When it comes to drilling through hard materials like tile, stone, or porcelain, having the right tools is essential. Diamond drill bits offer exceptional performance and precision in these demanding tasks. In this comprehensive buying guide, we will delve into everything you need to know about diamond drill bits. Whether you're a construction professional or a DIY enthusiast, understanding the features and considerations of diamond drill bits will help you make informed purchasing decisions. So, let's explore the fascinating world of diamond drill bits together!
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Diamond drill bits are designed with a unique composition that sets them apart from conventional drill bits. They feature a diamond-encrusted tip that provides remarkable hardness and durability. The diamond coating enables smooth and precise drilling, allowing you to achieve clean holes without causing damage to the surrounding material. These drill bits are perfect for creating holes in materials like tile, stone, or porcelain, where standard drill bits may struggle to deliver the same level of accuracy and efficiency.
Explore our collection of diamond drill bits for tile and stone, such as the Rubi Tools Drygres Diamond Drill Bits, which offer exceptional performance and durability.
Diamond drill bits come in various sizes to accommodate different hole diameters. Ensure that you select a drill bit size that matches the diameter you require for your specific project. Additionally, check the compatibility of the drill bit with the material you'll be drilling. Different drill bits are designed for specific materials, such as tile, stone, or porcelain.
Diamond drill bits can be used for both wet and dry drilling. Wet drilling involves using water as a lubricant to cool down the drill bit and flush away debris, resulting in smoother and more efficient drilling. Dry drilling, on the other hand, is suitable for smaller projects and can be done without the need for water. Consider the requirements of your project and choose the appropriate drilling method.
The speed and rotation of the drill play a crucial role in the performance of diamond drill bits. Optimal speed and rotation will ensure effective drilling without causing excessive heat buildup or damaging the drill bit. Follow the manufacturer's recommendations regarding the suitable speed and rotation for the specific diamond drill bit you're using.
If you are using a drill press or bench press, you won't be able to angle the drill. Instead, secure your material in place with a vice. However, if you are using a hand-held drill like a Dremel, flex shaft, pendant drill, cordless drill, or handheld rotary tool, continue reading.
To prevent the drill bit from skittering across the surface, angle your drill when starting the hole. Once the initial hole is made, you can drill vertically. This technique is particularly useful when drilling through smooth materials like glass or stone pebbles.
Another option is to use a small piece of masking tape on the starting point. This prevents the drill bit from sliding around, which is especially handy when drilling through tile or glass bottles. However, this method is more effective with larger drill bits, typically ¼” and above, rather than smaller ones.
For drilling holes in glass, stone, or ceramic, consider using high-quality tools like the Milwaukee Diamond Plus Hole Saws or the Milwaukee Diamond Max Hole Saw 3-Piece Set, available in our collection of drill bits for tile and stone
Diamond twist drills excel at enlarging holes rather than creating them. They are highly popular among bead artists for increasing hole sizes in beads and are ideal for pearls as well. Sizes range from 1/64” to ⅛” m.
Tip: Diamond twist drills can also be useful for preventing condensation build-up in double-glazed windows. By making a hole in the inside bottom corner window and the outside top corner window with a ⅛” twist drill, you can follow a suitable tutorial to address the issue of misted-up windows.
While there are videos showcasing the use of ball burrs to drill holes, it's important to note that diamond ball burrs are primarily intended for shaping, engraving, carving, and grinding, however they are not designed for drilling holes and are not as effective as the small diamond drill bits.
Shovel-shaped, spade-shaped, and pointed drill bits are also available for drilling holes in hard materials. However, based on our extensive experience, we have found that these options do not perform as well as desired.
Q: Can I use a diamond drill bit on glass?
A: Yes, diamond drill bits are suitable for drilling through glass. However, it's crucial to use a slow speed and apply gentle pressure to avoid cracking or chipping the glass. Additionally, using a lubricant like water during the drilling process can help reduce heat and ensure smoother drilling.
Q: How long do diamond drill bits last?
