Thread: Acrylic drilling problem

I believe you have answered your own question. When drilling acrylic you must clear the drill bit every few millimeters. If you don't, the shavings will accumulate in the flutes and start to melt causing them to stick and build up acting like a rasp on the inside of the hole. Ensure your drill is very sharp so it will cut cleanly, therefore not introducing heat at the point. Spraying a little water into the hole when you clear the drill can also help if things are still getting too hot, but this is not normally necessary. Having to drill 110mm deep will certainly test whether you are doing things correctly or not.
Good luck with your next one (hope you had more than one to play with).

a slower speed as well, anything to reduce the heat build up

the hot drill bit can cause the inside of the blank to melt as well as the shavings

MIK

Originally Posted by MBUMIK

a slower speed as well, anything to reduce the heat build up

Yes, forgot that bit. I normally use somewhere between 1000 & 1200 RPM for most drills up to around 10mm.

Drill slowly. Clean often. Take it slowly at the end to avoid chip out.

Excellent. Thank you everyone. Just as I thought. Unfortunately I'd only bought 1 blank...a fluro pink one that my little 7 yo princess had requested. Can I do anything with this blank? I assume there aren't any kits that need such a big hole?

Originally Posted by Treecycle

Yes, forgot that bit. I normally use somewhere between 1000 & 1200 RPM for most drills up to around 10mm.

I'd read somewhere to drill slowly, so I set my Leda mini lathe to the slowest setting.

Originally Posted by johnredl

I'd read somewhere to drill slowly, so I set my Leda mini lathe to the slowest setting.

..........which is listed as 500RPM. That is the speed I use for most of my blank drilling, especially acrylic blanks.

John, depending on the diameter of your kit, the blank could be built up with epoxy, put a drop of paint in the epoxy, the same colour as your blank, in fact, paint your tubes pink, if the blank is pink, will save seeing the brass once turned down, Amos

The JR Gent, Baron, Sedona, and JR Victor kits use drills about the size you got out to.

I'll investigate a different kit first, but failing that I'll try the epoxy. I've only ever coloured epoxy with powder, does it matter if u use acrylic or enamel paint?