Page 2 of 2 FirstFirst 12
Results 11 to 17 of 17

Thread: Enlarging holes in pearls...

  1. #11
    Join Date
    Oct 2016
    Posts
    142

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by medusa View Post
    Has anyone tried this method?

    http://barbarasfernald.com/2010/02/0...y-pearl-holes/

    I need to string around 50 pearls onto 1mm griffin silk cord and the thought of drilling them individually fills me with horror, not due to laziness but more because my hands are currently really hurting and even if they weren't I'm pretty sure I'd end up breaking pearls.

    That said, I don't want to end up with a bunch of wrecked pearls which might shatter.

    What do you guys think?
    I do this all the time as I put pearls on 0.8 or 1.00mm wires. I use an old ice cream box with a little piece of wood at the bottom and shallow water, and my flex shaft with a pearl drill bit in it. I hold them firmly in my fingers and go slow - don't do too many at a time as that is when you get tired and miss and scratch your finger. If you really don't want to do this you can thread them onto an old saw blade and then onto your jewellers saw and rub the pearls against the blade - it might be enough. Watch out for the pearl dust though -that is why it is useful to keep them under water.

  2. #12
    Join Date
    Sep 2011
    Posts
    1,086

    Default

    We just hold them between finger and thumb and drill using a normal house type mini battery drill from Aldi (replacement for reallly old one).
    I query the going slowly - you are much more likely to overhead the pearl and the drill tip that way. The big professional bench pearl drills drill really really fast and no water
    If you are enlarging from 0.7 (standard size) to 0.8 or 1mm there isn't much to remove and the drill should just go through easily - but drill from both ends to the middle because if you go through one direction the exit hole is liable to splinter layers of nacre
    Author: Pearls A Practical Guide
    www.pearlsapractical.guide
    www.Pearlescence.co.uk

  3. #13
    Join Date
    Oct 2016
    Posts
    142

    Default

    'Go slow' as in take your time and concentrate so you don't hurt yourself.

  4. #14
    Join Date
    Sep 2011
    Posts
    1,086

    Default

    Drill fast but concentrate. Drilling your thumb a few times helps!
    videos here of drilling with a pearl drill and drilling with a hand held (and other pearl related stuff)
    http://www.pearlescence.co.uk/extra_...uakptjks1ne9o0
    Author: Pearls A Practical Guide
    www.pearlsapractical.guide
    www.Pearlescence.co.uk

  5. #15
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Location
    West Berkshire
    Posts
    660

    Default

    I bought some pearl drills in various sizes from Cookies, I use them in a hand held vice, holding the pearl in one hand and slowly drilling until the peg fits. I have also tried it with shank drill bits because the variety of sizes is greater. Doesn't take long.

  6. #16
    Join Date
    Sep 2011
    Posts
    1,086

    Default

    We don't use any special bits - just cheap ones from the web which we can throw away as soon as they get blunt, after a couple of pearls
    Author: Pearls A Practical Guide
    www.pearlsapractical.guide
    www.Pearlescence.co.uk

  7. #17
    Join Date
    May 2019
    Posts
    6

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by medusa View Post
    Has anyone tried this method?
    Interesting tool, but I prefer pearl drills.

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •