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-   -   Drilling acrylic (http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=49211)

rstar 02-08-2009 05:55 PM

Drilling acrylic
 
Just wondering how difficult it is to drill acrylic and what type of bit do you use? I want to drill for a bulkhead through the side of my sump for the drain line, it takes up too much realestate in the sump. I think my sump was originally supposed to have a bulhead in the side of it. Also how high in relation to the first baffle do i put the hole?

hillegom 02-08-2009 07:32 PM

Tagging along because, I too want to drill acrylic, without "splintering" the plastic

ridder 02-08-2009 08:10 PM

Drill slow with wood as a backing.You can also use water for cooling the bit as well,
because the bit will get very hot and will bind with the acrylic.

Skimmin 02-08-2009 09:12 PM

You'll probably find a hole saw works best. Acrylic is quite resilient and drills quite easily. It also works well if you start the hole on one side and finish from the other to keep the hole clean.

Sam1969 02-08-2009 09:23 PM

I would use a forestner bit instead of a hole saw ... but thats just me

sphelps 02-08-2009 10:25 PM

A hole saw works just fine. Drilling cast acrylic is very easy and doesn't require any special procedure, extruded however tends to melt and could jam up the bit which could result in a crack. For extruded a little water to keep the material cool is a good idea and a little finesse goes a long way :wink:

rstar 02-08-2009 11:10 PM

So the big question Steve is which acrylic do you use for your sumps as you built mine for me! :wink:

rstar 02-08-2009 11:24 PM

Also should the bulkhead be halfway submerged and half unsubmerged to get air out of the line? ie: When the sump is running should it drain where the max water level comming into the sump is?

sphelps 02-09-2009 12:46 AM

That sump was made from extruded acrylic. You'll want to drill the bulkhead so it is centered where the water line will be or slightly higher. That way it will do exactly what you described.


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