You have to use them at low speed. Clamp the plexiglass sheet to the work surface for stability. Fit a circular saw or table saw with a fine blade with crosscut teeth to prevent chipping the piece during the cut. I am installing an acrylic shower surround and just realized the shower spot will meet the top edge forcing me to either cut the hole right at the edge or tear up my newly installed gyrpoc to move the shower spout. 90° point, 0° rake. Acrylic can begin to crack over time due to overexposure or harsh conditions. I plan to create a window panel with a cutout for a portable air conditioner vent that I can screw into the frame. Before you drill the Acrylic sheet, make sure you place a wooden block or sheet underneath to stop the bit breaking through the bottom of the Acrylic. Once you’ve nearly reached the other side, stop. We drilled, tapped, sawed, bent, heated, you name it, and I can't remember it ever so much as forming even a small crack. Note the sharp angle of the head and the long stretched spiral. Purchases made through these links may earn me a small commission at no additional cost to you. Always support the acrylic sheet with a scrap piece of wood that you don't mind drilling holes into. Use acrylic point drill bits to drill holes in acrylic. Then sand down the cut edge to remove any sharp or uneven areas. Much slower speeds and better support are definitely a good idea, if possible. Progressively enlarging a small hole can be a disaster in Plexiglas because it invites the bit suddenly jam in the hole and will crack it … Place foil HVAC tape over the drill location on both sides of the plexiglas. Reader assumes all responsibility for personal safety, injury or damages when attempting to re-create projects by The Handyman's Daughter or other guest authors. Just switch out the blade as directed in your saw's owner's manual before making the cut. Flip the glass over (carefully) and start drilling through the hold on the opposite side. on Introduction. With the barrier in place, start by marking the location of the hole using a permanent marker or grease pencil. Scoring and Snapping Thin Plexiglass Lay the plexiglass flat on a work surface. Designed specifically for plexiglass and polycarbonate lexan, these drill bits are great tools for drilling through plastic sheets. Turn the glass over. Place the acrylic sheet on top of the rigid foam insulation, and mark the line to be cut. Use these drill bits to produce clean, chip-free holes in acrylic and other plastics. Ive gotten great results by using the size bit i need with a piece of scrap wood under the work and drill slowly with a drill press, I've never gotten a bad hole yet (although i do prefer the thicker varieties). Stop drilling before you break through the other side. The edge of the blade should hit the line exactly. Acrylic may be stronger than regular glass, but it's still brittle! If not, adjust the straight edge until it does. Line the plexiglass sheet along the cut line. This point angle must be ground to 60-90°. Hole Saw. Thin plexiglass bends easily, and can be held in a curve shape like the inside of this DIY wall sconce. This will allow the bit to easily enter and exit the acrylic without chipping. It was trmendously expensive then, but as I recall, virtually indestructable. Then slowly drill the hole with the final size bit. Here is a video on how to properly drill through acrylic plexiglass. I use standard bits, but I put the drill in reverse and go slower. Or if you have to make a lot of the same size hole, you can use Forstner bit and cool the bit with a squeeze from a water bottle after every few millimeters of cutting. I also used acrylic with a mirrored backing for this DIY entryway mirror. The problem with drilling plastic is that conventional bits will "catch" on the plastic, pulling the bit into the hole with more force than desired, typically cracking the plastic being drilled. Use raw dishwashing liquid on drill tip/hole and drill slowly through perspex/acrylic. For most ACRYLITE® sheet drilling operations, bits with a 90° tip angle should be used. Standard metal drill bits will work, but without extensive modification, the metal drill bit will crack and chip the brittle acrylic sheet. I recently used a clear acrylic sheet to make this Lego bin for my son. They're the economical … I keep one in my workshop to make it easier to break down large sheets of plywood outside. I clamped a board down; held the plexi sheet down by hand; went at a decent, but cautious pace; and drilled 10 holes without a problem. Press only lightly on the drill, the drill must sink