>I wonder what method the glassers use to drill glass? < >John L. Carmichael Jr.<
According to Charles Babbage in his autobiographical "Passages from the Life of a Philosopher" (I think, or possibly the "Ninth Bridgwater Treatise" - it's many years since I read it) there is a simple technique for making a neat hole in a glass sheet using only a centre punch and a hammer (gently!). As far as I understand it's firstly knocking a cone out then enlarging the edge of the hole. He apparently learnt it from a commercial tradesman and greatly discomfited a Venetian glass master in exalted company when he led the master into claiming familiarity with it, whereupon the Distinguished Guest demanded a demonstration of this remarkable technique. The Master, desperately trying to look nonchalant, called for glass, punch, and hammer, shattered the glass with a mighty blow, then tried again with the even larger hammer towards which Babbage had "involuntarily" reached ... I only tried it once, many years ago, and without success! Practice, and probably best of all a demonstration, might help. Has anyone else heard of or tried this? Andrew James 01 18 W 51 04 N -
