# How do I drill a hole into a 100 year old priceless ceramic tile? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 26, 2017, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-drill-a-hole-into-a-100-year-old-priceless-ceramic-tile/789871 "2017-06-26T00:15:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2017, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-drill-a-hole-into-a-100-year-old-priceless-ceramic-tile/789871/1 "2017-06-26T00:15:42Z")
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](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QtUq1-6ARf8/Tr9AcjMBuFI/AAAAAAAAAkg/DHTg2dcX_-k/s1600/IMG_0397.JPG) 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? ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2017, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-drill-a-hole-into-a-100-year-old-priceless-ceramic-tile/789871/2 "2017-06-26T00:18:59Z")
I would use something like this: > **[Rubi FORAGRES Wet Diamond Drill Bits. Contractors Direct.](https://www.contractorsdirect.com/6956-rubi-foragres-wet-drill-bits)** > > Product DetailsRubi FORAGRES Wet Diamond Drill BitsFeaturesPremium Wet Diamond Drill BitTo drill floor tiles, porcelain tiles, granite and marbleAlways use cooled with water and non-hammer electric drill1 5/8" (40 mm.) drill bit, designed for housing... Very light pressure, slow feed, lots of water, lots of patience, and the work held firmly but not so tight that it cracks. And, crossed fingers. ---
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2017, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-drill-a-hole-into-a-100-year-old-priceless-ceramic-tile/789871/3 "2017-06-26T00:25:07Z")
> [@beowulff](#): > > I would use something like this: > [Rubi FORAGRES Wet Diamond Drill Bits. Contractors Direct.](http://www.contractorsdirect.com/6956-rubi-foragres-wet-drill-bits) > > Very light pressure, slow feed, lots of water, lots of patience, and the work held firmly but not so tight that it cracks. > > And, crossed fingers. This will most likely work but if you are worried about it take it to a local water jet cutter, almost no risk of it breaking and if he doesn’t have a minimum charge it should be cheap. ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2017, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-drill-a-hole-into-a-100-year-old-priceless-ceramic-tile/789871/4 "2017-06-26T00:54:46Z")
Those are pricey bits- with good reason, no doubt. While I am all about doing this myself, it hadn’t occurred to me that a water jet cutter would be an option. Researching that now. Lacking that, I’ll get a bit !! ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2017, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-drill-a-hole-into-a-100-year-old-priceless-ceramic-tile/789871/5 "2017-06-26T01:02:27Z")
> [@Cartooniverse](#): > > Those are pricey bits- with good reason, no doubt. > > While I am all about doing this myself, it hadn’t occurred to me that a water jet cutter would be an option. Researching that now. > > Lacking that, I’ll get a bit !! If you go with the water jet, make sure that the tile surface is well-masked - water jets tend to haze the immediate area around the cut. ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2017, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-drill-a-hole-into-a-100-year-old-priceless-ceramic-tile/789871/6 "2017-06-26T01:09:55Z")
Duct tape? ---
**Author:** ![ZonexandScout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zonexandscout/32/544_2.png) [@ZonexandScout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZonexandScout)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2017, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-drill-a-hole-into-a-100-year-old-priceless-ceramic-tile/789871/7 "2017-06-26T01:17:22Z")
I’ve used the copper pipe and slurry method on tile with good success, though I don’t know if it will work in this situation. You can do it with a hand drill, but I’d strongly recommend using a press. One advantage of this method is that it’s pretty cheap and it usually doesn’t affect the area around the hole at all. ---
**Author:** ![MikeG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikeg/32/4329_2.png) [@MikeG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeG)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2017, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-drill-a-hole-into-a-100-year-old-priceless-ceramic-tile/789871/8 "2017-06-26T01:18:11Z")
Water jet at a granite and marble fabricator. The only thing I’d worry about is spalling the surface ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2017, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-drill-a-hole-into-a-100-year-old-priceless-ceramic-tile/789871/9 "2017-06-26T01:20:04Z")
Best bet is a water jet. Less likely to break and if it does you’re not the one that broke it. ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2017, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-drill-a-hole-into-a-100-year-old-priceless-ceramic-tile/789871/10 "2017-06-26T01:29:51Z")
Oh. [These guys seem to be on the game.](http://www.waterjet.nyc/) ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2017, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-drill-a-hole-into-a-100-year-old-priceless-ceramic-tile/789871/11 "2017-06-26T01:33:16Z")
> [@MikeG](#): > > Water jet at a granite and marble fabricator. The only thing I’d worry about is spalling the surface Please tell me how [spalling](https://www.thebalance.com/what-is-spalling-1798631) applies with this project. Confused. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2017, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-drill-a-hole-into-a-100-year-old-priceless-ceramic-tile/789871/12 "2017-06-26T01:45:56Z")