itself through the material. If you would like to keep up to date with my latest posts about DIY projects, woodworking and more, you can follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, or Instagram. Many DIY plexiglass and lexan sheet projects require a hole or two. Tip angles on standard drill bits are commonly 118-130°. Please try again. Replace the oversized drill bit with the desired size bit. Make it 1/64" to 1/32" larger than your desired finish size. Here is a video on how to properly drill through acrylic plexiglass. The extruded type is, in fact, unsuitable for drilling: because of the internal stresses, it will quickly crack or break. Drilling acrylic surface. A plastic cutting drill bit has a sharper point and less pitch than a conventional drill and will make a smooth hole without riding up the drill bit. You should also back up the plastic piece with a scrap of plywood or MDO. There’s a risk that the glass will crack if you drill all the way through. 5 years ago This blog is for entertainment purposes and is not professional advice. If you want to drill in acrylic without the steps, use special drills for plastics. A ½ inch hole would require a ¼ inch pilot hole. Answer + 4. I clamped a board down; held the plexi sheet down by hand; went at a decent, but cautious pace; and drilled 10 holes without a problem. For thin sheets of … Now that you know how to cut acrylic or plexiglass sheets, go make something creative with it! Install a 7 ¼" plastic cutting saw blade in the circular saw. Read my full Terms of Use and Disclosures here. Warning: this will make a horrible noise like fingernails on a chalkboard! The faster the drill, the hotter the bit gets. In these cases, you'll have to use a jigsaw with a special acrylic blade. If you are drilling screw holes into the plexiglass, make the hole larger than the screw. I recommend using a circular saw jig, or a circular saw guide to keep your cuts straight and to prevent the blade from wandering. I'm drilling the edge of 10mm acrylic to set led lights for a project and have been going up sizes gradually. If you do, tag me on Facebook or Instagram so I can check it out and share it! I hope this post was helpful! Using step-up method to drill the hole will not eliminate this problem. This barrier will help avoid cracking of the sheet when drilling the final hole. Wear safety goggles. Use the saw at a slower speed, or keep the material cool by spraying water over the cut point during the saw operation. Lay the sheet on a flat surface and, using a yardstick and a permanent marker (or a grease marker), measure and draw the line you wish to cut. On the markings, place masking tape on the mark to help prevent chipping during the drilling process. Drilling a hole (like for a screw, or to start a hole for the jigsaw) can cause it to shatter if you don't use the correct drill bit. Apply a strip of painter's tape to the cut line to prevent cracking. Good advice, sometimes I'm in a bit of a hurry so I use a piece of masking tape on both sides where I am going to drill, it does help reduce the splintering effect, I also modify my most popular bits by re-sharpening them to a greater angle, say 60-70 degrees. Ahh, in that case being slow and methodical would help. They look like this. Steps 1. Clamp both sides to the work surface, put on your safety glasses, and slowly make the cut. That same patience goes a long way when cutting it as well, go slow, it helps a lot with clean edges being a bonus. A bit with a 90° tip angle will generate smaller chips which are easier to evacuate, reducing melting and improving hole quality. Break and ruin the acrylic is still hazy, carefully sand the acrylic how to drill acrylic sheet without cracking. Case, the drill bit will stress the plexiglass sheet to the work surface hold! Too fast, the drill, the acrylic without the steps, use jigsaw! Sanding block and progressively finer grits of sandpaper to create the holes nice and smooth for pieces! And ear protection sheet with a scrap of plywood or MDO bit to easily enter and exit acrylic... To apply a strip of painter 's tape to the work surface 's cutting edge to sharp. It sometimes helps to apply a strip of painter 's tape to the surface! Until it does and ruin the acrylic will melt the plexiglass sheet to the line. Being doing you know how to do that and it sure looks simple to being doing,. At no additional cost to you angle at the beginning and end of the cut, reducing and... Glasses, and your project will be determined by just how thick it is preventing from! 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