How to Make Clean Holes in Shells for Jewelry
Learn how to make clean holes in shells for jewelry making, suncatchers, or any dangly craft! This simple tutorial can be used to craft all sorts of seashell jewelry in minutes. This post contains affiliate links.
Shells are easy to collect and hard to use. As I kid, I couldn’t go to the beach without collecting handfuls of shells. But the moment I tried to craft with them, I ran into an issue: they didn’t have holes!
The moment you try to drill into shells, they can chip, crack, or split right where you wanted a neat little hole.
The good news is that making holes in shells doesn’t take force. It takes the right bit, a little water, and patience. Once you know the setup, you can prep beach shells for bracelets, charms, wind chimes, and other beach-inspired projects.
Start with shells that give you room to work
I love crafting jewelry with found shells. In fact, you CAN use shells you found at the beach, and that is part of what makes this project fun. The best shells for this method have a bit more surface area, because you get more room to place the hole and more control while you work. A broader shell is easier to hold steady under the water, and that will really help you when you’re using your tool to make this.
That doesn’t mean every shell has to be large. It means the area where you plan to drill should be wide enough that the bit can stay in one spot. When the shell gives you that room, the hole comes out cleaner and the process is easier.
It also helps to think about your finished project before you drill. One hole is great for a pendant, charm, or hanging accent. Two holes can turn a shell into a bracelet connector or focal piece. In the example shown in this post, two holes were added so a double-strand could pass through the shell and start a bracelet. Yes, I will be sharing the tutorial so make sure you subscribe so you don’t miss it!
This technique works for more than jewelry, too. A clean drilled shell can become part of a wind chime, a hanging charm, or another summer project. If you want ideas for what to make after the holes are done, these DIY seashell jewelry tutorials have plenty of ways to use your drilled shells.
Use the right tool and set up at the sink
To make clean holes in shells, you’ll want to use a simple rotary tool. The brand of rotary tool is flexible – as long as it comes with a diamond tip. In this tutorial, a WORX Maker X rotary tool is used, but a Dremel or another similar rotary tool can work too.
For this project, the key part is a diamond tip. That is what helps the tool grind through the shell cleanly. You are not punching through the shell. You are slowly wearing away one tiny spot until the bit passes through.
This is one of those projects that works better at the sink than on a craft table. The shell needs to stay wet while you drill, so moving your setup to the sink makes the whole process easier. Turn the faucet down to a thin, steady trickle. You don’t need a hard stream. You want enough water to keep the shell and bit wet the whole time.
Before you start, check your tool’s manual and make sure it can be used safely near water.
Once your shell is drilled, one clean hole is enough to turn it into a simple pendant. If you want to use your beach finds that way, this guide to make a custom seashell necklace is a nice next project.
The water trick is what keeps the hole smooth
The biggest reason this method works so well is the water. Keeping the shell wet helps reduce heat and dust while you drill. It also helps the drilling stay controlled, which is why the finished hole looks clean instead of rough or chipped.
A dry shell is much less forgiving. Shell material can get brittle fast under friction, and the dust gets messy too. Under a light stream of water, the bit keeps moving through the same spot without building up as much heat. That small change makes a huge difference in the finish.
Keep the shell wet, stay in one spot, and use the lightest pressure you can. That is the whole secret.
Pressure matters just as much as water. The tool does the work, not your hand. If you push hard, the bit is more likely to skid, catch, or stress the shell. When you barely press and let the diamond tip grind slowly, you get far more control.
Patience is part of the process. You won’t see a full hole right away. First, you’ll notice a worn spot starting to form. As the bit works through the shell, that area can start to look a little translucent. That is a good sign. It means you’re thinning the shell in the right place and getting close to breaking through cleanly.
Try not to move the bit around once you’ve chosen your spot. Stay there and let the tool keep working. The more steady you are, the smoother the opening will be when it comes through. It is a slow method, but it is also the one that gives the neat result most people want for jewelry. And the total time is about a minute per hole, which is totally manageable.
How to make holes in shells, step by step
Supplies needed
- a seashell with enough surface area to drill
- a rotary tool, such as a Dremel or WORX Maker X
- a diamond-tip bit (which is likely included in your bit kit but double check)
- a sink with a light, steady stream of water
Watch the video
Watch the full-length video on YouTube if you prefer to learn that way! Or scroll down for written instructions with photos.
Process
1. Pick the shell and choose the hole placement.
Start with a shell that has enough room to work with. Decide where the hole should go before you turn on the tool.
2. Move to a sink and turn on a thin stream of water.
Set the faucet so it gives you a light, steady trickle. You want the shell to stay wet the whole time, but you do not need strong water pressure.
3. Attach a diamond tip to your rotary tool.
A rotary tool like a Dremel or WORX Maker X can work for this. The important part is the diamond-tip bit, because that is what grinds through the shell material.
4. Turn on the tool and bring it under the water.
Hold the shell where the water can run over the spot you plan to drill. Then place the spinning bit against that spot with the slightest amount of pressure.
5. Stay in the same place and let the bit work slowly.
Don’t press hard, and don’t bounce around the surface. Be patient while the shell starts to wear down. As it thins, the spot may look a little translucent.
6. Keep drilling until the hole comes through cleanly.
Continue in that same spot under the water until the bit passes through. When done this way, the opening should look smooth and neat.
7. Flip the shell and repeat if you need a second hole.
For bracelet pieces or connectors, a second hole can go on the other side of the shell. Use the same slow process, under water, with the same light pressure.
8. Check the size of the finished holes.
If you’re planning to string the shell, make sure the opening is wide enough for your cord or thread. In the video example, the holes were large enough for a double-strand to pass through for bracelet making.
9. Wipe the shell and get it ready for your project.
Once both holes are drilled, the shell is ready to use. At this point you can string it, turn it into a charm, or save it for a larger beach-themed piece.
After you’re done, take a close look at the edges of the holes. They should feel smooth, not jagged. That clean finish is what makes the shell look polished once it is part of jewelry. It won’t snag fabric cords or scratch the wrist.
Smaller drilled shells also work beautifully for earrings. If that is next on your list, this tutorial on how to make earrings with seashells gives you another simple way to use your beach finds.
Your beach shells are ready to use
If cracked shells have been stopping you from making jewelry, this method fixes the problem with a few simple changes. Water, a diamond tip, and light pressure are what make the holes come out clean.
Once you’ve drilled one shell successfully, the rest feel much less intimidating. A few minutes at the sink can turn a beach keepsake into something you can wear, hang, or build into your next summer project.
