Pearl drill recommendations

[DCP]

Hello, I am also looking for a pearl drill! I have decided to invest in a quality machine after reading all of the forum entries.

Any further advice on the following? I am open to other models too.

Yotsuba

Drill through machine for the Pearl, article concerned｜Yotsuba Co., Ltd (official homepage) | Pearl | Processing | Triple | Ise | Kobe | Clasp | Drill through | Case | Accessories | Earring

Yotsuba Co., LtdのDrill through machine for the Pearl, article concernedです

www.yotsuba.ne.jp

Does anyone know if this 100V unit needs a converter to work on Australian power supply?
I like the rubber lined pearl cups

Otto Frei Japanese Pearl Drilling machine 200-240V

Pearl Drilling Machine Japanese 200-240V

This is the 200-240V version of the genuine Japanese pearl drilling lathe, the first and best pearl drilling machine on the market, far superior to the less expensive Chinese copies on the market. The difference is the quality of the components and the care of assembly, resulting in a pearl...

www.ottofrei.com

Drill Bits
Is there perhaps a recommended type of drill bit for Tahitians?
I have 500+ to drill, so advice on drilling/sharpening would be really helpful too

Thankyou all x

 

[pearlescence]

Buy top quality drill bits. The difference is incredible. Yotsuba are good and can do english, so ask

 

[DCP]

Buy top quality drill bits. The difference is incredible. Yotsuba are good and can do english, so ask

Can I ask what your definition of top quality is....!?
Yotsuba lists Carbon or Heiss Steel

Thankyou

 

[MotherOfPearlTrumpet]

I too buy top quality drill bits-they were a game changer! However,
OK, NO ONE SHOOT ME,
I use this handy little tool (Etsy link below) and my Dremel hand drill with my high-end pearl drill bits. I am typically either opening up a current hole or 1/2 drilling a pearl for earrings or a pendant.
I've had really good success with this system, and it definitely didn't come with the $800 price tag...but I also don't drill pearls for a whole necklace like so many others on this Forum. I'm in the category of enthusiast so my drilling needs are less demanding.
Drill Tool:

Centerline Bead and Pearl Drilling Vise 3-22mm - Etsy

This Findings item by TDSONLINESTORE has 665 favorites from Etsy shoppers. Ships from Holden, MO. Listed on Apr 18, 2024

www.etsy.com

The hardest part is making sure that the "divot" or "imperfection" is lined up with the hole once the pearl is tightened down. I sometimes mark it with a marker so I can see the mark through the tiny hole at the top before drilling. I make sure to use good lighting, drill carefully at a good speed, move slowly, and stop once or twice (depending on the size of the pearl) to tap out excess drilled material. I've never cracked a pearl with this method.

 

[CortezPearls]

I used Yotsuba for decades. Good machine! When it finally "bit the dust" (pun intended) I purchased a fairly inexpensive Chinese apparatus, but the drill bits really have to be high quality.

 

[CortezPearls]

I too buy top quality drill bits-they were a game changer! However,
OK, NO ONE SHOOT ME,
I use this handy little tool (Etsy link below) and my Dremel hand drill with my high-end pearl drill bits. I am typically either opening up a current hole or 1/2 drilling a pearl for earrings or a pendant.
I've had really good success with this system, and it definitely didn't come with the $800 price tag...but I also don't drill pearls for a whole necklace like so many others on this Forum. I'm in the category of enthusiast so my drilling needs are less demanding.
Drill Tool:

Centerline Bead and Pearl Drilling Vise 3-22mm - Etsy

This Findings item by TDSONLINESTORE has 665 favorites from Etsy shoppers. Ships from Holden, MO. Listed on Apr 18, 2024

www.etsy.com

The hardest part is making sure that the "divot" or "imperfection" is lined up with the hole once the pearl is tightened down. I sometimes mark it with a marker so I can see the mark through the tiny hole at the top before drilling. I make sure to use good lighting, drill carefully at a good speed, move slowly, and stop once or twice (depending on the size of the pearl) to tap out excess drilled material. I've never cracked a pearl with this method.

This sounds like a nice setup!

 

[pearlescence]

Can I ask what your definition of top quality is....!?
Yotsuba lists Carbon or Heiss Steel

Thankyou

It is, unsurprisingly, the dearer option.

 

[pearlescence]

The dremel would be fine for enlarging holes (personally I use a simple hand-held ordinary domestic drill for that) You only really need a 'proper' pearl drill when full drilling as lining up the two halves would be very difficult and fraught with the chance that they will miss in the middle.
I went from a classic 'flip the pearl' drill to one where there are two drills and you slide the pearl between them on really big heavy guide poles so the alignment is always spot on. The two motors are japanese (the windings are better quality). It is worth checking aliexpress or alibaba - they have lots of possibles. Watch the cost of postage!

 

[MotherOfPearlTrumpet]

The dremel would be fine for enlarging holes (personally I use a simple hand-held ordinary domestic drill for that) You only really need a 'proper' pearl drill when full drilling as lining up the two halves would be very difficult and fraught with the chance that they will miss in the middle.
I went from a classic 'flip the pearl' drill to one where there are two drills and you slide the pearl between them on really big heavy guide poles so the alignment is always spot on. The two motors are japanese (that is something to look for)

Oh wow, so now this makes sense, why when I restring pearls the center does not always align and I have to clear out that "catch" to be able to get my needle through. I wasn't sure why this was the case until reading your comment.

 

[pearlescence]

Oh wow, so now this makes sense, why when I restring pearls the center does not always align and I have to clear out that "catch" to be able to get my needle through. I wasn't sure why this was the case until reading your comment.

That can also be a burr when the two drill holes don't quite align. With a cheap drill bit it will bend just a fraction, not enough to break but enough for it to go out of alignment. This happens when the pearl is rounded so the tip skids just as it touches and before it bites into the nacre.

 

[DCP]

It is, unsurprisingly, the dearer option.

Not surprising in the slightest.
I had read that the Chinese drill bits were, surprisingly, better than the Japanese? Also have seen Tungsten steel available.
Happy to bear the cost of quality drill bits, not yet sure which ones to settle on.

Edit on the Yotsuba: currently a 'few months' wait on drills to ship from Japan