How to Drill Plexiglass

Step-by-Step Guide

1. 1

   Step 1: Wear safety goggles.

   Acrylic chips can easily fly off during drilling and be a health hazard.
2. 2

   Step 2: Buy a plexiglass drill or plexiglass drill bits that can be used with a regular drill.

   These bits have a different geometric structure that is designed to puncture acrylic more easily and they are less likely to melt plexiglass.
   
   They are available in hardware stores and online.
   
   You can also use a drill press working at about 500 to 1000 RPM.
   
   Acrylic drill bits are available for drill presses. ,, This will make it less likely that you will chip the back of the board or scratch it when the drill bit goes through. , Use as many clamps as is necessary to secure the sheet.
   
   For larger sheets you will need more clamps. , Acrylic is known for chipping near the edge when it is punctured. , Turn the drill on. , You do not need to center punch acrylic like you do with metal. , Aim for a feed rate of about
   3.5 inches (89mm) per minute.
   
   Acrylic drill bits will produce plastic shavings.
   
   Once they start to surround the drill bit, you can stop and remove them to get a better view of what you are doing. , This will also help to prevent melting.
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   Step 3: Practice with smaller pieces of scrap acrylic before attempting to drill into a large sheet.

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   Step 4: Place your plexiglass sheet on top of a piece of scrap plexiglass

5. 5

   Step 5: (one that is already ruined)

6. 6

   Step 6: or a piece of Medium Density Fiberboard (MDF.)

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   Step 7: Clamp both sheets to a secure surface.

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   Step 8: Make sure that the hole you will cut is not near the edge of the plexiglass piece.

9. 9

   Step 9: Plug in your drill or place a charged battery inside it.

10. 10

    Step 10: Start to drill slowly into the sheet of plexiglass.

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    Step 11: Keep a steady

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    Step 12: slow pace.

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    Step 13: If your sheet is thick

14. 14

    Step 14: do peck drilling

15. 15

    Step 15: going a little at the time so that you can remove the shavings from your hole and allow the drill time to cool.

Detailed Guide

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