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 Post subject: Ultrasonic Drills?
PostPosted: Tue Dec 01, 2015 1:27 am 
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Hello,

I melt glass and have been considering an ultrasonic drill for cutting it. I haven't been able to find much information about the drills, and the little bit I've found suggests that they're not simple to operate.

I was looking at the machines on this page, but only because they seem affordable: http://www.cesdiamondtools.com/ultrasonicdrills.HTML

Can anyone lead me to better resources for learning or better machines?


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 Post subject: Re: Ultrasonic Drills?
PostPosted: Tue Dec 01, 2015 6:36 pm 
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Location: Wylie Texas but in Alaska for a while
Do you want a hole, or to cut it and shape it?

You can also drill holes with diamond drills,with water for a lube and flush.

Need more info to really help.

how big is the piece,
how thick.

Is it is a 0.010 hole or a 1 inch hole?


If you want intricate shapes, you could consider a diamond band saw. You can also look at the tools for stained glass work for some shaping, they have diamond wheels in tables, that shape and prep for polish.

Then there is the whole polish side of things.

Need a little more info on what you are trying to do. maybe a picture or sketch of the finished product, and what you are working with.


Sorry to be a pain. But there is a lots of ways to do it, and it really depends on what you are trying for.


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 Post subject: Re: Ultrasonic Drills?
PostPosted: Wed Dec 02, 2015 2:02 am 
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I'm looking for a general-purpose tool.

    I'd like to be able to put 1/16" holes through 3/4" marbles quickly and efficiently, and I'd like to pucker the ends of the bead holes (maybe with a flare on the bit used to drill). I'd also like to be able to polish the hole.

    I'd like to be able to put 3/16" holes through pieces of glass about 1/4" thick.

    The cameos cut with ultrasonic drills and a metal negative look cool.

    I'd like to be able to cut 1/4" cubes out of 1/4" sheets.

    I'd like to be able to put 1/8" diameter hemi-spherical holes in the surface of any shape.

    . . .

I don't know much about polishing, and I'm not sure what my options are there. I don't expect one tool to do all of this, but from what I've read, I wouldn't be surprised if the ultrasonic drill could do all of this (except maybe the polishing).


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 Post subject: Re: Ultrasonic Drills?
PostPosted: Thu Dec 03, 2015 6:48 am 
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Location: Wylie Texas but in Alaska for a while
ipsod wrote:
I'm looking for a general-purpose tool.

    I'd like to be able to put 1/16" holes through 3/4" marbles quickly and efficiently, and I'd like to pucker the ends of the bead holes (maybe with a flare on the bit used to drill). I'd also like to be able to polish the hole.

    I'd like to be able to put 3/16" holes through pieces of glass about 1/4" thick.

    The cameos cut with ultrasonic drills and a metal negative look cool.

    I'd like to be able to cut 1/4" cubes out of 1/4" sheets.

    I'd like to be able to put 1/8" diameter hemi-spherical holes in the surface of any shape.

    . . .

I don't know much about polishing, and I'm not sure what my options are there. I don't expect one tool to do all of this, but from what I've read, I wouldn't be surprised if the ultrasonic drill could do all of this (except maybe the polishing).




I think you are looking at several tools.

I have not seen the untrasonic tool work, but the basic concept is adding grit around a vibrating tool. I might be able to handle the drilling, not sure about the polishing.

I would contact the mfgr and ask for a demo.

Most of the drilling could also be done with diamond drills, in a water bath. The problem is you said you wanted to do it quickly, not sure either the ultrasonic or diamond will be fast.

On the cubes, you will probably need several tools.

am thinking diamond saw, and a flat lap or facet machine. The lap / facet machine will do the final size and polish.

I would also seriosly consider working it hot. I have seen the people who do glass art, and glass beads. They can work with glass with a torch, and this wold let you shape it. It also comes out polished. For the numbers, you could either press it in a mold, or put them in after.


For polishing the holes, and numbers, if it is a manual process, then something like a Foredom tool would go a log way.

You may consider calling the follwoig site:
http://www.riogrande.com

They will have the tools you need, and are willing to work with you to help select the correct tools.


It also sounds like you are asking for advice without wantingto give your product idea away. I understand the desire to protect your idea, thinking that someone will jump in and take the business. It is hard to comet without specifics.

There are a lots of ways to do things. It sonds like you want a tool that will do it all for you, and that is not out there.

It also sounds like you do not have a lot of experience.

I would recommend that yo look into a local class on glass working or bead working. It is probably worth taking a class, to get some experience i working with thestuff. Another option would be a class on atained glass. Some of them deal wiht beveled glass, which wold give yo soem idea on cutting and polishing.

I am sorry if I am not much help.

I am curios to see what you find out, and do wt it.


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 Post subject: Re: Ultrasonic Drills?
PostPosted: Thu Dec 03, 2015 5:02 pm 
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wilsonintexas wrote:
I think you are looking at several tools.

I have not seen the untrasonic tool work, but the basic concept is adding grit around a vibrating tool. I might be able to handle the drilling, not sure about the polishing.

I would contact the mfgr and ask for a demo.

Most of the drilling could also be done with diamond drills, in a water bath. The problem is you said you wanted to do it quickly, not sure either the ultrasonic or diamond will be fast.

On the cubes, you will probably need several tools.

am thinking diamond saw, and a flat lap or facet machine. The lap / facet machine will do the final size and polish.

I would also seriosly consider working it hot. I have seen the people who do glass art, and glass beads. They can work with glass with a torch, and this wold let you shape it. It also comes out polished. For the numbers, you could either press it in a mold, or put them in after.


For polishing the holes, and numbers, if it is a manual process, then something like a Foredom tool would go a log way.

You may consider calling the follwoig site:
http://www.riogrande.com

They will have the tools you need, and are willing to work with you to help select the correct tools.


It also sounds like you are asking for advice without wantingto give your product idea away. I understand the desire to protect your idea, thinking that someone will jump in and take the business. It is hard to comet without specifics.

There are a lots of ways to do things. It sonds like you want a tool that will do it all for you, and that is not out there.

It also sounds like you do not have a lot of experience.

I would recommend that yo look into a local class on glass working or bead working. It is probably worth taking a class, to get some experience i working with thestuff. Another option would be a class on atained glass. Some of them deal wiht beveled glass, which wold give yo soem idea on cutting and polishing.

I am sorry if I am not much help.

I am curios to see what you find out, and do wt it.



Hi again,

I'm experienced with hot glass and bead-making type stuff - I've been doing it professionally for over a decade. There are ways to do most of these things hot, but the end result is different. Removing the glass through cold-working removes material, where as doing the same things with the glass hot just moves it around. It's not that I am just trying to put a hole in an item, or just that I am trying to make a cube, but that I am trying to make specific types of holes and specific types of cubes.

I've got a Foredom machine, and am somewhat familiar with its possibilities, though I'd like to learn more about polishing (especially in crevices). I've got a diamond trim saw and a flat lap, and I have ideas for what I might do with a faceting machine.

I'm not trying to be obscure about what my goals are. I like to play with the medium. I've seen that an ultrasonic drill will basically cut any shape into an item, sometimes all the way through it. This makes it possible to have core-drills in non-circular shapes, to cut cameos with a metal die, and to do simpler things like just drilling holes. I know that it's a machine I want to own and play with.

I'm just having a hard time finding information about how to operate the machines, which ones are good, and what's an ok deal on a decent machine.


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