Would like some advise on drilling the bottom of a bottle without cracking or breaking the glass.

Basically I would like to drill a large hole at the bottom of a bottle so I can load things in secretly from the bottom. To do that I need a hole large enough.

Any advise, tips or experience you can help me with? Thanks.

You can buy special glass drill bits at any hardware store. Use a standard power drill, gently, and you will have a clean glass hole. I said glass hole.

Here is one link:

http://www.acehardware.com/product/index......43995943

Hello, James:

I'm not sure what diameter hole you need, but if the object being loaded is large enough, would it make more sense to remove the bottom of the bottle? If so, a diamond saw blade would do.

I have a tile saw that cuts with such a blade, and makes a neat job of slicing through bottles. A tile supply store or tile contractor in your area should have such a device; any minor chipping on the cut surface can afterwards be ground away with carborundum paper or a piece of a grind wheel. Even if the cut is free of chipping, de-burring this way will remove the sharp edge.

Best of luck,
Leland

Thanks, GeneTony and Leland, for the tip. I'll give both ways a try to see which is easier for me. The bottle I am using has an unusual shape - a bit challenging there.

I'm not sure a regular hardware store will carry a glass drill bit big enough that will cut a large hole in a glass. I've only ever saw glass drill bits maybe the size of a half inch or so. Good luck.

If a hole larger than 1/2" is needed, a diamond hole saw will do the trick, but they're expensive ($50-$60). If you have a steady hand and patience, you could drill a series of small holes in a circular pattern then "connect the dots" with a dremel style tool. I'll bet you could bring the bottle to a glass shop and they'll cut the hole for you for a reasonable charge.

Diamond hole saws, and bottle cutting info:
http://www.drillglass.com/drwibo.html

and:
http://www.drillglass.com/biforho1la.html

As I understand it, a RotoZip tool is supposed to have bits that will cut glass. I've never cut anything that hard, but it might be worth a try.

Thanks for those inputs, guys.

I actually need to remove the bottom of a bottle and the hole must be at least 3 - 4 inches in diameter. What would you advise?

Look here:

Bottle Cutting

Thank you very much, amosmc. This is exactly what I am looking for.

I just drilled an 1/8" hole by 1/8" deep in the bottom-side of a drinking glass using a Bosch brand glass and tile bit from the Home Depot for about $7. I used a dremel at about 1500 RPM's and lubricated. It worked very well.

Dan

I made my own Hydrostatic Glasses by using a a carbon tip drill bit for Masonry or concrete drilling.

I used a drill press, and went very slowly with low rpm. I later found using cutting oil or just plane oil helped to keep the heat down and cut a little faster. These were only eigth inch holes.

Wear safety googles to protect your eyes.

The easier way to remove the bottom, would be to take the bottle to a mirror and glass store and have them do it. It should not cost much for removing the bottom of a bottle.