1.5" thick acrylic drilling advice?

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
nfored

nfored

Fire Eel
MFK Member
Apr 4, 2008
2,597
14
68
Missouri
I am wondering what type of drill and drill bit. I used a 6 amp B&D drill with a wood hole saw bit for my 1/2 and it started to smoke by the time I was done with the 3rd hole. When I drilled the 1/2 I turned the tank on its side and left water standing in it so I could keep the bit and tank cool.

I am not sure the whole saw would make it all the way through? I was thinking getting the guide hole started and and use a normal bit to drill the Guide hole all the way through. Then drill half way from one side and then finish on the other side. I don't think that the hole saw is deep enough to go through from just one side.

Should I buy a cheap router? and use that? Should I buy some super massive drill?

I was going to use my red light saber but its in the shop.
 
I like your idea about the guide hole. That will work. As far as the drill, I use a big Milwaukee hammer drill with the hammer function off. This drill has the two handles so I can hold it without breaking my wrist LOL. The most I ever drilled was 1” thick acrylic and that was tough but do-able. I just went real slow and stopped to clean the acrylic out of the teeth of the hole saw every once in a while.
You should start with a brand new blade. Have someone spray the saw and acrylic with cold water out of a plant mister squirt gun thing while your drilling. Stop once in a while to cool the blade and keep it clean.
 
Thanks for the advice, I will give it a shot as soon as I can find 2 or 3 people to help me flip the tank. I have it in the garage so I was going to turn the hose on and let water continuously run over the hole and blade.

My next fear is bracing, The hole is inside of an overflow, and I can't reach the bottom, so I will have to drill it from the outside of the tank, leaving me no way to brace it as I am drilling.
 
No need to brace 1.5" thick acrylic.

Make sure you have enough room inside the over flow to fit a bulkhead......... I almost messed up drilling to close to the side of the over flow, I was just lucky. From now on I test fit the bulkhead by drawing a circle around it then drilling inside the circle :) That way I ensure I have enough room to install the bulkhead.

Also go as large as possible with your drain hole, you will be happy with the extra capacity when you add another pump or a trickle system as your fish grow and need more turn over. Remember one 2" line flows more water than two 1" lines :D
 
Egon;5024929; said:
I like your idea about the guide hole. That will work. As far as the drill, I use a big Milwaukee hammer drill with the hammer function off. This drill has the two handles so I can hold it without breaking my wrist LOL. The most I ever drilled was 1” thick acrylic and that was tough but do-able. I just went real slow and stopped to clean the acrylic out of the teeth of the hole saw every once in a while.
You should start with a brand new blade. Have someone spray the saw and acrylic with cold water out of a plant mister squirt gun thing while your drilling. Stop once in a while to cool the blade and keep it clean.
Click to expand...

Now what would we know about this?? :D
 
Yep, just get a fresh blade and go slow. Hopefully you can get to the other side. That makes it much easier. If not, you can go halfway through, trim out the inner piece with a saw, and continue drilling down into the acrylic.
 
what size hole are you drilling? I just drilled out some 1.25" acrylic with a hole saw and had room to spare. The hole saw is 2 3/8". I used my b&d drill for the job. Does your drill have a speed setting? I set mine to 22 or 24 so when the bit caught, the drill would go to neutral instead of kicking like a mule.
 
Pharaoh;5025352; said:
Yep, just get a fresh blade and go slow. Hopefully you can get to the other side. That makes it much easier. If not, you can go halfway through, trim out the inner piece with a saw, and continue drilling down into the acrylic.
Click to expand...

It will be impossible to reach the other side. I am also kinda at a loss as to how I will screw in the bulk head. Sadly my arms are not 4' long

Thanks guys Hope to have it drilled next week. I was hoping for 3 1.5" holes two for drain and one for feed. However the nice thing about it being 4' deep is that if it drilled on the bottom and can't drain fast enough I can add more bulkeds on the back side of the overflow.
 
It's hard to explain how I would do it, but I think it would work for you.

Drill down and get a good "drill guide ring" going. Then use a jig saw to cut out the center. Make sure not to cut into the outer circle, but you can trim out all of the center area. Then you just have to finish the hole as there will be no center to restrict it.
 
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