A: The lifespan of a diamond drill bit depends on various factors, such as the quality of the bit, the hardness of the material being drilled, and the drilling technique employed. With proper care and usage, diamond drill bits can last for a significant number of drilling hours, providing reliable and precise performance.
Q: Can diamond drill bits be used on metal surfaces?
A: Diamond drill bits are not designed for drilling through metal surfaces. They are specifically engineered for hard materials like tile, stone, or porcelain. For drilling through metal, it's recommended to use drill bits specifically designed for metal drilling to achieve the best results.
Q: What are some recommended diamond drill bits for drilling through tough materials like tile and stone?
A: For exceptional performance in drilling through challenging surfaces, we highly recommend the Milwaukee Diamond Plus Hole Saws. These hole saws are specifically designed to tackle the rigors of tile and stone drilling, delivering precise and clean results.
At The Tool Locker, we understand the importance of having high-quality tools for your construction projects, that’s why you can buy a wide selection of diamond drill bits designed to meet the needs of professionals in the industry. Explore our collection of diamond drill bits for tile, stone, and porcelain and experience the precision that these exceptional tools provide.
SUMMARY
FIVE TYPES OF ELECTRONIC TESTER
OTHER TESTERS (not electronic)
TECHNICAL TERMS / TERMINOLOGY
SYNTHETIC V. NATURAL DIAMOND
MOISSANITE
DIAMOND TESTERS AND U.V. (Ultra Violet light)
A WARNING. THE TALE OF A MAN WHO WAS SCAMMED.
BEWARE OF UNUSUAL STONES...AND ALWAYS BE AWARE OF THE OBVIOUS
COMPARISON CHART FOR DIAMOND TESTERS
This article is quite long, you don't have to read all of it! Experienced jewellers and professional diamond dealers will know all the basic information, just click on the sections, above, in which you are interested.
If you start reading this article and become dizzy because you don't know what you're meant to be testing, go down to Terminology. Or skip all the explanations and go to very end for a comparison chart for all the testers.
See also: Testing for Synthetic Diamonds ** Distinguishing Diamond from Moissanite *** Electronic Gem Testers.
There are now many synthetic Moissanites that test as diamond, on most* diamond testers and many synthetic diamonds that test as Synthetic Moissanite on most diamond testers. NOTE: Natural diamonds and synthetic diamonds are both real diamonds. Naturals are mined. Synthetics are manmade in laboratories to the same recipe found in nature.
* Electrical Conductivity and 'multi' testers, scroll down for details. Basically, testers in the price range £199.00 to £350.00.
THIS DOES NOT MEAN ELECTRONIC DIAMOND TESTERS ARE OF NO USE. It merely means you must be aware of what each type can, and can't, detect. This applies to all makes and models of all electronic diamond testers, irrespective of any claims made by the sellers.
All the testers listed below are handheld electronic models suitable for testing stones set in jewellery. There are two larger models that will test any loose stone that has a perfectly polished, perfectly flat top (table): the digital refractometer and the digital readout of the duo tester. These two will distinguish diamond from Moissanite and will test for dozens of other stones too (see our article on Electronic Gem Testers) - they will not test stones mounted in jewellery, they will not distinguish natural diamond from synthetic diamond.
There are also two testers which are not electronic. The polariscope is an optical tester, it works on most mounted stones but works best on loose stones, two sizes pocket-size Polariscope or table-top size. Or the 'mechanical' Specific Gravity Tester for loose (unmounted) stones. Both are slow and fiddly to use but are a fraction the price of a good diamond tester. Other optical gemstone testers can be found at Optical and Mechanical Gem Testers).
SYNTHETIC MOISSANITE TESTING AS DIAMOND
This is because the manufacturers of synthetic Moissanite keep tweaking the formula, and now there are many synthetic Moissanites that evade the tests and show up as diamond on the electrical conductivity test.
