Art Jewelry - Drilling Into Metal

Art Jewelry magazine associate editor Addie Kidd shows you how to drill into metal. Visit www.artjewelrymag.com/howto for more information and videos.

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• Art
• Jewelry
• Magazine
• drill
• drilling
• metal
• flex
• shaft
• pierce
• jewellery
• arts
• crafts
• dremel
• tutorial
• technique
• silver
• copper
• gold
• brass
• bronze

[chealyte]

Hi, what's kind of drilling machine that I can use for crafting, such as seashell, stone, wood etc. What's the name of the first and third machine that you were using?

[artjewelrymag]

The first tool that I used is called an automatic center punch. You use it to make a dimple in metal so that you can drill a hole through.

The last tool that I used is called a flexible shaft tool, or a flex shaft tool. It's basically a foot-pedal operated hanging motor attached to a flexible cord at the end of the cord is a handpiece that holds a drill bit or other rotary bit. You control the speed of the drill bit by pressing the foot pedal the harder you press, the faster the drill spins.

[artjewelrymag]

You could use a flex shaft to drill into wood or stone, but you would need to use different drill bits designed to cut through those materials.

A cheaper alternative to a flex shaft would be a handheld rotary tool. Dremel is a company that makes one version, so they're commonly called dremel tools. You can find them at your local hardware store. The flex shafts, however, you'd have to buy or order from a jewelry supply company. There are a few listed in my comment below. Good luck!

[Mokambigai]

what kind of drill shld i buy to dril into thin pieces of brass/metal....

and where can i buy it...

[artjewelrymag]

You need a standard twist drill bit - I prefer drill bits made from high speed steel or carbide, though you can purchase diamond-coated bits too.

You can buy drill bits from Contenti, Otto Frei, or Rio Grande. (Just search for them on Google.) Or you can buy them at your local hardware store-just make sure to ask if bits are intended for metal... not wood, concrete, etc.

[venusboys3]

What kind of drill is that?

[artjewelrymag]

Are you referring to the drill bit itself or the machine?

[wilhelmsanchez]

@artjewelrymag

When I drill a hole, the metal gets to hot to hold down.