I have destroyed five masonry bits since the weekend. I have been picking up stoneware here and there for years. Then I got the bright idea to use them as pots. The problem is, there are no drainage holes. So I had the bright idea to use masonry bits and drill them. It takes FOREVER... and really chews up drill bits. Add to that, I also broke three items. Folks...someone tell me there is an easier way and without the destroyed pots. Anyone?

This comes under, for what it's worth, but I was once taught to break up terra cotta flower pots and put the shards in the bottom of a planter without drainage holes, and I've done that and haven't had a problem. They're apparently so thirsty that they regulate the water level or something? I have some ceramics that my late father made, and I would brain anyone who sneezed within 20 ft. of them, so the idea of drilling holes was WAY out of the question. So it works for me.

Eureka! This looks promising...
http://gardeningonadime.com/dr...

I find thrift shop pottery all the time, and my husband drills them for me. I think he uses diamond bits. You have to go slow, and not force it or you do break the bits. Let the drill do the work.

I also use a diamond bit for small pots. I leave larger ones for DH to drill with larger bits.

UrbanWild said:Eureka! This looks promising...
drill-drainage-holes-ceramic-pots-planters/

Wow, I wouldn't even trust a doctor to take that kind of care if she needed to bore a hole in my skull!!

Good for you, UrbanWild, and good luck!

Diamond hole saws work well.

For smaller holes, a bit for glass applications works much better than a masonry bit. The glass bits are the ones that look kind of like pointed spoons in the picture of all the drill bits in that article @UrbanWild posted the link to.

Update:

I ordered a set from Amazon. Took a while to arrive so I got impatient and went to Lowes and bought one made by Lenox. These work brilliantly. You do have to watch and make sure not to use pressure as you may have an extra chip on the inside. However, they will be filled with soil. Anyway, $20 at Lowes and I did 40-50 in the space of a few hours...and NO breakage. It was well worth the purchase.