Suggestions, creating a template to drill/cut....

[SavannahLion]

So I've got my entire panel laid out. Planned all my holes. Set about ordering my parts. Then...

Ooops, forgot to add one minor detail. OK, let me fire up Sketchup with my panel model and insert the missing parts like so.....

 

Question #1:

I'm still exploring this option but is there a way to cut a hole say... 3/4"D in one panel (acrylic), then to cut a hole 1/4" larger in the exact same place on another panel (fiberboard eg pegboard probably) without tearing the crap out of one or cracking the other?

I got the idea that I'll need to use a sandwich jig, sandwich my panels between the jig, clamp, then use a router bit with a bearing (I forget the name) to follow the shape of the jig. But how do I go about getting the hole in one to be 3/4"D and the hole in the other to be 1". Maybe drill a 1" hole in my jig, then use one bit to cut my 1" hole then use another bit to follow the same guide but offset by 1/8? That's pretty close tolerances there.

Maybe use a small bit to drill all my holes where I want in the sandwich jig. Then switch to the correct size bit to drill my holes on one half of the jig side, then use another sized bit to drill the slightly larger holes on the other side? Then I can use the router to make whatever cuts I need depending on one side or the other?

I looked at clamping it into a drill press but A) that's an awful lot of changing even just for a few holes and B) my drill press needs a new belt and the parts store never seems to be open when I'm off of work. :\

Question #2:

If I cut the slightly larger holes, some of the holes have small overlap (this is acceptable to me). In my experience, cutting overlapping holes in wood always results in the thinnest parts of the wood either tearing out or worse, being crooked. So I'm thinking that maybe I should try drilling a sheet of aluminum and use that as part of my sandwich jig. I've been looking at the router bits with that little bearing bobbin, and it doesn't seem like they would work very well. Am I looking at the wrong router bits? is there, at the very least, a flush bit that can let me follow a metal template?

Or someone can loan me their CNC table and this entire query goes away. 

[shponglefan]

I would just clamp the two pieces together and drill out a small pilot hole at the center of where these holes are to go.  Then I would use seperate hole saws (3/4" and 1" respectively) to drill out the holes on the respective pieces.  Unless there is something else I'm missing, a hand drill is all you should need for this.

[JDFan]

I would just clamp the two pieces together and drill out a small pilot hole at the center of where these holes are to go.  Then I would use seperate hole saws (3/4" and 1" respectively) to drill out the holes on the respective pieces.  Unless there is something else I'm missing, a hand drill is all you should need for this.

+1 -- figure just drill the centering pilot holes in the template and then finish up by drilling out the holes to the proper size after removing the template - or create 2 separate templates.

[SavannahLion]

Oh... a hole saw....

I didn't think of that. But isn't a hole saw the kind of tool you don't want to use on either acrylic or fiberboard? I've never tried my meager collection of hole saws in anything other than solid wood.

come to think of it, I use them so rarely I'm not even sure where they are.

[shponglefan]

Hole saws work fine on MDF and acrylic.

For MDF, you want to start the hole on one side, then finish on the other side.  This way you'll avoid tearing out any surface fibers.

And for acrylic, the key is to go slow and not put too much pressure as you drill through.

[SavannahLion]

I'm using pegboard or similar. I think it's considered HDF  rather than MDF.

[keilmillerjr]

Oh... a hole saw....

I didn't think of that. But isn't a hole saw the kind of tool you don't want to use on either acrylic or fiberboard? I've never tried my meager collection of hole saws in anything other than solid wood.

come to think of it, I use them so rarely I'm not even sure where they are.

I just recently used a hole saw in my drill press to cut a hole in acrylic. It cut like butter. RX7 wideband guage now has a spot in center console.

[kahlid74]

Forstner bits are the big brother to hole saw bits.  They give cleaner cuts, work better and rarely if ever burn the wood.  One of the things you see a lot with drilling button holes with a hole saw bit is the black burning ring.  This is because the hole saw doesn't really have a place for the material to go so it burns it.  A Forstner bit "shaves" the wood and works numbers on places.

I would drill the materials separately after first lining up a pilot hole as others have stated.  The are a few router bits that might be able to do what you need but it's pushing it with regard to the other material and it's complicating it beyond just a simple drill purpose.

[keilmillerjr]

Forstner bits are the big brother to hole saw bits.  They give cleaner cuts, work better and rarely if ever burn the wood.  One of the things you see a lot with drilling button holes with a hole saw bit is the black burning ring.  This is because the hole saw doesn't really have a place for the material to go so it burns it.  A Forstner bit "shaves" the wood and works numbers on places.

I would drill the materials separately after first lining up a pilot hole as others have stated.  The are a few router bits that might be able to do what you need but it's pushing it with regard to the other material and it's complicating it beyond just a simple drill purpose.

Ahh... I didn't really understand that the original poster was trying to cut button holes.

I picked up this forstner bit as per recommendation on this forum. I have yet to use it, but am sure it will do the job. The bits are cheap. I would camp the two pieces tightly together and don't press too hard on the bit when cutting. I have found that pressing hard usually leads to chipping of material, no matter what the material. It's just a better idea to take time doing things.

Steelex D1008 1-1/8" Forstner Bit

[SavannahLion]

I never actually stated this is for button holes. 

[michelevit]

i'm confused why the button hole needs to be two different sizes. The button hole for a traditional button is 1 1/8 throughout the length of the button. Can you clarify what you are trying to accomplish?

[SavannahLion]

I never mentioned this is for button holes. Honest.

[PL1]

Is it for joystick holes?

BTW, it's easier to picture when you say what it is instead of what it is not. 


Scott

[kahlid74]

Doesn't really matter what the hole is for, Forstner bits are the best bit when cutting wood holes.  3/4" diameter and 1" diameter are standard size and readily available in Forstner.

The challenge with the acrylic is to go slow, as has been stated.  Forstner bits are sharp, as they need to be for wood so you want to "Shave" the acrylic by going slowly.

[RandyT]

+1 for Forstner bits.  When I was young and naive, I struggled with holes saws.  Discovered Forstners and never looked back, unless I needed to make a hole in metal (and hated using them then).

Pick up a set at HarborFreight and you'll be covered for a multitude of applications. 

[shponglefan]

Guess I'm the only one who actually prefers hole saws over Forstner bits (at least for MDF).

[kahlid74]

Guess I'm the only one who actually prefers hole saws over Forstner bits (at least for MDF).

I used Hole Saws until I found Forstner bits.  When using a hole saw bit on a 3/4" MDF piece you can get burning if the teeth get clogged, which happened all the time to me and was very frustrating.  Especially with my newly purchased Drill press which rotated so much faster than my regular hand held presses that it was immediately burning wood.  Swapped to Forstner and it was like a warm knife through butter on my drill press.  Now I can do a 2 player cab button layout super fast and easy.

[JDFan]

That and the darn pieces of MDF are a ---smurfette--- to get out of the holesaw when they get stuck in them ! 

[shponglefan]

I used Hole Saws until I found Forstner bits.  When using a hole saw bit on a 3/4" MDF piece you can get burning if the teeth get clogged, which happened all the time to me and was very frustrating.  Especially with my newly purchased Drill press which rotated so much faster than my regular hand held presses that it was immediately burning wood.  Swapped to Forstner and it was like a warm knife through butter on my drill press.  Now I can do a 2 player cab button layout super fast and easy.

That's funny, for me it was the opposite (started with Forstner bits before going to hole saws).  I've found it helps to declog the hole as drilling it; I'll usually vacuum once or twice while drilling and then don't run into burning issues.  If I ever get a drill press, I may go back to Forstner bits.