Stone sculptors. Stone masons. Contractors. I need ideas, help, guidance.
Here’s the deal. In 1917, a company was contracted to create several thousand tiles. In a lovely effort, the dome of the new St. Bart’s Church on Park Avenue in NYC was created.
Now, 100 years later, the dome has been completely deconstructed and the materials discarded. Because of the building’s status on the National Historic Register as well as the NYC Historic Register, the St. Bart’s Vestry found a company- well, several companies- to copy the pattern and create anew the same beautiful dome.
All well and good.
During a meeting with the congregation last year, a group of contractors, architects and designers met to take questions and to give a thorough update. One of the people there had 4 or 5 of the tiles- all that had been set aside so far.
After the meeting, I asked if I could take one. I have one of a handful of existing tiles and possibly the only intact tile.
It is roughly 1" thick with about 1.75" of cement bonding material behind it. It’s a trapezoid, roughly 10" on the long sides, 3" wide at one end and about 7" wide at the other.
Now for my project. Insane as this may sound, I wish to drill a round hole clear through one end of it. Doesn’t matter why. ( In the vanishingly remote possibility that a St. Bart’s congregant is a Doper, I cannot detail the project itself. ) The hole will be, let’s say, 1" diameter. I’m not exactly sure how big the hole has to be yet, that depends on other variables but somewhere in the 0.75" to 1.50 " size is a good range.
How do I go about drilling through roughly 2.5" of tile and cement without having it split apart? What do I use? I am guessing some kind of wet drill bit arrangement? I’ve got a decent drill press, this wouldn’t be something attempted as hand-work.
Anyone familiar with drilling through masonry and/ or tiles have ideas on how I can do this successfully?
The hard part: I get one shot, and I have no way to practice the cut on another piece first.
Thoughts?
