How to Drill Holes
in Ceramic, Melamine
Porcelain and Glass
Plates
Making Your Own Cake Stand
Table of Contents
How to Drill Holes in Melamine Plates .............................................................................................. 2
Similar Version.................................................................................................................................. 2
How to Drill Holes in Ceramic and Porcelain Plates ........................................................................ 3
How to Drill Through Plates (Other Version #1) ................................................................................ 3
Cake Stand Making (Other Version #2) ............................................................................................ 4
How to Drill Holes in Glass Plates ..................................................................................................... 5
Similar Version #1............................................................................................................................. 5
Drill the Glass: (Similar Version#2) ................................................................................................... 6
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Making Your Own Cake Stand
How to Drill Holes in Melamine Plates
Start off by measuring your plates to find out the
middle.
Once you’ve got that, mark it with a Sharpie.
Then, and this is very important, put some
painters tape over your mark. I was able to see my
mark through the tape, but if you can’t through
yours (if its colored) you can eyeball the middle
and put your tape down before you mark it. Make
sure you put it on both the front and back!
Then, without using TOO much pressure, screw
away! (get your mind out of the gutter heh heh)
I started with the smallest drill I had, and then
worked my way up to the largest one I had (which
wasn’t very large). When I found that the hole
wasn’t big enough for the rod. I used a screw that
was the same size as the rod I got. Worked great!
But keep that tape on, because I made the
mistake of taking it off and it chipped a little of the
plate. Luckily, it was so tiny, you couldn’t notice!
Similar Version
What You Need:
 Tape
 Candlestick with a hole down the middle. (Start
unscrewing the stick to see if it comes apart.)
 Drawer Pull
 Plate (Melamine)
 Allthread (Be sure to choose the size that will screw into
your drawer pull.)
 Drill and Drill Bit. (Wood bit for drilling into melamine.)
1. Place a piece of tape in the center of the plate and drill
through the tape.
2. Take the allthread and cut to the length of your stand.
Assemble by putting the washer and screw at the
bottom of the stand, then threading the allthread
through candlestick piece, then the plate.
3. Screw on the drawer pull at the top.
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Making Your Own Cake Stand
How to Drill Holes in Ceramic and Porcelain Plates
When you want to drill a hole through a ceramic plate --- perhaps to insert a mechanism and turn the
plate into a wall clock --- you need to use the correct tools and techniques to avoid damaging the
plate. Even though ceramic is a tough and hard-wearing material, it notoriously brittle and if you are
not careful when drilling, your plate will chip or crack. When drilling any ceramics (as well as glass,
porcelain, marble, granite, stone and some other materials), a diamond drill bit is essential for
successful results. Don't be tempted to use any other kind.
Instructions:
1. Cover the place on the ceramic plate where you want to
drill a hole with a strip of masking tape, then mark the
exact point for the hole with a pencil dot on the tape.
The masking tape will prevent the drill bit from slipping
when you begin drilling though it.
2. Place a flat piece of scrap wood on your work bench or
the surface underneath the plate. Position a G-clamp
around the wood and plate, place a small piece of scrap
wood between the top of the clamp and plate, then
screw the clamp closed to hold the plate firmly in place.
The pieces of wood protect your work surface and the
plate from the pressure of the clamp.
3. Fit your drill with a diamond bit of the appropriate size
for the hole you want to drill. Set the drill to a speed of 100 to 200 rpm.
4. Recruit a friend or family member to spray the drill bit with cold water as you work when you are
ready to drill through the plate. This prevents the bit from overheating.
5. Position the drill bit over the pencil mark on the masking tape and hold it at a perfect right angle to
the plate. Begin to drill slowly and steadily without applying any additional pressure. Don't be
tempted to speed up or press down as you work, just take your time and let the drill bit do all the
work.
6. Stop drilling as soon as you feel that you have gone all the way through the plate and into the
scrap wood underneath it. Un-clamp the plate, wipe it clean with a soft rag and remove the
masking tape.
Tips & Warnings:

If you are worried about drilling through your good plate, practice first on an old plate made from a
similar kind of ceramic material.

Wear safety goggles while you work.
How to Drill Through Plates (Other Version #1)
What you’ll need:








