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Thread: Drilling bead caps

  1. #1
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    Nov 2017
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    Default Drilling bead caps

    Hi, having problems drilling my little silver bead caps 5 -8mm. First how do you make sure your drill is centred even with a punch mark my drill manages to drill off centre, secondly how do you hold the bead caps securely for drilling.

  2. #2
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    Hi Sheena, when you buy bead caps they are already drilled, so I guess you are making your own.
    I would put them down dome side up and use a small ball burr, say 1.0mm, more on its side than upright. Then change to a larger burr if necessary, which also allows you another shot at getting it centred. Dennis.

  3. #3
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    better to drill them before doming then you can hold them with parallel pliers if necessary. Burring a divot is the best way as dennis suggests, then drill the hole. Personally, I would buy them!

  4. #4
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    Ah, but I have found it much easier to drill domes with ball burrs only, as suggested above. Dennis.

  5. #5
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    [QUOTE=theresa;105587]better to drill them before doming then you can hold them with parallel pliers if necessary. Burring a divot is the best way as dennis suggests, then drill the hole. Personally, I would buy them![/
    I would drill and then dome too but given the amount of time taken I would probably buy them too unless it was a one off job

  6. #6
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    Thanks for your replies i haven't seen that big a selection of plain bead cap sizes out there but maybe i'm looking in the wrong place. Going to try the ball burr feeling hopeful it will solve my difficulties. Going to try the parallel pliers too.
    Today i've be drilling shell and sea glass. Glass takes forever! So i'm not going to do that again!

  7. #7
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    Try The Silver Corporation they have plain 3-4.5mm at the moment.

  8. #8
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    Nov 2017
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    Thanks theresa. I do happen to have a big bundle of their 3mm caps but i don't know why i haven't got some of the 4mm ones. Will very likely now you've pointed it out, buy some of those too

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