Welcome to the forum.
A hole saw in a drill press is the fastest, but this being a ROUTER forum I rout them. A standard metal bit is perfect for the small holes. No lubricant has ever been necessary in any of my projects.I would like to drill a 2" diameter hole in a 12"x24"x3/8" thick piece of acrylic, to use as a bowl making jig.
What is most suitable for making the 2" center hole, a hole saw, forstner bit or my only 2" router bit, a 4 wing Whiteside spoil board bit? Would it help to use a drill press and water while cutting?
Will a standard metal bit work for safely drilling the small diameter router plate mounting holes? Thanks to anyone who has experience drilling this material. Bob
Thanks everyone.A hole saw in a drill press is the fastest, but this being a ROUTER forum I rout them. A standard metal bit is perfect for the small holes. No lubricant has ever been necessary in any of my projects.
When drilling holes in acrylics it's essential to have a scrap piece of wood underneath as shown.The biggest issue that I've had when drilling small holes in plexi is when the bit is coming though near the end of the cut. Especially when hand drilling the bit can snag and chip on the exit. I like to use stepper bits for that purpose but they probably don't have long enough 'steps' for 3/8 inch.
Thanks, if Lexan is more workable and durable than acrylic this is a valuable suggestion. After reading your reply I did a quick search. It looks like I could have gotten a 12"x24" piece of 3/8" thick Lexan for only 2 or 3 dollars more (Ebay) than the same size piece of acrylic I ordered through Home Depot.I use Lexan rather than acrylic because it doesn't shatter or break easily. A little bit more expensive, but lasts nearly forever. They make bullet proof windows from Lexan and it comes in many colors, including clear. I can usually get drops up to 1 ft square or sometimes larger at very reasonable prices from my local plastics supplier, because they frequently cut their sheet products to size for their customers, leaving many drops and scraps. Clear is almost always available, but I have ended up with a smoky clear as well.
Charley