Ooooh, I love glass windchimes and the ones I bought ( last year)just broke!!

For china I've been using the arrow ones, but I haven't tried drilling glass.I couldn't finds small ones in the arrow type ( but that doesn't mean the don't exist)
:-)

Maria

I made a windchime a few years ago. I bought a diamond bit for my dremel. I really had to drill slowly, and you need to have water covering the spot you're drilling. I placed my glass piece in a shallow pan of water. I used smaller pieces of glass to raise it up a little so I didn't drill through my pan. It took forever to do all the pieces. I haven't had the desire to make one since.
This website explains it better. They also sell the bits, but I've never ordered from them.

Here is a link that might be useful: How to drill glass

well, I know zip about glass, so have nothing to offer, but just had to say thanks for that link.....OMG - I just love those windchimes. Have to put that on my TO DO list for when I start working with glass. By then, you should have this all figured out, and I can learn from your experience!! :) Thanks!

I've used a dremel and a diamond headed bit. They don't last very long but they work. Use oil or water as a coolant.

I have a set of special bits but man it's slow going. I wouldn't want to do alot unless you can use a a damn... my brain... the big standing drill thing in the shop?????? chitwhatzitcalled! beacuse holding the drill gets tiring

drill press?

Those windchimes are great! I have yet to drill a hole....I have been a little scared to try!! I know eventually I will need to. My grinder has a special bit for drilling holes but honestly...when I'm ready I will by an arrow head for my dremel, I would use a drill press if I had one!!!

I've bought cheap diamond bits for my dremel and was very dissappointed!! Buy good bits and I'd do as Bama said as I drilled a hole in the container I was using!!! I've been using my bit for the glass grinder, but it's work no matter how ya do it, I think. I guess it depends on how thick the glass is too.

NT, POTTY MOUTH!!!LOL

YES! Thankyou Lyndalu.... man I could not think of that name for nothing last night! Bama, that's the PG13 version, you should have heard it before the R scenes were cut! LOL

The problem with a dril press is - it's hard to gauge how much pressure you are putting on the glass & you can chip the sides very easily. Been there - done that - ended up doing the holes all over with a dremel tool. :(
I think it might be time to stalk the aisles of Harbor Freight.

My husband and I tried drilling holes in glass under water with a diamond drill bit last year but we didn't have success. I was buying some thin glass from a local glass dealer (as in windshields, mirrors for the home, etc) the other day and he said he would drill holes in glass for me (at a price). So it might be worth checking a local glass dealer to drill your holes.

well, I was having great success drilling a hole in a big glass nugget today and right about when the hole was deep enough - it broke in half. So I glued it together! I was not going to start over!