drilling button holes in plexiglass...

[severdhed]

hey guys, i am workign on my new panel and am about to cut the plexiglass...i am just not sure how to go about cutting out the button holes.  i have a router, with a flush trim bit, which works well for the outside edges...i figured i'd use it to do button holes also, but i am having problems getting the holes drilled out so that i can insert the router bit. 



i tried using a 1/2" regular drill bit....teh plexi cracked
i tried using a spade bit, the plexi cracked
i tried using a forstner bit, first hole was fine, second one cracked

all of those methods, i sandwiched the plexi between a scrap of wood and my panel, and drilled from the back of the panel, through the button holes.


at last, i tried a v-groove router bit and plunged it into the holes,  which made a big enough hole for the flush trim bit to fit through.   it seems to work ok on the test piece..but i just wanted to see if anyone had any better way before i do this on my real plexi.

[stan2323]

I used a fostner bit and drilled slow to prevent it from heating the plexi.  I found that if the plexi heats to the point where it gets soft then will crack the plexi and leave a lip on the hole that had to be filed off.  What I did was clamp the control panel, plexi, and scrape together and drilled all the holes at once from the back of the CP.  I cracked one place on the plexi where I jerked the bit accidentally as it went through the plexi.  The crack was small enough to be hidden under the lip of the button when the button was mounted. 

Stan

[BrentRadio]

I also use 2 layers of masking tape and drill through that as well. I use a 1 1/8 wide flat drill bit. Not sure what those are called.

[ghettodish]

Stop using plexiglass and get the 3M stuff! I think it's called Lexan? It's the stuff at Home Depot with the white film on it. You can drill it, run it thru a saw, route it, etc. without problems. I learned that expensive lesson the hard way!

You already cut the button holes in the wood I assume. Position the Lexan where it needs to be then drill the centers out with a 5/8" bit. Then use the router with a flush bit to finish them. Remove the white film when you are done.

[severdhed]

well, i already purchased the plexi, it was only $15 for a 30x36" piece.  my panel is 12x30, so this was perfect.

i tried scoring the plexi and snapping it to the approximate size i needed, but it cracked..so i said screw it, and just clamped it down to my panel and cut the rest off with the router.  i ended up using the v groove router bit, i just held the router above the panel and slowly lowered it in, this made a nice hole in the middle of each button hole, large enough for my flush trim bit to fit through...then once by one, i went through and cut them out using the flush trim bit...this worked beautifully...i couldn't be happier with the way it turned out.    this is my first time using a router, and i am very pleased with it. 

the batteries are dead in my camera..so i'll post some pics once i get this thing finished...it is amazing what having the right tools can do for a project.

[ghettodish]

Don't over-tighten your buttons when you install them. I had a plexi cp crack during a wicked round of Track & Field.

[Xiaou2]

 From my Experiments & Experiments:
 
 The drilling speed has to be fast as possible.  Do NOT drill in reverse!

 The pressure you press Downwards has to be very very light..  so that
it may take like 60 seconds to drill a single hole.   If you remove too much
material too fast... it will crack.

 Ive found that the plastic has to get heated to soften up.  This changes
the material from brittle/conductive... to soft and absorbent...   Since the
material is absorbent...   Any vibrations that would normally spread to the
entire sheet, causing a crack... will then be nullified.


If you press too hard to take off too much material in a single pass... it will
be most likely to crack the plastic.


 If you drill in reverse... the plastic starts to melt,  however... since the material
isnt being removed out of the center properly.  The material starts to build up
around the edges, and starts to cool.   The bit then often hits the cooled
material... which is now connected to the sheet.. causing the sheet to crack.

 Even if the material doesnt bunch up... the same problem exists where the
drill is moved too fast into the material & will crack it.  Having poor material
removal just helps make this problem worse.

 
 Plexi needs to be clamped down well, to eliminate vibrations.

 A cover sheet may help... but once you get the the plexi layer... if you are
removing too much material too soon... it will still crack.

