Warning! Don't try this at home..Drill windscreen

try a .22 calibre winchester

Rocky

Not to sure about glass but have had some experience with drilling acrylic as in Lexan etc.

The trick there is to get a standard high speed drill bit and rather than sharpen the edge put a reverse chamfer on the tip cutting edges so that the bit not so much as cuts but grinds the surface.

If you use a drill bit as is it will tend to catch and bleep ter the materilal.

After that its up to you and don't use too much pressure but apply plenty of patience.

I would think overalls, gloves and enclosed eye protection would be a wise move as well.

Good Luck

Regards

John G

as I often say after a few beers with my mates, "what could possibly go wrong?".

Give it a go but I would suggest to drill a little farther out than you think the crack ends. That way you'll be sure of being at the end of it and no doubt the crack will meet up with the hole. Let us know how you got on.

Your local dentist may have an old diamond tip for nothing if you talk nicely and it may be better quality than those Arlec types. Rus.

IMHO it will most likely not work cos its laminated!!!

Try the diamond tip drill bit or a carbide tipped drill in a hand drill, you know the old mix master type or a variable speed battery drill.
Put the word slow in your dictonary, 200 to 300 rpm max.
Use low pressure , slow speed and use straight turps as the lubricant.
High speed creates heat and will crack/chip the glass and do a damn fine job of blunting the bit.
Its not a fast process so add patience to slow in the dictionary.
Afterwards some of the new superglue type loctites (401,406 )are suitable to fill the crack and the hole.

Get a masonary bit and grind down the end in the shape of an arrow . Dip the end in some kero frequently while drilling . drill on a slow speed . DO NOT PRESS TO HARD.

G'day Rocky One, Do you really want to know ...ok then, go to your local glazing factory, ask them to sell you a 3mm glass drill( hollow, diamond impregnated) and a handfull of metal putty. Then go home, place the putty around the hole and make a well to hold water, now don't forget you are drilling laminated glass and will need to drill it from both sides, you have to be carefull not to drill all the way through, you will probably punch a bigger hole if you do. Ok you've done one side now get on the inside and repeat the process. Sounds easy ehh! I've done it myself but I had access to all the tools and drill bits, you'll have to allow about $400.00 dollars for the bit you buy and you will not I repeat will not have any luck with a straight solid bit.
Anyway best of luck
andy

And another method is...
1. Take a small piece of copper tube about 4-5 mm in dia. file or cut a couple of cross slits in the end.

2. Get some putty or plastecine like gunk and build a small dam arround where you are going to drill the hole.

3. Fill the dam with kero or similar, this acts as a lubricant and coolant.

4. Put the copper tube into the drill chuck and then dip the end into sand or if you have it carbourundum powder (see any rockhound/lapidary person - its what they use in a rock tumbler).

5. As has already been mentioned stay slow so that you do not generate much heat and/or throw all your lubricant/coolant all over the place.

You can put a slurry of the grinding powder into your little dam on the windscreen if you like. The copper is soft enough for grinding particles to embed themselves into the surface of the copper. Caution, the grinding powder will scratch the windscreen if you wipe it across the glass so wash it all away before cleaning the windscreen when you have finnished.

Of course,we all know that,when we have drilled the tiny hole,we just fill it with 2-part epoxy..We stay inside,the rain stays outside..I mean,I could just get another windscreen,but what would we all lear from that exercise?..All the other guya reckoned the earth was flat or square or something..Had Columbus been around these days,he probably would have posted a question here,then set off in his ship

Hey! Thgat's a good tip Kish..You ripper..Bet I would have drilled both sides..Have fun..RockyOne......(Glad we dont have those craze type screens I had in my VW beetles for 14 yrs..Changed the screen when I changed the oil))!MPG:8!

Hi RockyOne
craft stores have glass drills, only drill the outer laminate, slow speed drill -lower heat, big lump of putty around the hole to absorbe vibrations and have water running over the glass as you drill piece of cake works every time
be patient not too much pressure
Regards Kev

Drilling a hole in the windscreen and non load bearing structural panels to stop crack propogation was normal practice on aircraft (non pressurised of course) a few years back. The hole was as small as you could make it to avoid letting the rain or an anoying draft inthough :-))

As Kev.h said. Buy a glass bit from the hardware store. Mine only cost $6 approx (bought a year ago).
Laminated glass only has crack on outside (you cannot feel the crack on the inside)
If you can feel crack on inside I'd be worried.
so drill using cordless drill from outside in to centre about 1/4 inch from end of crack.You will feel when it hits the laminate.
You can always practice on bottles (I did).
Fill with epoxy and no prob - did this on my car - worked like a charm.
You can also picked up some broken windscreens from panel beaters and play with them first.
Techie

Thks Kev.H & Techie, Top info..Reckon we are set now..Thanks so much all you guys..I am,of course,in a "no lose" situation as,in the unlikely chance that I fail,I just get a new screen by insurance (like just about anyone else would..i.e. "normal" people)..Would'nt learn much that way..I have so much good info now,jus can't go wrong..While someone else is sitting in the pub,supporting that cause,I'll be madly drilling my screen,but i won't practice on a bottle,but I may keep a bottle of "red" handy to steady the nerves..My boys have over 20 car wrecks up the back of our 54ac so plenty of scope threr to practise..Will get my supplies for the "mission" today and "roll on the weekend" Report back my success on soon..Nothing ventured,nothing gained..? Have fun..RockyOne

Doesn't your policy include one replacement windscreen each 12 months without effecting no-claim or excess ?

This is what makes this website so good. Nice work boys.

So how did it go?

Kind regards