Options:
DIAMONDS TESTING AS SYNTHETIC MOISSANITE
To make the electrical conductivity testers better at testing the latest ('iffy') Moissanites, the manufacturers make the testers more sensitive. As a consequence most (70%) of synthetic diamonds and some (0.01%) of natural diamond now read Synthetic Moissanite.
Options:
Here is a list of the four types of technology for electronic testers, each has its advantages and its limitations.
Diamond testers currently use four different types of technology. Although every tester 'tests for diamond', each has its advantages and disadvantages, no tester is "100% accurate". The following applies to all testers no matter who you buy it from and no matter what the seller promises you.
- 1. TECHNOLOGY: THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY
This tells you:
However, if the test registers diamond, it might be diamond or it might be synthetic Moissanite, there is simply no way of knowing. Why?? Because this technology (thermal conductivity) dates from before synthetic Moissanite existed (pre-).
On the internet you can find plenty of these advertised as testing diamond, Moissanite, jade and ruby - this simply isn't true.
- What you get for your money with a thermal conductivity tester:
The cheapest (£12.50) is not reliable. At £24.50 the reliability is definitely better, but these are still 'cheap' diamond testers and you still 'get what you pay for'. You may return any item within 14 days if you don't like it, but after that, the guarantee is for breakdown only, you may not return these cheap testers merely because most of the readings are incorrect, you get what you pay for. If you do want to go for this 'basic' technology, get a decent model, e.g. £82.50.
Be aware that there is a manmade (synthetic) stone called Moissanite, it reads Diamond on all thermal conductivity testers. A diamond reading (with any of these thermal testers) means the stone is:
- Uses:
In either case you must show 'interesting' stones to an experienced jeweller, gemmologist or diamond dealer.
- see the products.
- 2. TECHNOLOGY: ELECTRICAL CONDUCTIVITY ('MOISSANITE TESTER')
This distinguishes diamond from synthetic Moissanite but only works on stones that give a diamond reading on a thermal conductivity tester (see above) (or scroll down for multi-testers, they use both the thermal and electrical conductivity methods together).
This was once simple: synthetic Moissanite was electrically conductive, diamond not so. However, synthetic Moissanites are now made with very low electrically conductivity which results in many them giving a diamond reading. To detect most of these low-conductivity Moissanites, the tester manufacturers have been making the testers more and more sensitive, but doing this has the unintended consequence of giving a 'synthetic Moissanite' reading on synthetic diamonds - synthetic diamonds are also very slightly electrically conductive.
CONCLUSION: electrical conductivity testers are of limited use (please read the above paragraph again!).
- What you get for your money with an electrical conductivity tester:
- Uses:
As above, OK if you just want to know if a stone is definitely not diamond and definitely not synthetic Moissanite. And this applies after you've checked the stone a thermal conductivity tester.
HOW TO IMPROVE THE ACCURACY OF ELECTRICAL CONDUCTIVITY TESTERS:
Here are some options that will help avoid synthetic Moissanite testing as diamond:
There will come a time when most synthetic Moissanites will read diamond on multi-testers, even with UV light.
If you are looking for more details, kindly visit buy diamond tools.
COMBINED: 'MULTI' (2-IN-1) THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY + ELECTRICAL CONDUCTIVITY
These carry out two different tests in two or three seconds. The first uses thermal conductivity, to test for diamond or synthetic Moissanite (see above), the second test, a fraction of a second later, uses electrical conductivity to confirm which of the two (diamond or synthetic Moissanite) it is. This (electrical conductivity) test is subject to the limitations listed above.
- What you get for your money with a multi tester:
The most popular is the multi-Experior £199.50 (we sell a few hundred per year), not only does it distinguish diamond and Moissanite but it also tests for ruby/sapphire, a useful 'extra'. The Multi-Sam, £359.00 is the best as regards its thermal conductivity test, it works in extreme conditions (e.g. heat and cold); its electrical conductivity test is the same as the multi-Experior.
In all cases, see the limitations listed above.
- Uses (multi-Experior):
- Uses (multi-Sam):
In all cases, see the limitations listed above.
