Drill bits for plexiglass lexan and other plastics.
Drilling plexiglass sheets.
Drilling acrylic is not difficult if you have good tools and are drilling the right kind of acrylic sheet.
With the necessary equipment ensure you practice the drilling process on smaller pieces of plexiglass sheet before you work on the main sheet.
Standard metal drill bits will work but without extensive modification the metal drill bit will crack and chip the brittle acrylic sheet.
Because of the internal stresses it will quickly crack or break.
Acrylic or acrylate is available in two types.
Buy a plexiglass drill or plexiglass drill bits that can be used with a regular drill.
Drilling holes in plexiglass can be challenging.
Any commercially available power driven equipment is acceptable for drilling acrylic sheets.
While you are drilling through the plexiglass sheet the friction would produce intense heat and the bits would cause lots of plastic shavings around the hole especially if the sheet is thick.
Using the right kind of tools is important when working with many types of plastics.
Equipment to drill acrylic drills.
Drilling holes in acrylic requires the use of a drill bit specially designed for use with plastics.
This includes portable drills drill presses lathes automatic multiple spindle drilling units cnc routers and machining centers.
Designed specifically for plexiglass and polycarbonate lexan these drill bits are great tools for drilling through plastic sheets.
These bits have a different geometric structure that is designed to puncture acrylic more easily and they are less likely to melt plexiglass.
The extruded type is in fact unsuitable for drilling.
Plexiglass is a clear plastic lightweight alternative to glass.
Alternatively you can acquire plexiglass drill bits that are compatible with normal drillers.
Lay the sheet on a flat surface and.
To drill your plexiglass sheet you may consider acquiring a plexiglass drill to simplify the process.
Several manufacturers offer drill bits designed especially for plastics.
Many diy plexiglass and lexan sheet projects require a hole or two.
Often the traditional drill bits used for metal and wood chip and crack the plexiglass while drilling through its surface.
Specialty drill bits prevent the cracking and chipping.
For a thin sheet of plexiglass that is material up to about 3 16 inch thick use a scoring method not dissimilar from a technique used to cut actual glass.
