Drilling Holes in Polymer Clay Beads for Your Jewelry Projects

Cindy,

Thanks for the good review. For me, it is often the most basic step, which if done incorrectly, can ruin an otherwise successful project.

As always thank you for the wonderful teaching. I fired up the Gerbera Flower Cane video yesterday and actually made one as I watched, stopping and rewinding as I needed to until I finished all the steps. It felt like you were right here–it was very cool (and my cane is, too).

Glad you had a restful and renewing vacation!

Mostly I pierce the clay after making the bead, but some I want to drill after. I have become good at using my hubby's drill press, but sometimes I have to get him down there to show me something I haven't done before.

It depends on the size of the bead, I had to put holes last night in 6mm beads, the last batch I ruined because the beads are so small the drill bit went crooked through the bead, so this time I stuck the beads in the freezer for about 5 mins and then using the pin path provided in the bead roller I used, dipped the pin in corn starch and put the holes in before hand, but I usually drill after they're baked

First I would like to say thank you for the hint/discussion about how to hand roll round beads. For a long time I relied on my bead rollers which do a great job – however when you are working with millefiori, it tends to distort your canes. So, I tried rolling by hand and amazingly enough it worked!!! So – thank you. Now on to the question at hand…

After I roll my beads by hand, I let them sit for a while to firm up. I then use my smallest knitting needle – which is actually only a tiny bit bigger around than the piercing pins that come with the bead rollers. I visually center the knitting needle on the top of the bead and press through — making sure to go all the way to through. I do this on each one. I then thread the beads on the knitting needle, except I go to the "bottom" of the hole and come back through. This keeps me from having little eruptions on one side of my bead (the voice of experience!!!). I line the beads up to make sure they are all centered well. If they are not, I re-roll and re-pierce. I've gotten pretty good at centering (grin)! Then I bake them on the knitting needle.

If I'm stringing or wiring the beads, this size hole is generally large enough. However if I want to go larger, I have a set of four drill bits in increasingly larger sizes that I use to enlarge the hole. The largest hole I generally have need of is large enough to run two 2mm cords through. It is important that you move up incrementally with the drill bits. If you try to go from a small hole to a large one in one step, you may get chip-out around the hole which is NOT pretty!

I've found this method works well with all the beads that I work with, regardless of size or shape.
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We had a discussion about bead piercing on another group that I participate in, the Polymer Clay Artists Guild of Etsy, so that's why I have this laid out the way it is. We were discussing how to get the holes bigger without destroying the bead.

I do about half and half of piercing raw and using my Dremel to drill after. Sometimes when I know I'll need a larger hole, I pierce it raw with a pin and then use that hole as a guide for using a larger drill bit. It makes it harder to ruin the bead if you follow that hole!

Well I've got a question to add to Cindy's. If you are using an electric tool to pierce them after they are baked – how do you hold them? In your hand? Or do you have a little setup designed to keep them from getting away. Does anyone struggle with weak hands from carpal tunnel and worry about hurting themselves holding the bead while drilling?

So many questions – so little time to make beads and pierce them!
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I use my fingers. I don't know how many times I've ended up with a tiny drill bit in my fingertip, but alas we all have to suffer for our art. :oP

Hi aims I to have very bad hands but if i need to use the drill i have a very larg pair of tweezers that i put a piece of plastic tube on each side so i dont damage the bead and then hold the bead with them it works good i have also seen plastic tweezers but cant remember were

I have two blocks of steel that I can set the bead in and a lever that pushes them together and another that then tightens it up. It stays steady while I drill. Can you tell that my husband is a tool and die maker?

I'm not allowed to play with "real" tools, I've been known to almost slice off two fingers with an exacto knife! (Yes, an old graphic arts injury – my first job, too!) Haven't tried to drill holes, but I do ok with making them on raw clay. Sometimes I prefer the irregular look when you pierce raw clay.

Freda, you got it good with your own Tool and Die Maker! Drilling without hand holding sounds good to me.

I almost bought a rock driller. But, I wasn't sure where I would put another tool. And, yes, I get a little lazy if I have to get up and get something not within my reach. :) (My dog doesn't fetch either!)

@Cat: How funny. My husband also will only let me work with the most benign power tools. I always cut, stab, crush myself. He won't even let me paint a wall in the house anymore because I am soooo sloppy with the paint. I am glad to know I am not the only one who has "power" issues. LOL

@Ritzs: What a great idea for holding the beads. I would drill right through my hand if I tried it the way Ken does. He is obviously way more coordinated than I am. But I am going to try your idea Ritzs. Thanks for the tip.

@ Laurel

I have put the bit into my finger a few times, it's just that it doesn't stop me (either stubborn, stupid or both). I'm going to try using the rubber fingertips from someplace like OfficeMax or the likes and see if that give me a better grip or just hinders my dexterity.

@Elizabeth: Thank you so much for your comment. That means a lot to me! Glad to hear your Gerbera flower cane turned out so cool! That is awesome!

@Freda, Ken and Ritzs: Cool tips!

@Arlene: Wow!! Thanks for the photo and tips! I am sure everyone here loved seeing them!

@aims: I wouldn't drill your beads with a power drill unless you have something to hold it with. Unlike Ken I mind a LOT if I drill into my fingers! If you put pilot holes in your beads with a bead wire, it is easy to drill them bigger by hand with a drill bit in a polymer clay handle.

@Catalina and Laurel: It is not really necessary to drill your beads with power anyway, so there's no need to worry your husbands by trying! lol (Don't get intimidated by tools though. Sometimes they can make your life a lot easier!) :-)

Someone mentioned a rock drill and it jarred my memory! My husband picked me up one at Michael's a few months back. It's advertised as a child's hobby tool, but I was disappointed that it didn't drill through any rocks I had here. Now I'm wondering if it would work for my beads! I'll experiment and get back to you.

I love this place–always something new to learn. Thanks, Cindy!

I have a suggestion to hold the bead while drilling…Blue Tack. I pierce my beads before baking and use this as a guide when needing to make the whole bigger
Put a glob of blue tack on the end by your hand and drill half way, switch to the other side or you could put a big glob on you work surface. I have also enlarged the holes by hand running a bit through the pilot hole.

My husband also had an anxiety attack about the electric Dremel tool and acted like I was running a chain saw. Good thing he never saw me run my high powered sewing machine on high, it shakes the room !! So he bought "me" (wink wink) a small bench grinder with an extension line for drill bits. In his mind he bought it for me but he uses it more than I do.

I have never had problems with Carpal Tunnel and sand my beads in the vibrating rock tumble. But, do notice using an electric buffing wheel with a bunch of beads really bothers my hand and makes them feel tingly for a few hours. Guess buffing them in smaller batches would be a good option but I am usually so excited about how they are turning out I just keep going.
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For safety sake, I like to hold the baked bead steady with a simple spring loaded clamp. They are available @ HD & Lowes as well as most hardware stores and come in a variety of sizes. They resemble a "pinch type" clothes pin and have a plastic sleeve on each tip to help hold the item secure. I simply place the bead into the spring clamp, steady the bead upon a piece of scrap lumber with my left hand and drill through the bead with my right hand. The clamp allows you to accurately place the hole in the polymer clay bead without getting those fingers too close! Hope I've given clear directions.
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