- 3. TECHNOLOGY: UV ABSORPTION
This fires a needle of UV light into the stone and measures the response (UV absorption). It is designed to distinguish natural diamond, synthetic diamond and Moissanite. However, it will not distinguish these from the myriad of other gemstones, so you will need a thermal conductivity tester to see if the stone might be diamond or synthetic Moissanite. You get a thermal conductivity tester free when you buy an Arete, £750.00. A similar model (no free gift) is the Ari, £995.00. Or there are two models which are 'all-in-1' UV absorption and thermal conductivity in the same tester, Oti, £.00 or Apex £995.00.
UV absorption has its limitations as to the size, cut, colour and clarity.
The stone must be minimum 1.6mm diameter / approx. 0.06ct (or 3.8mm / 0.2ct with the Apex)); it must be of a modern brilliant cut and perfectly-cut in proportion (these testers are not accurate on shallow or old-cut stones); colour must be D to J (not accurate if there's the slightest hint of yellow); clarity must be Fl to Sl1.
If you are a diamond dealer, you will understand this. If you are a jeweller, it would be good to learn this (how to grade diamonds). If you are not in the jewellery trade at all, these testers are still good for 'reassurance' but it is advisable to get a second opinion from a professional.
- uses
Although expensive, this is the only way forward. Dealers who buy these will find that they have the edge over everyone else, they can (combined with their experience) correctly identify (and deal in) synthetic diamonds and they can distinguish synthetic Moissanite from diamond.
- 4. TECHNOLOGY: UV ABSORPTIONCOMBINED: 'MULTI' (2-IN-1) THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY + UV ABSORPTION
'All-in-1' UV absorption and thermal conductivity in the same tester, Oti, £1,399.00 or Apex £995.00.
- 5. TECHNOLOGY: REFLECTIVITY (readings given as Refractive Index)
These testers are for loose stones only, so skip this section if you need to test stones set in jewellery. These testers are listed in the article, Electronic Gem Testers.
Electronic refractive index testers: either the digital-meter part of the Presidium Duo tester (the other part of the 'duo' is thermal conductivity) or a dedicated digital refractometer. These will distinguish diamond and Moissanite, they also test for dozens of other gemstones. For loose stones only, and they must have a perfectly flat perfectly polished surface large enough to fit over the sensor. See the article about electronic gem testers.
Optical refractometer: this will not test for diamond and Moissanite (the readings for these are out of range) but just for the record: standard refractometer or high-resolution refractometer. See the article about electronic gem testers for details. These test for many dozens of gemstones.
Specific Gravity (relative density) testers: uses a very sensitive weighing scale and an elaborate mechanism to weigh the item whilst suspended in water. The method is slow and fiddly and you can only test loose stones, but it has the advantage that you can test small gold items too. We manufacture our own model, the Quicktest Specific Gravity Tester.
Natural: made by nature; in the case of gem material, most are dug up out of the ground (mined) in the form of crystals, which are then cut into gemstones.
Diamond can be natural crystals grown in the ground by nature (they take 2 to 3 billion years to grow) then mined, or synthetic crystals (which take a few weeks to grow). Synthetic diamonds are also known as lab-grown, lab-created or manmade. In both cases the 'rough' crystals are cut and polished for jewellery.
Natural diamonds and synthetic diamonds are the same, they are the same physically, they are the same optically, diamond experts can't always tell the difference, even when they examine them under a microscope. Natural diamonds are also know as mined.
Synthetic: made by man, copying the exact formula found in nature. In the case of diamonds, this is usually by growing the diamond crystals in a laboratory. Read all about synthetic diamonds. Synthetic diamonds are also known as manmade, lab-grown, or lab-created.
Synthetic Moissanite registers ‘diamond’ on all thermal conductivity diamond testers. It is not diamond. The Moissanite you find in jewellery is always synthetic. Read all about Moissanite.
