How to Drill a Hole in an Old Insulator

Old glass insulators are a fascinating and beautiful piece of history. Always priced too high at antique shops, these insulators never seem to be available when you want them. But once you do get hold of some, often the practical reality of how to use them faces you head on. Luckily, it is possible to drill a hole in the crown of one of these insulators and turn it into a unique and attractive lamp, or any one of a number of projects. Drilling into glass requires a number of special steps that make it a much more interesting project than drilling into wood.

1/4-inch diamond hole saw bit
Drill press or hand drill with vise
Safety glasses
Gloves
Lubricant
Sandpaper

Instructions

- 1
  Position the glass insulator underneath the drill press or within the vice. Set the RPMs for the drill press between 600 and 900. Insert the diamond-tipped 1/4-inch hole saw into the drill press. Don your safety goggles and safety gloves, as drilling into insulators will shoot small pieces of glass into the air, and can shoot much larger pieces of glass as well. Add a small amount of lubricant to the tip of the drill bit.
- 2
  Slowly lower the hole saw until you make contact with the insulator, then back the drill press off and reposition the insulator if necessary. Re-lower the drill press and begin drilling into the glass. Drill very slowly to let the diamond teeth of the hole saw cut through the glass without forcing the material, which can cause cracking.
- 3
  Continue pressing down lightly on the drill press until the hole saw breaks all the way through the insulator. Slowly remove the hole saw from the insulator and sand any sharp edges to prevent injury.

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