Content

• Steps
• Tips
• Warnings

If you want to make "wind chimes" or shell beads, you need to make holes in them. But drilling fragile mother-of-pearl with an electric drill is difficult, and sometimes dangerous - you can get hurt yourself or the shell can crack. Here's a simple and safe way to do it.

Steps

1. 1 Select a shell. Consider the following properties:
   • Thickness: Thin shells break more often, while thick shells take longer and harder to drill.
   • Size: Large shells are easier to work with, but you need to find the right size for your project.
   • Layering: Some shells have multiple layers that can break off.
2. 2 Determine where the hole will be. Make sure the shell has enough room for the correct hole size. And remember that the closer it gets to the edge, the more likely the shell will break.
3. 3 Mark the place with a dot.
4. 4 Take scissors or a pocket knife and scratch a dent 1–2.5 mm deep into the surface of the shell. Be careful.
5. 5 Using the sharp, thin end of your tool, insert it into the deepest part of the dent.
6. 6 Rotate the instrument slowly, pushing it into the shell. Rotate it until you reach the back of the shell. Continue for another 5 seconds, then stop.
7. 7 Blow into the hole to get rid of dust. Estimate the size of the hole, and if it is not enough, enlarge it with a sharp instrument, also twisting.
8. 8 Rinse the shell with water and clean the tools and work surface.

Tips

• Use a very sharp tool.

Warnings

• This job creates quite a lot of dust.