|  | 
      
        |  |  |  |  
        |  |  
 
    
      |  |  |  |  
    |  | 
	
		
        
         
 
	
		| Plug Building - Got Wood? Got Plug? |  
	
		|  |  
	
	
	
	
		|  12-26-2011, 07:42 PM | #1 |  
	| Registered User 
				 
				Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: North Branford,Ct. 
					Posts: 7,661
				 | 
				
				DRILLING PLEXI & LEXAN  ?
			 
 I've drilled some plexi 1" rod for thru wire. played with speed and drills. Used brad points To start and aircraft standard bits to continue the hole. Have to pay attention when to pull back on drill b/4 the heat locks in the bit. Right now the speed of 1500 worked better than 880. Any suggestions on drilling both materials? |  
| 
 
Billy D.
 |  
	|   |   |  
	
	
		|  12-26-2011, 08:02 PM | #2 |  
	| Uncle Remus 
				 
				Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Lakeville Ma. 
					Posts: 14,773
				 | If you have ever done any drilling of Brass or Titanium you want to sharpen the the flutes of the drill like that. If you haven't you want to flatten the edge so it doesn't grab. Ideal situation would be a drill with coolant holes the length of the drill so you can have coolant right on the tip. I am building a 4 piece mold for WHOI right now out of acrylic and it needed a 1"  dia. hole 9" deep, thru. I  roughed out the hole with a drill sharpend like stated above and it worked great, although the clarity is not perfect but I will bore to size and polish it hoping for more clarity. You may want to use a squirt bottle of water to keep the temp down and help in cutting. |  
| 
 
"A beach is a place where a man can feel he's the only soul in the world that's real"
 |  
	|   |   |  
	
	
		|  12-26-2011, 09:53 PM | #3 |  
	| Registered User 
				 
				Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: North Branford,Ct. 
					Posts: 7,661
				 | Hi Paul. Hope Santa was good to you. I was hoping you'd chime in. I'll give that a try. Any speed suggestions? Also I spun a needle on the dupe out of this material. It cut OK. Should this process ruin the carbide bit? |  
| 
 
Billy D.
 |  
	|   |   |  
	
	
		|  12-27-2011, 01:58 PM | #4 |  
	| Registered User 
				 
				Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Reading Mass/Newburyport/merrimack river 
					Posts: 3,749
				 | if you rig a small air jet up to blow into the hole and around the bit, it makes a big differance...keeps the stuff from melting..it's what I do when I make templates on my scroll saw... before I did that, the plexi or lexan would melt  or fuse the cut back together.. since I made the air jet...problem solved... |  
| 
 
A good run is better than a bad stand!
 |  
	|   |   |  
	
	
		|  12-27-2011, 02:42 PM | #5 |  
	| ........ 
				 
				Join Date: Apr 2002 
					Posts: 22,805
				 | pilot holes give relief depending on the size hole desired |  
|  |  
	|   |   |  
	
	
		|  12-27-2011, 07:49 PM | #6 |  
	| Uncle Remus 
				 
				Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Lakeville Ma. 
					Posts: 14,773
				 | no it won't ruin the bit but it will probably get dull a little bit faster. I'd go a little slower as it will melt like Joe said. If you are drilling deep holes a lubricant, coolant,  will help as like Joe said heat causes melting or crazing. If you don't care about the crazing, clarity,  problem no biggie. Sharpen the drill with the flute edges flattened and it should cut good. Here is what I am doing at work. Got the bore to a 28 finish but had to go real slow on rpm's and feed. I used a carbide boring bar and a carbide insert. I drilled it thru undersize. |  
| 
 
"A beach is a place where a man can feel he's the only soul in the world that's real"
 |  
	|   |   |  
	
	
		|  12-29-2011, 08:06 AM | #7 |  
	| Registered User 
				 
				Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: North Branford,Ct. 
					Posts: 7,661
				 | Thanks everyone. I keep you posted on further results. |  
| 
 
Billy D.
 |  
	|   |   |  
	
	
		|  01-01-2012, 03:22 PM | #8 |  
	| Registered User 
				 
				Join Date: May 2011 
					Posts: 685
				 | i find if you dont know how to do the flutes and the diameter is not to big running the drill backwards helps,,,how think is the stock you are drilling?  if thin  use a wood bock on top |  
|  |  
	|   |   |  
	
	
		|  01-04-2012, 11:19 PM | #9 |  
	| Registered User 
				 
				Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: North Branford,Ct. 
					Posts: 7,661
				 | Solid lexan rod. 1" dia. 8 "long. |  
| 
 
Billy D.
 |  
	|   |   |  
	
		|  |  
	| 
	|  Posting Rules |  
	| 
		
		You may not post new threads You may not post replies You may not post attachments You may not edit your posts 
 HTML code is Off 
 |  |  |  
 All times are GMT -5. The time now is 05:34 PM. |  |  |