Drill Through Acrylic Sheet

Plexiglass is arguably the most popular replacement for normal glass.

Drill through acrylic sheet.

Standard metal drill bits will work but without extensive modification the metal drill bit will crack and chip the brittle acrylic sheet. Here is a video on how to properly drill through acrylic plexiglass. This post seeks to highlight the steps to drill holes without seeking professional help. Ensure you go slow stop often to cool the drill and always support the sheet.

If you just drill a pilot hole then jump right to a big size bit you will likely crack the plastic. The plexiglass drill bits have geometric structures different from the traditional drill bits that allow them to puncture easily through the acrylic. These metal drill bits have ground flukes with 90 degree points and 0 degree rake. Before drilling it s best to clamp down the plastic securely to a solid surface and back up the piece you are drilling with a spare piece of plywood underneath.

The gradually go up in drill bit sizes until you reach your desired diameter. However the likelihood of melting chipping cracking or breaking the acrylic is much higher. This way the drill bit enters the plywood when it exits the plastic and avoids chipping the surface on the bottom. Very excited to have some of my old music up on spotify finally.

Apart from the power drill you also need to have a piece of wood permanent markers or grease oil masking tape and spray lubricant. These bits come in a variety of diameters at home improvement or hardware stores. Place the drill perpendicular to the acrylic sheet and set the drill to medium speed immediately. If this is not the case the drill is too slow.

The chip should break off immediately. Plexiglass also known as acrylic sheet poly methyl methacrylate lucite perclax or perspex is popular for its features which enhance its performance. Drilling holes in acrylic requires the use of a drill bit specially designed for use with plastics. It is possible to drill acrylic with regular metal drill bits.

Press only lightly on the drill the drill must sink itself through the material.