 
 Lexan may be easier to machine... however, it will scratch very easily.  Plexi
is much more scratch resistant.

[CheffoJeffo]

+1 to Xiaou's post, although I personally prefer using a worn bi-metal hole saw alternating between backwards and forwards drilling.

[paulscade]

There's already good advice in this thread so there's not too much that I can add....

You mentioned that you had a router... why not use one of those pattern bits (sorry... I don't know the name) that has a drilling tip + a routing edge... you plunge down through the Plexi and route using the wood/metal panel top as a pattern.

... of course... buy the time you purchase the bit... you'll have spent as much as you would have spent on Lexan. 

[mrclean]

I used a regular 12 volt cordless drill and bought an attachment at homedepot which was a "Ridgid" brand Bi-Metal 1 -1/8th 29mm. Never cracked it.




http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10051&langId=-1&catalogId=10053&productId=100495362&N=10000003+90401+524423

[ctozzi]

i spent about  $100 in plexi before i learned how to properly drill holes , the above post has the exact bit i have. Make sure you have wood below the hole your drilling, and go slowww with the pilot hole, then when the bigger bit grabs motor on thru. I tried the lexan it is alot better but also alot more expensive. Also do not overtighten any buttons as that and the security screws will crack it everytime.

[severdhed]

thanks for the advice guys.... like i said i found a method that actually worked really well.

I started with a bit like this: (although i got a cheap one at harbor freight)



i have a small, laminate trim router, so it is lightweight and easy to manipulate.    i just turned the router on and held it above the panel, and slowly lowered it into each button hole, it cut into the plexi like a hot knife through butter...then after all of the holes were drilled in this manor, i installed the flush trim bit, just stick it through each hole and used the holes in the MDF as a pattern.  this worked very, very well.  

that V groove bit has been quite handy in the construction of my control panel.  my joysticks are bottom mounted, but i am bolting them through the top of the MDF (under the plexi).  i didnt have a countersink bit for my drill, so i used that router bit in the drill to countersing the bolt heads.   i tried doing the same thing with the plexi, but the drill just doesn't spin fast enough...it worked, but took a really long time.  when i used the router, it only took a few seconds to make each hole

i've learned through this process that a router is an awesome tool.  you dont need a good one..i got one of these:

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=44914

it is awesome...i had borrowed a full size router from my friend for a different project once, but this one is so much easier to work with, due to it's small size..plus it was only $25!!

so..for anyone looking to drill holes in plexi...this method works very well.

[Turnarcades]

Although it may take a bit longer, severdhed's method should produce the cleanest results with little or no chance of cracking. Routers spin at a much higher speed and have sharper cutting blades than drills so create less vibration. The angle you approach the perspex from and the controlled pressure you apply means you are effectively 'shaving' the plastic from the edge, rather than applying pressure and cutting it at an angle as the spiralled cutting edge of a drill does.

[Xiaou2]

 Routers spin much faster, which means that they take off less material per blade
pass.   Like a Shaving Razor  -vs-  a Butcher Knife.   This is why they will not shatter
the plexi.   Also, they might actually heat/melt the plexi too..  just that I have not
confirmed it.  The base they sit on keeps them from vibrational problems too.

 Drills do work with most of the cutting being done on the Tip... and not the edge.
The edges are mostly meant to carry materials up and out.

 You can take a Rotozip bit...  put it in a slow moving drill... and it will cut thru plexi
like butter... much like a router.   However... You need a pilot hole to get the bit
into the correct depth first... which would require a hole being drilled.

 Hole saws are often less likely to break a sheet because the weight is more evenly
sperad... and the teeth stay at a flat angle.  They tend not to cut as much material
per pass... so long as you do not press down very hard/fast. (must be patient)
They are easier to hold steady... so less chance of a 'wild buck' that causes cracks.

 If one is to use a drill,  one should use a "Drill Guide" (drill attachment device).   
Which helps to keep the drill very steady while pressing into the material... as well as the base of the device having even pressure on the material to keep it from sliding.

