Festive Lighted Glass Block Howto
This was posted late last year, but since few people actually saw it at the time, it probably doesn't hurt to repost it. If you've got a drill, some mini lights and a glass block lying around then free up about 4 minutes and you can make this happen.
1 Posted 2006-12-06 11:09:30 by Chris
What size drill tip should be used? You stated that the 1/4" was too small.
2 Posted 2006-12-06 12:34:14 by Sean
Yeah, I messed up - I actually had to drill another hole immediately beside my first hole and join them with my dremel grinding bit. I did this last year, so I can't remember all the details, but I think I was at the hardware store and for some reason thought that the 1/4" bit would have been the right size - I was way off. If you're going to do this, drill a hole in some scrap wood with a regular bit to determine the correct size glass drill bit you'll need. A 5/8" glass bit would likely suffice, but it's best to test first, as I've learned :)
3 Posted 2006-12-08 13:48:00 by sysadmn (sysadmn@gmail.com)
You can dry the block more quickly with a hairdryer. Don't blow the hot air directly into the small hole - the air in the block has nowhere to go. Blow the air at a 45-degree angle (or less). Alternately, you can heat the block slightly. It'll take forever to warm using the hairdryer on the long side, so put it in a cold oven, set it to 150-degrees, turn the oven off after a half hour, and let it return to room temperature. Do not open the door until it cools - there is a slight chance the cooler air will fracture the block. (Yeah, it's pretty unlikely with that thick glass, but why take the chance? Be patient!)
5 Posted 2006-12-15 13:26:24 by Nick McGraw
How did you feed the lights in? I would
assume you had to cut the fermale end
off the string. And also, how small do
the lights need to be? Thanks!
6 Posted 2006-12-18 10:30:43 by Nick
So this project isn't half as easy as it's
made out to be. Perhaps it might have
been had there been a more detailed
walkthrough. For example, the act of
inserting the lights can be a
nightmare. What type of lights did
you rnuse? Clearly it must have been
ones with a plug on only end end,
because rnotherwise you wouldn't
have been able to insert it through
the small hole. But you don't say
that in the guide, and after 4 ruined
strands of lights trying to cut one
end off and rewire them, I
eventually found single plug lights
at WalMart. Agreed that the drilling
needed to be fully explained, but the
lights were the biggest stumbling
block for me, and sort of made the
project more frustrating than fun.
7 Posted 2006-12-18 20:16:11 by Sean
Sorry I didn't get back to you sooner Nick. I'm also sorry you had a frustrating time with the lights. I did indeed use a set of ended or 'straight line' mini-lights. I'm sorry for not being more specific about this on the page. I guess it was a bit of an oversight and I'll update the page accordingly.
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