Drilling holes in acrylic windshield?

[slonomo]

If it's fairly thick you can use a hole saw. I use clear lexan and acrylic to make sump crock lids with. I've used hole saws as small as 3/4" and as large as 4", they work great.

If the hole you need is small, use very sharp drill bits, they will work nicely. Like someone else said, start very small and work your way up, light pressure.

If the material is thin, it's gonna crack. I've tried using 1/16" and 1/8" and that's too thin, they will crack without much trouble. I use 1/4" is easy to work with.

[rwt101]

I appreciate all the great advice. I will probably give it a try this weekend.

Bob T

[gray horse]

If you're drilling into thin acrylic make sure that you have a piece of wood behind where you're drilling and that the plastic is clamped down next to the area to be drilled. This will keep the acrylic from "climbing" up on the drill bit, which is one of the reasons it'll break.

[flharleycop]

Originally Posted by speedgolfer

yep the uni bit i have used it works good

What is a Uni Bit?

[simple man]

In addition to what others have said, try putting a piece of package tape on each side of where you're drilling. This helps prevent cracking!

[rwt101]

Originally Posted by flharleycop

What is a Uni Bit?

http://ts1.mm.bing.net/th?id=C6tUXSD...Q&pid=Commerce

[Offtwice]

Originally Posted by pachanga90

The small-step Uni-Bits(the one that starts almost as a point) work great.I do Acrylic sheets in some of the vans I set up,and the Uni-Bit goes thru nicely.Be careful about the pressure when you start,sometimes it will crack on initial penetration.After you drill it to the size you want,lightly hit the opposite side with the same bit,and it will chamfer the hole,and clean the burrs as well.Hope this helps.

Pachanga - your spot on - I have used a step bit on acrylic and it works great!

[smallblock450sl]

I have found a "dull" drill bit works best. A sharp bit can "catch" and being that close to the edge can crack it.

[Artyman06]

I have drilled a lot of acrylic for different things (boat windshields, blanks for pens, custon Duck/Goose calls, and more...) my drill speed never goes above 800rpm and always use sharp bits. Since you are that close to the edge, I would start with a small pilot hole, then a step drill bit (uni bit). few things to remember, as mentioned before, use a wood block under the sheet and go very slow while drilling (take tour time with both, the pilot hole and the step drill). I always use ATF or any drilling oil to keep the acrylic cool. Get the acrylic hot and it turns brittle.

[cgtech]

LOL! have you thought about shooting it?? .22 will make "roughly" quarter-inch holes...45 will make "roughly" half-inch holes. if you try this, please post results. it's either this or the step-bits, forget all the other stuff. i use the step-bits from "china freight tools", this is about all they are good for.