Drilling Acrylic

[glenpen]

What type of drill is best for drilling Acrylic Pen Blanks
Glen

 

[Buckeye]

A very sharp one, that's the most important consideration, the same drill you would use for wood will be fine, but really sharp is better.

Peter

 

[mattyts]

Freshly sharpened and center drilled is my preferred method

 

[Walter]

I assume you are asking about drill bits rather than drills per-se.

If you do mean drills than a pillar drill is good, or you could drill on the lathe.

I use DeWalt bullet tip drill bits rather than centre drilling, but centre drilling gives the drill a good start.

Sharp is good and drilling speed is important too. Too fast and you will overheat the drill bit and crack or melt the material.

 

[paulm]

Whatever drill you use, drill slowly. I drill a 7mm hole then work up a few mm at a time until I get the size I need. The acrylic may soften and bind so its also important to keep removing the drill to clear the excess. Good Luck

 

[Winemaker]

Note Walter. That's how you do it

 

[chas_41_uk]

The correct size one to start with
Then make sure it is sharp
The ones you use for wood are fine
Either a pillar drill or on the lathe
Drill slowly and keep removing the drill from the blank to clear the waste

 

[rayf6604]

As for starting the drill off with a smaller hole, I've started using the long point of my small skew with the lathe spinning and putting the point into the centre of the piece to be drilled and just widening it out a little. I find this gives a good start for the drill.

Paul, I've tried drilling smaller holes then working up the sizes til I get to the size I need, but I find that, when there is not much material for the drill bit to take away that it judders and grabs at the wood or plastic which leads to a greater risk of the blank splitting. Maybe it's just me but that's my experience, so I much prefer to drill with the size it needs first time and take it slow and clear the swarf, even stop for a while to let the drill bit and blank cool before continuing

 

[Jim]

For Acrylics i find the Colt drill bit to be the best .. Though i do get good results with other bits ..

 

[wm460]

I assume you are asking about drill bits rather than drills per-se.

If you do mean drills than a pillar drill is good, or you could drill on the lathe.

I use DeWalt bullet tip drill bits rather than centre drilling, but centre drilling gives the drill a good start.

Sharp is good and drilling speed is important too. Too fast and you will overheat the drill bit and crack or melt the material.

What Walter said works for me.

 

[Lons]

I usually start the hole with a metalworking centre drill bit ( I have 2 chucks so it's there permanently ), then drill out to 7mm with a normal sharp jobber bit. If I need to go to a larger size, say for a sierra then I use the correct bit for the tube so only 2 drilling operations not little by little. My theory is that the 7mm hole gives clearance and reduces the stress for the larger bit. Always drill slowly and clear the chips every 20mm or so.

I always drill right through and haven't had a blowout to date, so that's bound to happen now I always drill on the lathe these days as well even though I have a good pillar drill.

 

[Penpal]

For a 7mm and other sizes the 7 specs for DeWalt is EXTREME 2 HSS-G 7mm DIN 338 my drill of choice as well.

Peter.

 

[nigel perrin]

I aggree with Lons, 7mm first, then enlarge with the drill to suit hole, keep clearing the swarf, i use steel jobber drills from UK Drill Bits

Nigel

 

[Vic Perrin]

I always use the drill size required from the start, Always drill on the Lathe. Slow speed and rate of feed. Clean out the swarf regularly. Never had a problem.

Vic

 

[brody2123]

I'm with you Bob on using a centre drill first. Never used a 7mm as a starting size though. I just blindly go in with the right size bit for the tube. If it works, good times. If it doesn't, beer time