This section is from the book "The English And American Mechanic", by B. Frank Van Cleve. Also available from Amazon: The English And American Mechanic.
Glass can be easily drilled by a steel drill, hardened but not drawn, and driven at a high velocity. Holes of any size, from the l6th of an inch upwards, CM be drilled, by using spirits of turpentine as a dip; and, easier still, by using camphor with the turpentiue. Do not press the glass very hard against the drill. If you require to ornament glass by turning in a lathe, use a good mill file and the turpentine and camphor drip, and you will find it an easy matter to produce any shape you choose.
 
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