how to drill through plexiglass

The faster the drill, the hotter the bit gets. Brand names include Lucite, Vitroflex, Perspex, Acrylex and many others. This process is known as scoring and breaking. This article has been viewed 233,771 times. All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published. $9.99 $ 9. Didn't know that! 0. You do not need to center punch acrylic like you do with metal. A couple of things I have tried with success is drill through the plexiglass with wood underneath you will find it doesn't crack and creates a clean hole. You could drill progressively larger holes, but in my experience this can cause chipping around the edges of the hole. The problem with using wood drill bits to make a hole through plastic lies in the fact that wood drill bits have a different tip angle and often generate decent amounts of heat that can cause the plastic to crack. "I'm glad I read your article for drilling Plexiglas. They are very hot. Then place a piece of masking tape over the mark. Last Updated: August 5, 2019 Drill until you are through the plexiglass, then remove the wood. First, place the plexiglass on a thick piece of scrap wood you won’t mind drilling into. That said, below is a list of steps on how to drill a hole in your plexiglass sheet. For thin sheets of plexiglass that are up to 3⁄16 inch (0.48 cm) thick, scoring the sheet and then snapping it is an easy way to cut it. Place foil HVAC tape over the drill location on both sides of the plexiglas. % of people told us that this article helped them. I left the outer backing film on, to reinforce. There are a number of plexiglass-safe tools and techniques that can be used to avoid cracking or melting the material. home improvement and repair website. Plastic drill bits shave or scrape plexiglass, acrylic or plastic away layer by layer. This will prevent chipping when you begin to drillinto the plexiglass. suggestions. Made sure not to overhammer the nails. FREE Shipping. This prevents the screw from forcefully grabbing … By using our site, you agree to our. Please help us continue to provide you with our trusted how-to guides and videos for free by whitelisting wikiHow on your ad blocker. If you just drill a pilot hole then jump right to a big size bit you will likely crack the plastic. If you are unable to find them locally, many online retailers sell them. Glad to know what, "It was important to find out that I would need special drill bits and that I would have to make sure that they, "It helped to know that it's possible to crack or chip the plexiglass, so you need to take special precautions to. Before you start drilling, you ought to place a barrier below the plexiglass. I’ve sawn, routed and drilled Perspex before. Start with a high speed drill and a harden and sharp drill bit. 1995-2018 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. "What helped me the most was using the right tool for the job, and directions on how to use the tool correctly. 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 rather violently. Cut the square a bit smaller than your final dimensions so you can go back with some sandpaper to clean up the cut, and use a sharp blade (use gloves!) Unfortunately, it can be brittle under certain force and scratch easily, so it must be handled with care while you are working with it. Next, fit the blade through the hole and proceed to cut along the lines you've drawn. All information is provided "AS IS." To drill a plexiglass, unlike how you bore a hole through metals or stones, you don’t have to puncture the plexiglass, begin to pierce the marked spots slowly. Yes you can drill through plexiglass - but you run the risk of it cracking or fracturing. Temporarily Replace Skylight Window with Plexiglass. This is because it’s lightweight and also extremely durable.. Next, mark the location of the holewith either a grease pencil or permanent marker. More Buying Choices $8.11 (3 new offers) CRL 1/8" Plexiglass Drill Bit. Here is a video on how to properly drill through acrylic plexiglass. Step 3 Put on your safety glasses and secure the drill bit into the chuck of the drill motor. A pilot hole should be at least ½ the diameter of the finished hole. This article has been viewed 233,771 times. Further information on marking out the drill hole position is available in the brochure Machining PLEXIGLAS®. The minimum distance from the edges is 1.5 times the required diameter of the borehole. I'll use this to carry out my work later this morning and get back to you! Questions of a Do It Yourself nature should be This article will tell you how to drill plexiglass. You'll need a hand saw with a removable blade (like a hacksaw) and a drill bit that is a slightly larger diameter as the saw blade. This chip forms as the drill advances through the polycarbonate material. This will prevent chipping when you begin to drill into the plexiglass. It’s durable, yet lightweight, making it perfect for both residential and commercial buildings. This will prevent chipping when you begin to drill into the plexiglass. Plug in your drill or place a charged battery inside it. First, place the plexiglass on a thick piece of scrap wood you won’t mind drilling into. MikeTheMaker. DoItYourself.com®, founded in 1995, is the leading independent Mark out the position of the drill hole Mark out the position of the hole using a grease pen or permanent marker. Place the sheet down flat on a table or a work station so you can measure and cut on a stable surface. Use a lubricant or liquid. Anonymous. [4] The gradually go up in drill bit sizes until you reach your desired diameter. Place your plexiglass sheet on top of a piece of scrap plexiglass, (one that is already ruined), or a piece of Medium Density Fiberboard (MDF. ) I didn't know there was a special bit for drilling the holes. Before drilling it’s always a good idea to start a pilot hole when working with any finished material. If you really can’t stand to see another ad again, then please consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. FREE Shipping on orders over $25 shipped by Amazon. Then place a piece of masking tape over the mark. Any drill bit that is slightly larger in diameter than the widest dimension of the blade (likely just to be the flat side) will work. While drilling the final hole use a spray bottle to lubricate the plexiglass with water during the drilling. There are special drill bits for plexiglass (acrylic) and polycarbonate - they have a 60 degree angle on the bit. Start to drill slowly into the sheet of plexiglass. Comments: the plexiglass didn't slide around even though I didn't have clamps. These metal drill bits have ground flukes with 90 degree points and 0 degree rake. Here’s a tip to prevent that: Sandwich the Plexiglass between two layers of 1/4-inch plywood. Remove them with a utensil only. Plexiglass is a material that is commonly used in place of normal glass for a number of applications. For each millimeter of sheet thickness, the scriber is drawn over the PLEXIGLAS® once, for example three times for a sheet of 3 mm thickness. 