Where to get control panel holes cut? (UK)

[chucklepie]

Hello,
I found a few places supplying and cutting holes in acrylic (94p per hole) but when I sent my drawings they aren't 'standard' holes so need special setting up on CNC and the cost went up to £120 ($220 or somewhere near that).

Which is far too much for what I want to pay. I've searched for hss drill bits at 28mm and they are getting on for £30 each just for the one bit.

Where did anyone else go, surely there must be a lot of people here getting acrylic/perspex cut?

Perhaps a thread on people selling stuff related to arcade cabinet building could be kept somewhere?

Thanks.

[brained]

I just used a standard 1 1/8" bi-metal hole saw. I've got it for around $10. To drill the holes just do it on slow speed and sandwich the plexi with some scrap wood.

[Drnick]

I did much the same as above but used my Forstener bit.  Do you have a router?  If so I am confident that you can do this yourself with no issues.

[chucklepie]

That's the route I'm going to take. I have access to a drill press so can use that for the button holes (28mm/ about 1 1/8) and for the trackball I was going to use a jigsaw with a laminate bit.

Questions I have are:
1. Should I use acrylic or polycarbonate (I think that's called Lexan in America) and should I get 2mm (1/16th) or 3mm (3/32)?

2. I think I read you should use hole saw for acrylic but can get away with a spade bit (I have one at the right size already) with polycarbonate? or will a wood spade bit work with either/none?

3. I'm reading alternate sites saying drill backwards (anti-clockwise), drill normally, drill fast, drill slow. What's the best?

Thanks.

[yotsuya]

3. I'm reading alternate sites saying drill backwards (anti-clockwise), drill normally, drill fast, drill slow. What's the best?

Whatever works! 

I drill normally, medium speed, using the sandwich method. Seems to work best. But, like you, I have seen all those recommendations.

[PL1]

If you haven't read it yet, check out Selfie's sticky thread in Woodworking titled "Working with Plastics".


Scott

[chucklepie]

thanks, that was handy. Regarding the tip for scraping not cutting, for spade bits does he mean blunt one side so only the point and one half of the actual flat section is sharp?

[PL1]

You should blunt both flat halves of the spade bit to make it scrape, otherwise the sharp half will cut instead of scrape.

Leave the point sharp.


Scott

[ark_ader]

Hello,
I found a few places supplying and cutting holes in acrylic (94p per hole) but when I sent my drawings they aren't 'standard' holes so need special setting up on CNC and the cost went up to £120 ($220 or somewhere near that).

Which is far too much for what I want to pay. I've searched for hss drill bits at 28mm and they are getting on for £30 each just for the one bit.

Where did anyone else go, surely there must be a lot of people here getting acrylic/perspex cut?

Perhaps a thread on people selling stuff related to arcade cabinet building could be kept somewhere?

Thanks.

Heck for that price I would have a metal CP made.

[chucklepie]

Cheers, I'll do that (blunt bit) after I've cut the holes in my wood

I think I'll buy either 2mm or 3mm polycarbonate and I can near enough buy twice the height for the same price so I can test out cuts on one half. I'll probably just get 2mm as it's loads cheaper and it's only going to be used as a cover for the CP art.

As for metal, maybe you're right and if I did I could have got the sanwa buttons I wanted....

[BobA]

Acrylic is harder than polycarbonate so it does not scratch as easily.  Polycarbonate is stronger and very easy to machine and cut.  Acrylic can be brittle and can crack.  Polycarbonate is used to make bullet proof windows.  Of course polycarbonate (Lexan) is more expensive.  I use a scratch making tool that scores the sheet for a straight cut and my router trim bit when it has to be shaped or holes have to be made.   The router also makes straight cuts very easily with a straight edge but it is alot messier than scratch and snap.