Diamond Core Drill, 4mm (often referred to as Diamond Hole Saw
Drills)
1 x dinner plate, 1 x side plate, 1 x saucer or cup (a cup on the top
instead of a saucer can be used to hold sweets, a flower posy or
small cake forks)
A three tier cake stand fitting
Cordless drill
Sponge and bowl of water
An old Towel
Masking tape
Safety goggles
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Making Your Own Cake Stand
Steps:
1. Mark the position of where you require the hole to be with a marker pen (find the middle with a
tape measure) and place a strip of masking tape over the top. When you begin to drill the
masking tape will help prevent any skittering across the surface of your plates.
2. Soak your sponge in water (keeping a bowl of water to hand in order to top up) and place directly
next to your intended drill hole. The purpose of using a lubricant such as water is to ensure the
plate and your drill bit don’t overheat which can cause your plates to crack and will shorten the life
of your drill bit.
3. Place your plates on a towel and start the drill, somewhere between 1000 and 1500 rpm and
angle your drill on the masking tape to begin the drilling whilst at the same time squeezing water
from your sponge directly onto the drilling process. The angling of the drill will again help to
prevent any skittering across the surface. As soon as you begin to cut into the plate return your
drill to it’s normal vertical position and continue to drill through, slow to begin with and with little
pressure, too much and you may break the china. Repeat for all three plates/cup
4. With your dinner plate place the washer on and put the screw through. Put another washer on the
top and attach the cake stand fittings. Repeat for all three plates/cup
Cake Stand Making (Other Version #2)
Instructions:
I first drew around the plate on a piece of paper, cut it out and then folded to find the middle.
I laid it over the plate and marked the plate in
the middle.
To drill porcelain is tricky and you really need
a diamond drill bit. I picked mine up from
ebay for a couple of pounds.
I put masking tape over the middle dot on
the plate to give the drill some initial grip. I
then drilled at an angle until the whole began
to form when I could then
move the drill more
upright.
It took a few minutes of
drilling before the drill
finally made the full hole.
It will get very hot so
rinse it under the tap
before you touch it!
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Making Your Own Cake Stand
How to Drill Holes in Glass Plates
You don't need to purchase expensive wall art
or sun catchers for your windows. All you need
to do is repurpose glass plates you no longer
use. You could also pick up some lovely items at
flea markets or yard sales. From there, you must
simply drill some small holes in the edges of the
plates so you can connect them or hang them
separately. While drilling glass is, at best, a
tricky endeavor, it's nothing to be afraid of. If you
have plenty of patience and the right tools, you
can create recycled art from glass plates.
Instructions:
1. Slip a ¼ inch drill bit into your hand drill. Hardware stores sometimes sell pointed and hardened
bits especially for cutting glass. If you can't find one of these, sharpen an ordinary drill bit with a
metal file and heat it to a cherry red color in a flame to harden it.
2. Place your glass plate on top of a piece of scrap plywood. Make a dot with permanent marker
where you want your hole to be. Make sure the plywood and plate lie on a sturdy, level surface.
3. Roll a quarter-sized piece of wood putty into a rope. Bend the rope into a circle and place it on
your glass plate so the marker dot is in the center of the clay circle. Press the clay down lightly,
pinching it to form a small wall.
4. Pour a little turpentine into the middle of your putty circle. The turpentine should just barely cover
the glass; the putty will hold it in. The turpentine acts as a lubricant for the drill.
5. Place the point of your drill bit on your marker dot. Do not push as the drill spins; let the weight of
the drill and the bit do their work. Keep the drill straight to prevent snapping the bit or shattering
your glass.
6. Pull the drill out of the hole every 30 seconds or so to let the turpentine flow into the hole, adding
more lubrication to your work. Continue until the bit drills all the way through the glass.
Similar Version #1
Since diamond is harder than glass, diamond drill bits are
used to drill a glass plate. Using a rotary drill with a drill press
gives further control to the process, and a liquid is required to
keep the drill bit and the glass plate cool and lubricated.
Drilling a glass plate requires adequate support for the plate
so it cannot move or tip while being drilled, as this increases
the the likelihood of breakage. It is a slow process and it is
important not to rush it to reduce the risk of breaking the
glass plate.
Instructions:
1. Pick an appropriate diamond drill bit for the size hole you
want to drill.
2. Squish a layer of putty on the wood board that is thick
enough to support all levels of the plate.
3. Press the plate into the putty to make an impression of
the plate that provides support to the glass.
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Making Your Own Cake Stand
4. Place the wood board and plate inside the tub and add water until the plate is submerged.
5. Use clamps to affix the plate and wood board in place so it does not move during the drilling
process.
6. Put on the safety glasses.
7. Test the drill bit to make sure it is held tightly and securely in the drill chuck.
8. Turn the drill to a medium speed and slowly and carefully use the drill press to bring the drill to the
point on the glass plate where the hole is to be drilled. Once the drill bit contacts the glass, use
only light pressure to keep the drill advancing through the glass. This is a very slow process, so
do not try to rush it or the glass might break. The speed of the drill can be increased very
gradually if needed to continue moving the bit through the glass plate.
9. Decrease the pressure slowly as the drill bit comes close to the back side of the glass plate so
that it eases through to avoid chipping or breaking the glass. The putty and wood board should be
sufficient to keep the bit from drilling a hole in the tub holding the
Tip/Warning: Use care when using the drill around water to avoid electric shock.
Drill the Glass: (Similar Version#2)
This will take from 1-4 minutes per dish, depending on the glass.
Supplies:

Glassware plates


Old towel (you might drill a hole in it)
Plastic or metal dish pan

5/16″ diamond drill bit ($17.50 US) – cuts
glass, marble, porcelain, granite, and slate


1/8″ masonry drill bit (optional-if you want to
make a pilot hole in the glass to keep the
diamond bit from slipping
Electric drill

Safety glasses and protective gloves

Masking tape (optional)

Sharpie marker
Instructions:
1. Place the glassware in the dish pan. Allow some water onto the surface of the glass.
2. Put on your fancy safety glasses and gloves.
3. Start drilling on medium speed, holding the drill at a 45 degree angle to the plate.
4. Hold the drill steady but do not press too firmly against the glass. The diamond drill bit will do the
work. You want consistent speed, not force.
5. After about ten seconds, slowly move the drill (while you’re drilling) to a 90 degree angle, directly
over the hole.
6. As you drill it will look like little clouds of smoke are moving in the water around the hole. That’s
the tiny bits of glass being drilled away.
7. Usually after a minute or two, the drill bit will suddenly plunge through the plate when the hole is
done (be prepared).
6