Drilling Acrylic

[keyozoxmfc]

hey
does anyone know anything about drilling acrylic? if anyone has any tips for me that would be GREAT!
i want to dirll my arcylic tnak for a sump, but my mom thinks i wil crack it and i think i might too. so if anyone has a certain thing i should buy or just any sort of tip for drilling it..that would be GEAT!!!!!

[JustDavidP]

What type of drilling? For a bulkhead? Strainer?

For bulkhead holes, I literally use a standard hole saw core drill bit from Home Depot. They look like this:



The trick is to go slow, apply even pressure and that's that.

I have, in the past, drilled a template from wood to use when cutting through the acrylic. This helps save the pane of acrylic from deep scratches if the bit should buck a little.

If you are talking about smallish holes, for baffle spillways, probe mounts etc, use any decent drill bit you have around. See the spillway/overflow in the refugium side on this sump:



Again, take your time, apply even pressure, let the tool do the work, and you should be fine.

D

[keyozoxmfc]

so its still okay if the tank is up and running now...and i am drilling vertically nnot horizontally?..its for a bulkhead by the way. okay cause my mom really thinks im going to ruin the tank. is there a high chance of a crack? or just as long as i take it slow its okay? is there a sound to listen for ?

[iglowce]

omg once u become a reef hobbyist, u get better wt chemistry, craft, carpenture, design, researcher.. everything! how cool!

[lReef lKeeper]

tip of the day ... "let the drill do the work" !!

i NEVER apply pressure when drilling (except the pressure or the drill sitting on the material.

[fat walrus]

Originally Posted by keyozoxmfc

so its still okay if the tank is up and running now...and i am drilling vertically nnot horizontally?..its for a bulkhead by the way. okay cause my mom really thinks im going to ruin the tank. is there a high chance of a crack? or just as long as i take it slow its okay? is there a sound to listen for ?

Go to find some scrap acrylic and practice first. It is real easy. Set the drill on screwdriver setting, not drill setting because drill setting has no clutch release. Most cracks happen when the teeth of the saw gets hung up and the whole drill jerk.

[keyozoxmfc]

ohh yeah wes told me about the importance of the weight of the drill, but i dont have that advantage with my tank being already set up. so thats where i think i need the most tips. but i will definately try to get some scraps to practice. i will just go really slow too.

[keyozoxmfc]

i just need the confidence to asure myself (and my mom) i wont mess up the tank. but if worse comes to worse, i will just have to buy another tank. and this time atleast i will get one with abuilt in overflow and predrilled.

[PreauxPhoto]

I’ve taken a 2x4 and drilled the hole in it first then clamp it to the sump and use it as a guide so I don’t lean the drill.

[JustDavidP]

Yep, that works well too... you should clamp it, as you said, because even using a template can go wrong if the whole thing moves.

D

[NeO]

If you are gonna make a template why not use a Router?

This is what I do!!

[keyozoxmfc]

uhh the template sounds like a good idea. i dont have access to a router..or well i dont think i do? my dad does have a machine shop at work. would anyone happen to have a picture of one?

[Rob]

[keyozoxmfc]

ohh.. im sure my dad can get one of those. what do i need it for again? lol

[JustDavidP]

Hey.. Gustavo....

A router yes....but didn't we simply use a hand-held Dremel when we drilled the bowfront? If you use a template, and the glass bits for the Dremel...wouldn't that work?

D

[NeO]

Yes, we did use a template and a Dremel with Diamond drill bit to drill your tank with the because it is glass, I think he wants to drill acrylic.

[PreauxPhoto]

if your dad has access to a machine shop see if he can do it. i take mine to work and use a drill press for all my drilling.