Re: Drilling Acrylic

• To: Aquatic-Plants at actwin_com
• Subject: Re: Drilling Acrylic
• From: ncampbel at ccmail_dsccc.com
• Date: Thu, 13 Feb 97 14:17:59 CST

     Ross,
     
     Any steel bit will work*.  I have had better success using a forstner 
     bit though.  Stay away from the flat wood working bits.  I don't have 
     a drill press but I would definitely use it if it was available.
     
     *The CRITICAL thing with acrylic is heat generated from the bit.  If 
     the bit is less than sharp then you will have to drill very slowly 
     (either slow bit speed or retracting the bit often).  Sharp bits can 
     be drilled quicker but you still have to retract the bit often to let 
     the material cool down.  Over heating will result in a crystalline 
     sugar-like melting around the hole.  Also try not to punch the bit 
     through the material when you are almost through the material.  This 
     may chip the back side of the acrylic.
     
     
     HTH,
     
     Nigel Campbell
     ncampbel at ccmail_dsccc.com
     
     
     >From: RGemmill at aol_com
     >Date: Wed, 12 Feb 1997 17:18:44 -0500 (EST) Subject: Drilling Acrylic
     >
     >I'v just purchased a wet/dry filter for my new plant tank.  The sump 
     >is made of acrylic and I need to drill a hole in the side for a bulk 
     >head fitting.
     >As this is an expensive piece of plastic and I don't want to screw it 
     >up,
     >I'm looking for recommendations on how to drill the hole.  The filter 
     >is an Amiracle 150.
     >
     >Thanks
     >
     >Ross

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