Simulant / imitation simply means ‘not diamond’. It might look like (simulate, imitate) diamond but it isn't. In the jewellery trade 'simulant' is the accepted term rather than 'imitation'.
Artificial isn't a technical term. It could mean anything manmade; it could mean 'assembled' (more than one material, glued or mixed together); it is often taken to mean glass ('paste') or plastic; this term doesn't have a precise meaning and should not be used.
Fake? This has nothing to do with gemstones, it depends on the circumstances:
DO NOT CONFUSE "SIMULANT" and "FAKE" with "SYNTHETIC".
"SYNTHETIC" HAS A VERY SPECIFIC SCIENTIFIC MEANING (see above).
The following is just a summary, read more about synthetic diamonds.
'Natural' diamonds grow (as crystals) in the ground. Also known as 'mined'.
'Synthetic' (also known as "manmade" or "lab-grown" or "lab-created") does NOT mean 'simulant ' (imitation). 'Synthetic' means it's grown in a laboratory to the same recipe found in nature, and the aim of the manufacturer is to make an end-product which is identical to its natural counterpart. Synthetic diamonds are diamonds (unlike, for instance, Cubic Zirconia or Moissanite which are not diamonds). It is extremely difficult to tell the difference between natural and synthetic diamonds, that is why the latest testers are so expensive.
Synthetic Moissanite (read all about it) is a manmade stone. Although it exists in nature, most Moissanite crystals are 1mm to 3mm across, and green. Synthetic Moissanite was 'invented' in , it is of no great value, its only significance is that it registers 'diamond' on diamond testers. Moissanite does, to the non-expert, look remarkably like diamond - but it is not diamond it is Moissanite, i.e. Moissanite is not a 'type' of diamond, it is another stone altogether, it is transparent form of silicon carbide, (SiC) - the very same silicon carbide you can buy as the black abrasive Carborundum.
Moissanite was first made in , that's long enough ago that Moissanite jewellery is now being passed down to the next generation, who may have no idea what the stones are. If you test them on any cheap (£20.00 to £100.00) diamond tester they will register diamond and, increasingly, there are Moissanites that register diamond on mid-priced testers (£150.00 to £350.00).
Similarly, we used to say that antiques dealers would know if they had an old (e.g. Victorian old-cut) stone - which therefore couldn't be Moissanite. However, Moissanite is now made to imitate even these.
To find out more about the history and characteristics of Moissanite, click here.
There is a very rare type of natural diamond (Type II diamond) which has an unusual chemical composition (they contain boron) and this makes them electrically conductive, i.e. they register 'Moissanite' on most diamond testers.
Unlike diamond testing, UV light does make a difference when testing a Moissanite using the electrical conductivity technology.
If you are buying a Moissanite tester, buy a UV light too, they really are not expensive (see how UV light works). If you are buying a combination diamond/Moissanite (multi) tester, there is a UV light built into the tester; the Multi Experior is the only model that will enable you to shine the UV light on the stone whilst testing (most other models give you the choice of testing the stone or using the UV light, but not both at the same time, which isn't really of any use).
Some models of diamond tester have a built-in UV light, and this has led to the quite logical assumption that UV light can be used for testing diamonds. This is not true. There is absolutely no way you can distinguish a diamond from a non-diamond using UV light. The only useful thing to know is that diamonds fluoresce (glow) randomly under UV light. So if you have a cluster ring or a diamond brooch and all the stones react in exactly the same way (whether they fluoresce or not) - they are unlikely to be diamond; if some fluoresce and some don't...then they might be diamond...or they might not.
The very technical information in the following paragraph is for the gemmologist or professional diamond dealer, the average jeweller or antiques dealer does not need to know any of this:
UV light can give an indication of probability when comparing natural diamonds with synthetic diamonds. For examining 'parcels' of diamonds (e.g. mele) you will need a UV lamp that provides long-wave AND a short-wave UV light. View the stones on a black background in a completely dark room (or a viewing cabinet). Natural colourless diamonds (of which about 40% fluoresce) usually fluoresce more under long-wave than under short-wave; some synthetic diamonds have just the reverse reaction, the fluorescence is weak (or nil) under long-wave, and strong (or stronger) under short-wave. So if you buy loose diamonds, check each parcel under UV light to judge the probable mix of 'naturals' and 'synthetics'. But examining one diamond under a UV light tells you nothing.
