Seashell Jewelry Making
This article will describe some tips and suggestions on how to drill seashell holes to make seashell jewelry. Drilling holes from seashells is quite difficult and must be done very carefully. Seashells are usually quite fragile. Be very careful when drilling holes in them and also try to pick up shells that aren’t chipped or chipped around the edges. There are some precautions we need to be aware of and take to prevent seashells from cracking and damage.
1 – Drill bits
Use a Dremel. A Dremel tool also works well because it’s faster than your regular drill. Especially good for delicate shells; use a very small bit. It was not possible to use a very fast speed because the hardness of the casing caused the bit to slip and mark the surface. Once the hole is started, continue slowly because even then the drill will overheat from the strain. We had to stop every 5 minutes and let the drill cool down for about 20 minutes to half an hour. It is also suggested to use diamond tips for drilling.
2 – Water
When drilling with diamond bits, always use water to cool the bits or they will fail quickly. This also keeps dust down, but wear a good quality filter mask or use a vacuum to catch any dust or mist. Seashell dust is toxic, and I don’t mean a little toxic. You can really hurt yourself if you inhale it, get it in your eyes, cut yourself, or eat it. Sometimes the particles are so small that you don’t realize they’re in the air around you. When you inhale this dust, it sticks in your lungs and doesn’t come out. It will literally be there forever, and it’s toxic. Obviously, don’t put your drill in the water, just the tip of the drill bit doing the drilling.
3 – Start drilling
Make sure the drill bit is sharp and you are using a high speed drill. Use the smallest bit that fits the chain or whatever you’re driving through the casing. Secure the shell firmly in a vise or other fixture to ensure it does not move during drilling. If the shell is thin, I suggest putting tape over where you are drilling to help prevent the shell from chipping or cracking. casing with the top facing up, so if it chips when the bit reaches the other side, the splinters will occur on the bottom (back) of the casing.
If you’re not comfortable using a drill, practice on some scrap casing first before drilling the ones you want to use.
Now when you start drilling, you will do it like this: Hold the drill in a straight up and straight down position so that the hole is straight. Hold the drill firmly so the bit doesn’t slide across the surface of the stone. (Now you know why you need practice pieces.) You’re going to tap the bit down semi-firmly, like you mean it, but then lift the bit out of the hole so the water pools inside. Repeat. You can also do it pretty quickly. Touch, lift, touch, lift, etc. However, when you are almost full, stop. Flip your stone over and start drilling from the other side. This will prevent the stone or glass from “exploding” or splintering where the hole should be. It takes practice to do this, so don’t be hard on yourself. Glass and stone will pretty much drill the same. Anything else can be hit or miss, so a practice piece is necessary.
Seashell Jewelry Making