Drilling pearls

[waimeamomi]

I think I need a pearl drill, or a way to drill pearls. Anybody got advise? (what on this forum ). I have looked through threads etc, but still not sure what I need or where to go. Right now I'm not talking about drilling hundreds of pearls on a regular basis (but one can dream). I have a friend who says, rather sheepishly, that she uses a Dremel (?) drill. I don't nor can I spend lots of money, but I think I need one.

 

[jshepherd]

There are a couple of different options. Aloha carries the Chinese drill. We have one of the same models purchased in Zhuji for about $100. But we can't really use it for volume drilling. Instead we simply use the grinding function to sharpen bits. If you are going to be doing a lot of drilling you will need something better.

We use drills from A&A Jewelry Supply in Los Angeles. It runs about $1000.
http://aajewelry.com/templates/product_list_dropdown_pix.asp?GroupGuid=4132&SelectedProduct=

It works well. We keep three in the office and replace them about once every two years. But we drill hundreds of pearls every day. If you are not drilling quite as much it should last indefinitely.

 

[waimeamomi]

Thanks, Jeremy. I looked at the Aloha site which came up in my Google search. I'm thinking I'm going to be drilling more like 500 a year. Would the less expensive drill survive that or be a useful starter? Do you know of anything in-between? I can't justify or afford the 1k one right now.

 

[knotty panda]

I have a Dremel. Handy little thing -- stress the "little" part. Despite it's size, it is powerful. I wouldn't drill pearls with it without a safe and secure way to keep my fingers out of harm's way. Also, Jeremy stresses using a drill that enters from both sides and meets in the middle; kind of like how they build bridges and built the chunnel. The Dremel doesn't do that.

 

[waimeamomi]

Have you used the Dremel on pearls? If so what type of bit?

 

[jshepherd]

Thanks, Jeremy. I looked at the Aloha site which came up in my Google search. I'm thinking I'm going to be drilling more like 500 a year. Would the less expensive drill survive that or be a useful starter? Do you know of anything in-between? I can't justify or afford the 1k one right now.

I think it would be okay if you are drilling freshwater. We mainly drill Tahitian and South Sea and it really does not work well for those. The drill slows and stops in the center of the pearl.

 

[waimeamomi]

Good to know, it's Tahitians.

 

[Pearly Shell]

I use a Foredom flexible shaft drill. It has a foot pedal for speed control which I find really handy. I have used it to half drill Tahitian pearls and it works well for me. I start with using a very small round burr to create an indent for the drill bit to sit in. then I use a very small drill bit to drill through the nacre and into the bead nucleus. After I get a drill hole with the depth I need, then I start using thicker drill bits to widen the hole to fit the finding I've created.

If you rotate the pearl as you are drilling it will help to make the drill hole fairly straight. The key is to drill slowly so you don't chip or crack the nacre.

I'm still looking for a method that will allow me to fully drill pearls that would be less expensive than that 1K machine too! But if you are just needing to do a half drill, a Foredom might be a good alternative for you.

 

[Mikeyy]

The Chinese YDK works alright. Its inexpensive. I've drilled hundreds of pearls with it without problems. You just want to make sure you use sharp bits and back off a bit. Don't force it. Anyway its miles better then a dremel. I've never used the pricey Japanese drill. I'll bet its nice. I still think the key is sharp bits.

 

[dkan 168]

I too am thinking about getting an inexpensive drill, and shall keep an eye on this thread

DK

 

[waimeamomi]

OK - Dremels - pearls or not? My friend says she has drilled Tahitians with it, but that it's slow going. I'm wondering how it would be on Tahitian keishis since there is no bead. That is the majority of what I have to drill right now. They are under $100 (the Dremels) but what bit would you use. Our local Ace hardware has a diamond tipped bit - would that do it? Anyone ever use the Dremel on pearls??

 

[Mikeyy]

Here is an ad for the YDK. $300 bucks is better then Aloha Pearls price of $699.

http://www.tradekey.com/selloffer_view/id/205688.htm

I got one for under $200 at the HK show

 

[Mikeyy]

Here is another ad $310

http://www.cnepearls.com/dmc001-pearl-gemstone-drill-machine-p-3017.html

 

[laurenb]

Dremels are useful for all sorts of things-- polishing, cutting, buffing, carving. If I was going to attempt to use one on a pearl, I'd try to create a drill press setup that kept the drill on a straight vector. I have the flexible extension wand, so that wouldn't be too hard.

Has anyone used a drill press for pearls? I ask because presses are everywhere, readily available secondhand and are very durable, but I believe the default chucks are for large bits. You probably wouldn't buy one for pearls, but if you already had one...

 

[Pearly Shell]

Pearls are soft, gemologically speaking, so you don't have to use a diamond tipped drill to drill through them. I have a Foredom flex shaft drill and I use stainless steel burs and bits. I've never used a dremmel, but I believe they should use similiar burs and bits.

 

[pattye]

Hummm, guess I better get out that dremel I bought a couple of years ago and never used---could be a real asset!

 

[waimeamomi]

I just looked at the Foredom, and I see they have a drill press thing you can add - do you use that, or how do you hold the pearls in place. What size bits. I am such a total novice at this.

 

[waimeamomi]

Never mind! I just priced it all together and the YDK seems like a better deal. Mikeyy posted the sites to order one from China. Has anyone done that?

 

[DFrey]

A dremel or a foredom with a variable speed foot pedal is suitable to half drill pearls and high speed twist drills will work great for drilling pearls. This has been discussed on another thread somewhere. Drilling pearls while holding them in your fingers is not that big a deal. I mean there aren't any holes in my fingers currently and I have forgotten if I ever drilled my fingers in the past, but I've had lots of practise at this. You need to start the hole at a slower speed to get a depression started and then back off a bit as you drill to allow the pearl dust to come out so the drill bit doesn't clog. Free hand drilling has its draw backs when you don't get the hole perpendicular to the surface of the pearl so it is at an angle. A pearl drill which holds the pearl means it is much easier to get a straight hole which is @90degrees to the surface of the pearl. I use my chinese pearl drill when it is absolutely essential that the hole is at 90 degrees and to drill through pearls otherwise its freehand drilling at the bench.

DFrey

 

[waimeamomi]

Can you give me a name or brand of a high speed twist drill? I can always ask my husband to do the hand-held drilling. Also what bit types do you use. I'm sorry to be so ignorant. I did look through the threads, but I didn't get the info I needed.