5.0 out of 5 stars 10. 5 Best Drill Bit for Plexiglass in 2020 – Reviewed + Buyer’s Guide. Don’t push too hard; you can aim at a speed of 3.5 inches per minute. For cleaner holes, stop the drilling as soon as you puncture the opposite side, un-clamp the sheet, turn it over and drill through the other side in the same place. Therefore they scrape through the material rather than carve like a metal bit. 00. Website operating How To Cut A Circle In Plexiglass By Hand. Use … By signing up you are agreeing to receive emails according to our privacy policy. Plexiglass is a clear plastic material that is commonly used in place of glass. Put the sheet on a working surface; Mark the points where you need to cut through. This article received 11 testimonials and 94% of readers who voted found it helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. Rotary tools' cutting disks can be very effective, but dangerous due to bind-up / kick-back like on any circular saw. You can also use a drill press working at about 500 to 1000 RPM. This barrier may be a piece … wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. Lay the plexiglass flat on a work surface. What size drill is needed to get jigsaw blade inserted? Maintain drill feed pressure sufficient to form a continuous spiral-shaped chip. CRL 1/4" Plexiglass Drill Bit. When cutting round holes in plexiglass, use a hole saw to drill through the plexiglass, making a round hole. Do not touch pieces of acrylic immediately after you stop drilling. A better idea is to put a bell by the door - either with a string he can pull or like the counter top bell you would ring to bring the cashier. ", "Excellent instructions. Thin PLEXIGLAS® sheets up to 4 mm in thickness can also be cut with a scoring knife. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. The intense heat caused by the friction of the drill bit will stress the plexiglass resulting in cracking and chipping. If I glue the plexiglass to the wood strip first, will that keep it from breaking when I drill it? Place the plexiglass on a thick piece of scrap wood you don’t mind drilling into. "Wonderfully informative on how to drill holes into plexiglass table to allow for rain drainage. submitted to our "DoItYourself.com Community Forums". Mark the location of your hole by using a simple permanent marker and then put a piece of the masking tape over the mark. First do a test-run on a scrap piece, so that you get the hang of the procedure before doing it on your finished piece. A friend of mine then recommended that I use a 'brad point' drill bit, the small leading point of the bit essentially drills a small pilot hole for the rest of the bit to follow through and thus no cracking. Use air or water for a coolant if the drill bit becomes hot enough to melt, rather than cut, the polycarbonate. Retract your drill bit from the hole often to let it cool. Get it as soon as Fri, Jan 8. Plexiglass - clear acrylic sheets, lower durability, relatively easy to work with, drill, cut, heat-bend, etc. They aren't "needed," but they are helpful and do a better job. Did a good job on my project. Drilling into plexiglass requires a few additional steps that are not found when drilling into wood or metal. Step 4 Because I have an electric tile cutter when I cut plexiglass with a diamond blade it cuts it quickly and cleanly...don't use water! $8.00 $ 8. Then slowly drill the hole with the final size bit. 00. Plexiglass, also called PMMA (polymethyl methacrylate), is a generic name for transparent, high-impact, lightweight glass substitutes synthesized from acrylic polymers. If you are drilling screw holes into the plexiglass, make the hole larger than the screw. This will help you grasp the process to avoid making fatal mistakes on the main job. All rights reserved. Make the drill. We welcome your comments and This is because most traditional drill bits used for drilling metal and wood tend to chip and crack this plastic. p.s. Then place a piece of masking tape over the mark. First, place the plexiglasson a thick piece of scrap wood you won't mind drillinginto. SOURCEONE.ORG Premium Drill Bits for Acrylic, Plexiglass, Lucite Plastics. I already got the r... Hi my good lady bought some curtain poles and im struggling to fix the brac... How to use a depth stop with a Forstner drill bit. ", would fit my drill or get a special drill in order to do this. This will make it less likely that you will chip the back of the board or scratch it when the drill bit goes through. Operated drill while removing the drill from the hole. So, if you really want to use a wood drill bit to drill into plastic, then you have to be careful and carry out the drilling process slowly. These bits come in a variety of diameters at home improvement or hardware stores. wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. Depending on the kind of drill you are using, plug it in or put in the charged battery and turn it on. 0 0. $9.00 $ 9. Thanks! Is there a special bit needed to drill plexiglass? It is possible to drill acrylic with regular metal drill bits; however, the likelihood of melting, chipping, cracking or breaking the acrylic is much higher. ", https://www.overstock.com/guides/power-drill-safety-tips, https://homesteady.com/info-10058720-type-drill-bit-drill-holes-flatware.html, https://www.todayshomeowner.com/video/tip-for-drilling-through-plexiglass/, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCSz1bWK_Ug, consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/8\/81\/Drill-plexiglass-Step-1.png\/460px-Drill-plexiglass-Step-1.png","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/8\/81\/Drill-plexiglass-Step-1.png\/728px-Drill-plexiglass-Step-1.png","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":352,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":557,"licensing":"