Thread: Can you drill through plexigalss?

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I was lucky enough to score 8 16x20 framed motivational posters for $2 over the weekend. I took them apart and taped them together, using the black frame pieces on the outside edges. It's over 5 feet tall and kinda bendy so I am planing on hanging it so I would need to drill holes along the top for twine. Hopefully this will be a life size peppers ghost if i can figure out how. And If you have any other suggestions on making it more rigid I would appreciate it.

you can drill it, but get a couple of brand new bits (that are sharp) and go very slowly or it will crack.

I have drilled quite a bit of plexiglass. The one thing I have found is don't ever use a new drill bit. It will dig in, grab, and shatter the plexiglass. Especially in the corners where you want to drill. So use a duller drill bit with moderate speed. If you can avoid a pilot hole this will also help. Also don't dill it in cold weather...

Good luck!

Bradbaum is right. Go very slowly, or you risk cracking the plexi. It helps if it is supported on the bottom while drilling. Place it on a piece of scrap plywood, and drill through the plexi, into the plywood.

Drilling through plexiglass can be tricky. Here's what I've learned:

1. Put masking tape over the point you wish to drill. This will help steady the bit and protect from the plexi some scratching.

2. Start with a small drill bit and slowly work with larger and larger bits (1/8" increments work great).

3. If you have a drill press or press attachment, use it!! The more perpendicular and steady you can make the bit, the better.


Example of a drill press attachment for your hand-held drill. You can find these for $30 at Sears or Lowes.

4. Go S L O W L Y. Speed will bring trouble.

5. If you're working hear an edge, sandwich the plexiglass sheet between two pieces of scrap wood and clamp everything together, then drill through the wood/plexi/wood. This will really help!!

When doing corner spots or anywhere near an edge, sandwich it between a couple thin pieces of plywood, it will support the overall plexiglass.
I use a small pieces of ply above as well as a support piece below it when ever i drill pexi. & yep dull-ish bit & slow.
Leave the protective clear sheets on it til your done. If it doesn't have any, either tap it , lay paper towel down or saran wrap, then on ply.

I ran into this same question. I decided to go ahead and get a drill bit specially made for drilling into Plexiglas. Worked like a dream. It's spirals are cut differently so you are not risking the bit grabbing onto to an edge (which is what cracks the plastic). I had to do 16 or so holes and I didn't want to test my luck using a regular drill bit. Here's a link to those bits: Plastic Drill Bits for Plexiglas, Lucite, Acrylite - chip-free drilling

Here's what I drilled:

Everything that was said...i have even used a drill on reverse speed once which works bu took longer.

Don't be fooled I have drilled multi thousands of holes in plex! they sell long pointed drill bits for this and you can break plex with these very easily so do what I do and use a drill bit that is very dull with no sharp edges (you can even use a nail ). We used a belt sander to dull them and at high speed they will burn a hole and cauterize the edges, so don't push to hard, let it melt. It Is the small cracks around the hole that makes the plex crack, with this technique you can drill 1/8 inch from the corner with good luck. For large holes Unibits work very well also but have not used them for small holes.

Snix
"they're so scared to be out there"

this is all good to know..... I need to drill holes in some plexi tonight! Good timing (for me) on this thread!!