What is the best way to drill small holes into pebbles ?

I have been commissioned to make a necklace from a collection of beach pebbles. What is the best way to drill these small pebbles? What kind of drill bit should I be looking for? any tips or tricks that you can share with me? Thanks!

I'm beginning to see blood spurting and severed finger tips flying as you try to hold these pebbles and drill holes in them.

Clamp them very tightly in a vise. If one flies loose while a drill bit is inside, it could go flying like a bullet. Drill slowly and pull out now and then to check your progress. Going too fast could overheat your bit and/or crack the stone.

WEAR SAFETY GLASSES...nuff said.

I think a masonry bit should work just fine. You might use a little oil to help reduce friction.

The best tool would be a drill press because you could work with slower RPMs and you would get a nice, straight, clean hole. Next best is a power drill, a vise and the method described above.

High pressure water drill used in industry, is one thing, laser another, otherwise it's a slow process with grinding compound, and masonary bits, using water as coolant and lubricant. That is a special bit of a small fractional bore.

I think you should use a sharp knife. But be careful; pebbles are very small and it would be hard to use something big to cut it or you can break a pebble. You might also want to yse a nail. I think making a necklace out of pebbles is a very creative but hard idea. I hope that helped. :)

A multipurpose bit should work, or if the pebbles are harder quartz, or crystal type rock, then you need to find an abrasive bit, more like sandpaper tip. Also a dremel tool has alot of bits that will work best, and put the pebble in a small vise with leather pads on both sides to keep from splitting the stone.

You will need a padded clamp to secure the pebble, immerse it in oil and use a diamond tipped bit either that or a small masonry bit. Somehow being immersed in oil makes it much easier to drill, perhaps the heat build up is dissipated and the bit lubricated, but it works.

A very small/fine mason drill bit. Ask for one at a hobby store or jewelry supply store.

I don't know if there is a best way to do this but you're going to need to use a drill bit made for drilling through metal. Unless you use one made for metal it will damage the other bits. They are typically used for a lot softer materials so they will get dull immediately. The hardest part about drilling through the rock is making sure the rock is held down tight enough for the drill bit to go into it without making it spin. I would use some type of vice grips or a vice attached to a workbench. Good luck with it. I hope it is worth the effort.

see above but keep your fingers clear don't want to put a
hole in them
unless you like that sort of thing