Help with Drilling Acrylic

[brianjfinn]

I've been trying to drill some pieces of acrylic for baffles, but have been unsuccessful. The most frustrating part is when I practice on a couple pieces of scrap acrylic, I get it right every time. Then when I go to drill the actual piece, I end up shattering it. The problem is, I don't have a good workspace. I really need a work bench with some clamps, but I'm stuck on the floor of my garage with one knee on the acrylic with a 2x4 underneath.

If anyone that has experience with this, I would really appreciate some help. I only need two pieces drilled with probably 8 or 10 holes in them. Name your price, I really just want to get this project done. It should have been a two hour project, now it's turned in to two months.

Thanks!

 

[son of adam]

You will get it done soon. I would help out but I am 50 min from you. ha ha

Good Luck.

 

[acroholic]

If you want to drive over to my house at 400/Northridge Rd exit we can do it right. Acrylic is not hard to drill. Will PM my tel #.
Dave

 

[seedless reefer]

If you are using a paddle bit it will crack every time.

A hole saw will fix that problem.

 

[brianjfinn]

ares;475953 wrote: what kind of drilling are you doing? could you be a bit more specific?

is this like 1" holes for a bulkhead using a hole bit? is it 1/2" holes? if its the latter, what kind of bit are you using? wood, medal, cement?

drilling acrylic should be VERY easy, about the only thing to be concerned with is melting the acrylic, so a little water running on it can help alot, and dont use too much speed but let the drill do the work(dont push hard).

is this a flat peice of acrylic to become a baffle? put the wood UNDER the hole, drill right into the wood, it will support the acrylic better that way and you dont have to worry about punching through it and chipping the acrylic either..

They're about 1/2" holes for baffles in 1/8" acrylic, using just a run-of-the-mill titanium drill bit (could be wood, but not sure). I have the drill going full speed and I let the weight of the drill do the pushing, with the wood underneath for support. It goes great until the drill bit breaks through, then the acrylic bends and cracks.

Dave, thanks for the PM!! I'll talk to you soon and see if we can knock this out.

 

[brianjfinn]

Seedless Reefer;475969 wrote: If you are using a paddle bit it will crack every time.

A hole saw will fix that problem.

Not really sure what a paddle bit is or a hole saw (although I can guess by the name of the latter).