#@!$ Plexiglas!

[TheGameAh]

I finally get a control size piece of plexi cut.  I borrow my friends drill.  Clamp the panel on top, plexi in the middle, scrap ply on the bottom.  I carefully drill each and every hole, going slow, oh so slow.  I get to the second to last hole.  The plexi cracks sheer up to the top.  Argh!

I would rather not repeat that.  Can someone give me some alternatives to plexi?  I've done the searching, and it looks like lexan is very popular.  That's easier to cut and drill, right?  I know of the stuff Oscar found.  Am I missing anything else?

[hyiu]

use lexan.... yes... its more expensive.... but worthed...

I cut it just like cutting wood....
and its good.....

(of course... use router will give smoother results...)

but I use spade bit, jigsaw...
no crack... no mess.....

[APFelon]

I have heard that if you put a piece of masking tape over the part of plex that you are going to drill, it'll prevent cracking. Never tried this trick before, so I won't stake my life on it.

I agree on the Lexan, but if you are sitting on more plex than you know what to do with, you might want to give the ol' tape trick a try.

APf

[Chris]

And, go slow, no pressure, let the tool do the work.... you'll get through more by melting than cutting, so think high speed and no pressure....

[rampy]

one question that will be relavent regardless of which material you use.

are you trying to cut simulatneously through your wood AND the plexi in one big sandwich?

Although you can do it that way, I believe you are best off drilling the cp first and then securing the plexi/lexan to the top and drilling the holes with the mdf as a guide (and yes a router is very handy for this with a flush trimming bit!)

Rampy

[hyiu]

you might want to go thru this thread....

it talks about drilling thru. plexi/lexan with details....

no need to repeat when we can link... right ??  

as my college prof. famous line...
"by the principle of laziness...."

http://www.arcadecontrols.org/yabbse/index.php?board=1;action=display;threadid=9667

[REBIRTH]

LEXAN!!!!  You would have trouble "trying" to crack that stuff.  Get it, drop a brick on it, an ex girlfriend... it is virtually indestructable.  I used Lexan and didn't have to go slow at all, I just drilled right through it like it was wood (I did the wood sandwich thing you did too, you should still do that - but drill away!).

[dirt]

if you run the drill in reverse it will not crack the plexi.it will melt through it and leave a nice hole.


dirt

[steve_pss]

dirt speaks the truth. i went through plexi hole until the guys hear suggested that. hole saw in reverse works great

[grafixmonkey]

Use Lucite Tuf.  It's the same as Lexan.  Check out my "My Lucite Experience" thread, I'm updating it with some stress-testing.  (trying to see how bad I have to be to it to harm the stuff.)