We sold a diamond tester to a man who went to Africa to buy 'bargain' diamonds (uncut 'rough' diamond crystals) from a 'contact'. After much haggling they agreed a price (I think it was $50,000.00) he tested the stones, they registered DIAMOND on the tester, they were sealed in a container and he signed across the seals. The money was transferred into the seller's bank account and the following day the buyer collected the stones. The seals on the container were still intact, he brought them back to England.
Guess what? They were not diamonds.
This, in a way, was a clever 'con' - because the average jeweller will know what a cut diamond looks like, if they look 'too watery' or 'too sparkly' he will be suspicious, even if he doesn't quite know why they look 'wrong'. But very few jewellers know what diamond crystals ("rough") look like (you can find out - search Google Images).
There are other precautions you can take if you are spending large amounts of money.
Firstly, if the deal seems too good to be true, it's because it is too good to be true, "Cheap Diamonds" are like "cheap gold" or "cheap cash" - simply doesn't exist...unless you become involved with criminal gangs. These gangs smuggle real diamonds, drugs and people, and you really do not want to find yourself in a remote part of the world, escorted by armed men to remote mines, then pressurised into parting with money.
Do not let that diamond tester out of your sight, even for a minute. They can be tampered with, so that everything reads DIAMOND. Our man in Africa managed to return to England without the diamond tester, it had been "mislaid in the confusion" - what a surprise!
Keep on your person a genuine diamond (it need not be large), a paste (glass), a sapphire (a small synthetic sapphire will do) and (if necessary, see above) a UV torch. Test each of them before testing your purchases. You will then know if the diamond tester has been tampered with.
It is also possible, with any machine made by man, that the machine develops a fault - so use those three stones to check the machine.
I've heard that tricksters can store stones in ice to cool them so that the diamond tester falsely reads DIAMOND. Try touching the stone gently against your upper lip to see if it feels icy cold, try clasping it in your warm hand and chatting to the sellers for five minutes. If they become agitated it might be because the stone is rapidly reaching room temperature and is about to register NOT DIAMOND on your tester.
These precautions do not apply to everyday dealing where the amounts of money involved are relatively small, there is no need to become paranoid. And it can happen that buying diamonds directly from the mines works out OK. We did sell a diamond tester to someone who was going to Africa but who had recommendations from friends who lived there, and he was happy with who he was dealing with and, as far as I know, he did buy diamonds. Whether he made any money we have no idea.
One final warning about buying diamonds from overseas. When you bring them back, customs will want to see the Kimberly Certificate to show where they originated (to prevent diamonds being used to finance war). In the UK, if you don't have the correct paperwork, the diamonds will be confiscated; in the US you will be arrested.
One stone that caused prolonged correspondence on an internet forum for gemmologists, was an unknown stone bought as 'black diamond'. It was opaque, so the usual examination of inclusions, under a microscope, was not possible; the surface was 'pitted' like granite; the SG (specific gravity) wasn't quite right; and although it certainly registered 'diamond' on diamond testers, the results on a Moissanite tester were inconclusive, it depended on where, on the stone, the probe was placed.
There were two causes for concern. Firstly, it was bought by a serviceman in Afghanistan and most stones sold to servicemen in this area were not diamond. Secondly, 'proof' that it was natural black diamond came in the form of a lab report (certificate) from New Delhi, from "an ISO : Company comprising GIA alumni." A certificate is worthless unless you can check that the company (and the certificate) is genuine - and even then, you need the skill to match the stone to the certificate.
Conclusion: it was not diamond, it was Moissanite.
The lesson: electronic testers are not suitable for testing black stones.
For details of the limitations of each type of technology, see the top half of this article.
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