Cutting plastic?

I need to cut clean round holes in some taillight lenses. I'm modifying a set and don't want to break or crack them. Any tips?

 

Use a holesaw and go slow.It will work fine.Maybe a little oil to keep things cool.Just take your time.


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Try a step drill , medium speed on a drill press. I used this to drill for "blue dots" ,worked like a champ.

 

That was my plan but wasn't sure if the drill but would crack the lens.

 

Obtain a forstner bit. It is used for wood work. Cuts a very clean hole. Use a drill press and cut slow.

 

Use a step drill, but drill a starter hole with a standard bit. Go slow, and don't apply any more pressure than you have to.

 

I hope you are using new lenses. Much more forgiving than old sunbaked one.

 

like said ,slow and light pressure,you can also flip the piece over after your almost through it and go at it from that side to finish up.plastic always seems to break as your cutting through the last spiral.

 

How large of a hole? If you use a regular twist drill you will more than likely bust the lens. Check with Plexiglas/plastic suppliers. They sell some special twist drills made for drilling plastic. They have a sharper tip angle and drill through instead of busting through at the end of the cut. But they only come in 3 or 4 sizes. I think 1/8", 1/4" and either 3/8" or 1/2" I would have to find mine to confirm.

Another option and one that also works well are step drills. These will drill through sheet metal without grabbing and also work well on Plastic.

A whole saw should work it making a larger hole but use a speed controlled drill motor and go slow.

HTH, Mike

 

Find a metal washer the size of the whole ,tape it to the surfase as well as mask up the rest and sandblast the whole out.

 

Ive used a cone shaped grinding stone -first start your holes slowly with about a 1/8 drill bit . also a step bit . Whatever you do , dont let what your using stop without removing it from the lens first-the plastic gets hot enough to weld the stone/bit to the lens & it is next to impossible to get it loose.

 

Every time I try something that I have never done before, but is un forgiving, I try to find a reasonable duplicate so I can practice. I hate to do the maiden voyage on the finished product. To me, at that point, luck is the big player.

 

Good to know. I was wondering that to. I need to drill 2" diameter holes to insert bullet lenses into a flat lens.