Has anyone here used heavy duty diamond drill bits on dense gems like quartz or agate? My regular bits wear out pretty fast under constant use, so I’m looking for longer-life options.
Found a useful technical guide explaining bit design, bond types, and cooling tips: ukam.com/diamond-core-bit-ultimate-guide/
Curious what types or brands others here prefer for deep, precise drilling.
Diamond drill bits vary depending on how the diamond is bonded to the metal drill surface. Irrespective of such bonding the longevity and efficiency depends on the drilling speed, and lubrication that ensures cooling and fast removal of waste material. If your drills don’t last, I suggest you are hurrying the process depending on the drill type used. The main caveat is that high temperatures due to friction will remove diamonds from a drill bit and also more likely create minor heat fractures in the material you are drilling.
I did a lot of testing with different lapidary core drills, and on my company site I wrote a comparison of how different bond types behave — happy to share in PM if anyone’s interested.