 (As well as clamping the plexi down as much as possible so it wont flex up, or move)

[javeryh]

A step drill bit goes through plexi like butter.  I use this to drill all the "starter" holes without worrying about setting up the router to plunge accurately.  Then I use the flush trim bit to finish up.

[MrMojoZ]

I just cut some holes with a Forstner bit and cordless drill, setting the drill to high speed and letting it shave its way through the plexi worked well.

[DeLuSioNal29]

Do you guys think that a Dremel will work well?  That thing has variable speed and can be set either slow or super fast.

Thoughts?

~ D

[severdhed]

on my first panel that used plexi, i used a dremel and it worked OK, but it took alot longer than it did this time with the router.    plus, i couldn't find a flush trim dremel bit, so i had to use a straight router bit and just hope i didnt screw up the MDF too much.  it worked OK, but it took a while, and the dremel got pretty hot...like to the point where it shut off and i had to wait about an hour to use it again

[ViciousXUSMC]

thanks for the advice guys.... like i said i found a method that actually worked really well.

I started with a bit like this: (although i got a cheap one at harbor freight)



i have a small, laminate trim router, so it is lightweight and easy to manipulate.    i just turned the router on and held it above the panel, and slowly lowered it into each button hole, it cut into the plexi like a hot knife through butter...then after all of the holes were drilled in this manor, i installed the flush trim bit, just stick it through each hole and used the holes in the MDF as a pattern.  this worked very, very well.  

that V groove bit has been quite handy in the construction of my control panel.  my joysticks are bottom mounted, but i am bolting them through the top of the MDF (under the plexi).  i didnt have a countersink bit for my drill, so i used that router bit in the drill to countersing the bolt heads.   i tried doing the same thing with the plexi, but the drill just doesn't spin fast enough...it worked, but took a really long time.  when i used the router, it only took a few seconds to make each hole

i've learned through this process that a router is an awesome tool.  you dont need a good one..i got one of these:

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=44914

it is awesome...i had borrowed a full size router from my friend for a different project once, but this one is so much easier to work with, due to it's small size..plus it was only $25!!

so..for anyone looking to drill holes in plexi...this method works very well.

I need a cheap router just to thin out the area for my joysticks to mount so I just got this, like you said $25 is not much, I also got there $6 3 piece router bit set.

Use the coupon code:  282-321-655 for a free $10 gift card.  So next time I need something cheap I can get it even cheaper

They did not have any flush trim bits that I could see, so I have a choice to use the non bearing cut bits I got from them and let it be messy, or go down to Lowes and pick up one.  I figure just trace the joystick on the backside of the panel  and clamp down some boards  as a guide and use a pattern bit to keep it neat.

Mind linking to your V-Groove bit you got from them?  I may as well get it with the gift card

I feel confident enough to put a plexi overlay on my panel now I was just going to use contact paper (I put it on today,black marble, looks cool and works well)  So now I just need a good bit for the small holes on the corners to put the screws through to hold the plexi in place.

[severdhed]

here is the bit set i got at harbor freight...

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=43695

i bought it a while ago for the round over bit, to use when i borrowed my friends router. 

i did end up buying the flush trim bit from Lowes, because harbor freight didnt have one.  it was a bosch bit and cost about $18, but well worth the money.  i bought my slot cutter from a local cabinet shop, it is a Freud Bit.

if you are looking for something good to buy at harbor freight, for $17, they have a drill guide there...you attach it to your drill and you can lock it in at a fixed angle so you can drill nice straight holes...pretty much turns your hand drill into a drill press.  i cannot find it on their page right now, but i just got one there about 2 weeks ago...it worked very well

[ViciousXUSMC]

Funny you said that I was reading somebodies build log this morning and they used a forstner bit with a drill guide they said they got from there and thats exactly what I thought about getting. 

Since I already have the contact paper on here and plan to bottom mount everything I guess I do not need a plexi cover.  This is the ultra budget build so every penny saved helps achieve the main goal.

