[Jewelry making - Article 00897] - Re: [Orchid] How to drill amber?

[Gerald Alexander Livings]

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>            Long time lurker here and so grateful for everyone's
>     generous sharing. I don't do lapidary but I have a piece of amber
>     about 1/4 inch thick into which I would like to drill 2 holes,
>     about 3/8 inch diameter. Can I do this with a Foredom and if so,
>     what kind and size of drills should I use and are there health
>     safety issues I should know about? I read in the archives that
>     there is a danger of getting the amber hot, also it might break.
>     >Beverly in Pasadena 


    Beverly, I have worked with amber in the past and find it to be a
    great gem to wor k with.  I feel that the most important thing to
    remember is to work slow because amber is so brittle and will crack
    very easily. A foredom will work great for drilling but be sure to
    drill under water and drill very slowly so you do not overheat the
    amber, if your bit melts the amber and gets stuck you will have a
    hard time separating them withou t damaging the amber. I have also
    have found that the wood bits with the extra cutting teeth on the end
    work very well and you will need to drill very straight, no side
    motion as this may cause the side of the drill to catch in the amber
    and crack it. Be sure to leave plenty of space from the edge of the
    amber to the edge of hole you drill.  It is easy to crack out the
    side of your amber if the drill catches. I would suggest you
    practice on some old hard plastic before you drill yo ur amber.  It
    will give you a great idea of how the amber will drill. I just love
    the smell when working with amber but I always have a high qu ality
    and well fitting dust mast on.  I read a few years ago ,I do not
    remember what book, that amber is like any other resin when worked. 
    It can cause problems with your lungs if you get enough exposure to
    the dust.  I feel working one piece is not going to do anything. well
    that is my two cents, I hope your project works well. 

Honorably, Gerald A. Livings

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