14:15 GMT -5
"Drilling stones is a little more... interesting than I thought it would be. No blow outs, but I did break the bit in the stone 2 times. (I'm learning.)" > Snip <Were you able to remove the bits from the stone? If not, I just found this from Ganoksin: "An alum solution is also used for dissolving out broken drill bits from jewelry pieces. One simmers a concentrated solution of alum and a broken drill bit embedded in a piece turns to brown dust and dissolves out in about twenty minutes. Use a Pyrex® or Corning® type container – not a steel pot for obvious reasons."by Charles Lewton-BrainI have never tried this and it really doesn't define what the drill bit is stuck within. Only "jewelry pieces" - is the bit stuck in metal or in a stone? But, Charles Lewton-Brain is pretty famous jeweler. From Wikipedia: "The original technique of fold-forming was developed further in the late 1980s by Charles Lewton-Brain, an English-born goldsmith who lived and studied in Tanzania, the United States, and Germany before moving to Canada. Outside of the Industrial Revolution, the method represents the first major innovation in metalworking in thousands of years."Just an interesting FYI  James
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