[SG Jaycurl]

I wish I would've seen this thread before tonight. I was just drilling my plexi and it cracked, too. I like the idea of drilling the CP first and then doing the drill/flush routing approach on the plexiglass. I could've thought of that! (Too bad I didn't)

[severdhed]

i think alot of us have been in your shoes.  i cracked quite a few pieces of plexiglass before i figured out that a router is by far the best way to cut it.  live and learn...at least plexi isn't too expensive, and if you dont have a router, they can be purchased for under $30 at harbor freight

[Franco B]

If you have a bench/pillar drill you should be able to drill acrylic (plexi) no problem with a forstner bit. I think the main problem people have when drilling acrylic is using the incorrect bit and drilling at an angle. You are likely to crack the acrylic unless you can drill it perfectly straight other wise the material will split when one side of the cutter breaks through the material and grabs.

Ive drilled 2mm-54mm holes in 3mm-25mm thick acrylic with no problems. If you are drillling thinner material just go slowly as you get towards the bottom of the hole as the cutter breaks through.

[SG Jaycurl]

I was using a drill guide and a hole saw. I had drilled a 1/8" pilot hole, and the first two holes I got through with no problem.

On the third hole, it seemed like the plexi caught a bit on the mandrel of the hole saw and pulled up just enough to cause the crack.

[kandiman]

sorry if this is off topic, but just need some people's opinions, is it worth doing the whole arcade box out of plexi glass?

I can get the whole box done relatively cheap from a local company in my area, there will be no wood involved, its straight up all plexi 4.5mm thick

[severdhed]

is this a stand alone control panel, or will you be mounting it to a cabinet?  an all plexi control panel might look weird on a wooden cabinet.  you also have to be really good with running your wires neatly, or it could look crappy.   if done properly though, it could look pretty cool

[kandiman]

is this a stand alone control panel, or will you be mounting it to a cabinet?  an all plexi control panel might look weird on a wooden cabinet.  you also have to be really good with running your wires neatly, or it could look crappy.   if done properly though, it could look pretty cool

is this question aimed at me  ...oh no it will be for a arcade stick box from a Xbox 360 PCB wired to the sanwa joystick, buttons etc ... so not a cabinet, size of the plexi will be the size of A4 piece of paper

[evitagen]

I just used a hole saw with a pilot bit.

Worked perfectly for me.  I never cracked anything.  I placed the plexi on top of the CP and drilled both the wood and plexi all at once, too.  I used some kind of plexi called Optix though... Dunno if it is better or not.

[SG Jaycurl]

Hmm... Same stuff I used, and it sounds like the same process. Maybe I went too fast or was just unlucky.

I just used a hole saw with a pilot bit.

Worked perfectly for me.  I never cracked anything.  I placed the plexi on top of the CP and drilled both the wood and plexi all at once, too.  I used some kind of plexi called Optix though... Dunno if it is better or not.

[SG Jaycurl]

After my initial cracking incident, I've successfully drilled plexi for two CPs. These were for custom joysticks, but I'd assume that the process would work for a cabinet CP just as well.

1.) First, I drilled the holes in the MDF (CP).
2.) Clamped my plexi to some scrap plywood (on the bottom) and the cp properly aligned on top.
3.) Used a hole saw with mandrel to lightly score the plexi through the holes in the CP. This basically was just to help me lign up/center the pilot hole.
4.) Used an acryllic drill bit to dril a 1/4" pilot (same size as holesaw's mandrel).
5.) Went through with the hole saw to cut the hole.

This worked pretty slick. The whole thing might not even be necessary, but I think what helped was:
A.) Having the plexi sandwiched didn't allow it to "pull up" on the drill bit at all, which was what caused my crack before.
B.) Using the acryllic bit to drill the pilot went through, again, without any pull up.

[kapoorplastics]

For drilling just use a regular battery type drill with a standard spiral bit suitable for wood. Try to keep the drill speed relatively low, and take your time when drilling through.