While you only get one shot at this particular tile you can certainly buy other tiles perhaps of that same age and composition (eBay maybe) to practice on. ---
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2017, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-drill-a-hole-into-a-100-year-old-priceless-ceramic-tile/789871/13 "2017-06-26T01:49:19Z")
I took a section of water buffalo horn to a water jet cutter last year. I had him slice it in .008 thick slices to use for fletchings on my flight arrows. They were perfect. ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2017, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-drill-a-hole-into-a-100-year-old-priceless-ceramic-tile/789871/14 "2017-06-26T02:05:10Z")
> [@HoneyBadgerDC](#): > > I took a section of water buffalo horn to a water jet cutter last year. I had him slice it in .008 thick slices to use for fletchings on my flight arrows. They were perfect. Man, ain’t nothing like The Dope. I keep trying to visualize this process. 😃 Water Buffalo: This HURTS you know. Honey Badger DC: Listen, stand still. Stop flicking your tail, it’s screwing up the water jet. ---
**Author:** ![Evan\_Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b487fb/32.png) [@Evan\_Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evan_Drake)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2017, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-drill-a-hole-into-a-100-year-old-priceless-ceramic-tile/789871/15 "2017-06-26T02:49:29Z")
If they wanted holes in tiles I imagine the old people pre-electricity used a form of bow-drill ( old is relative, the Middle East has a lot of tiles and not a lot of electrical outlets until the 20th century ) but that would be **[cumbersome](https://primitivetechnology.wordpress.com/2016/01/22/cord-drill-and-pump-drill/)** and **[slow](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bow_drill)**. Here are two sites with details of using diamond drill bits — the trick is to keep the aperture moist — using rummy looking anti-slip guides; step-by-step. **[Drilling Holes in Hard Porcelain Tiles With Diamond Drill Bits Holesaws Granite and Marble by hazellr in home-renovation](http://www.instructables.com/id/Drilling-holes-in-hard-porcelain-tiles-with-diamon/)** **[Bathroom Guru — How to Drill Holes in Tiles](http://www.ukbathroomguru.com/how-to-drill-holes-in-tiles/)** The holes look very nice. ---
**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2017, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-drill-a-hole-into-a-100-year-old-priceless-ceramic-tile/789871/16 "2017-06-26T03:46:09Z")
Are you going to be able to show us the end result at some point? Dopers are a curious lot, you know. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2017, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-drill-a-hole-into-a-100-year-old-priceless-ceramic-tile/789871/17 "2017-06-26T14:21:33Z")
Is there a reason you’re leaving all that cement caked onto it? Any way of re-using I can think of starts with removing most or all of that. And to the other folks, which side should he drill/waterjet from? I’m guessing that results would be better starting from the back side, but I don’t know that for sure. ---
**Author:** ![Andy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/aeb1de/32.png) [@Andy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2017, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-drill-a-hole-into-a-100-year-old-priceless-ceramic-tile/789871/18 "2017-06-28T12:49:39Z")
Whilst the water jet cutter seems the best option, I recently needed to cut some small (5 mm or so) holes into regular glass jars. All attempts without cooling failed, and my home setup meant applying cooling water wasn’t easy, and a little messy. Eventually I discovered a simple solution: I submerged the jars in a small water trough under the drill press (with a diamond cutting bit) and it worked a treat, albeit with some chipping at close to the breakthrough point. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2017, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-drill-a-hole-into-a-100-year-old-priceless-ceramic-tile/789871/19 "2017-06-28T13:18:32Z")
> [@Cartooniverse](#): > > Please tell me how [spalling](https://www.thebalance.com/what-is-spalling-1798631) applies with this project. Confused. Spalling is just another term for surface flaking. when the water jet cuttter penetrates the material, some of the pressure could be redirected upward adjacent to the cut, which may blow away small flakes of the surface material, such as the glaze on a tile. If there’s any opportunity to obtain a piece of similar material for a test cut, do that first, but a professional water jet cutter should know all of the risks. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2017, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-drill-a-hole-into-a-100-year-old-priceless-ceramic-tile/789871/20 "2017-06-28T13:20:14Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Is there a reason you’re leaving all that cement caked onto it? Any way of re-using I can think of starts with removing most or all of that. > > And to the other folks, which side should he drill/waterjet from? I’m guessing that results would be better starting from the back side, but I don’t know that for sure. I’m no expert, but I would start from the front - the jet is more defined on entry to the material than on exit - and with a brittle material, there could be some flaking around the cut on the back side, [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-drill-a-hole-into-a-100-year-old-priceless-ceramic-tile/789871.md?page=2)