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PitcherCrab
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Drilling holes in plastic without cracking it
#9740151 - 02/05/09 11:08 AM (15 years, 1 month ago) |
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Last time I made a shotgun FC I cracked the plastic around the holes where I was drilling. How can I drill these semi-clear plastic tubs without doing cracking it? Is there a special drill bit I need to use?
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Visionary Tools
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Re: Drilling holes in plastic without cracking it [Re: PitcherCrab]
#9740165 - 02/05/09 11:11 AM (15 years, 1 month ago) |
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Put a block of wood under where you're drilling and use a high speed setting. The friction will melt, as well as cut the hole, Also, put masking or duct tape over where you're putting the hole. You want to reduce vibrations to a minimum, and reduce the pressure you're putting on the plastic, the block of wood underneath will help with that.
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Yrat
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Re: Drilling holes in plastic without cracking it [Re: Visionary Tools]
#9740178 - 02/05/09 11:15 AM (15 years, 1 month ago) |
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when i made my shotguns, i used a small, cheap soldering iron. after the tip was heated up, i just pushed it through the plastic, pulled it out, and repeated. no little bits to clean up, nice smooth holes, and when the iron cools down again, the hard plastic is easy to pick off.
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RogerRabbit
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Re: Drilling holes in plastic without cracking it [Re: Yrat]
#9740206 - 02/05/09 11:20 AM (15 years, 1 month ago) |
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In addition to a block of wood or tape, you can heat the area to be drilled with hot water or a hair dryer. Another tip is to use a new drill bit, and don't push quite so hard. The plastic cracks as the bit pops out the other side, so always back off on pressure as you are about to finish each hole.
The other thing is don't use cheap made in china plastic tubs. U.S. produced Rubbermaid or Sterlite tubs are much higher quality and won't crack as easily. RR
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just me
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Re: Drilling holes in plastic without cracking it [Re: RogerRabbit]
#9740257 - 02/05/09 11:36 AM (15 years, 1 month ago) |
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u cant ask for a better answer than from the creator.
so im just emphasizing the 'dont push so hard, and let off a little towards the end.'
i dont use a block of wood or tape, just this method ^
even when using a big spade bit which a LOT of times will grab the plastic and explode ur FC, can be drilled properly by making sure the bit is perfectly perpendicular
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Paresthesia
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Re: Drilling holes in plastic without cracking it [Re: just me]
#9740348 - 02/05/09 12:01 PM (15 years, 1 month ago) |
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I've used a 1/8" drill bit in a Dremel tool with good results. You just have to stop every once in a while to let the bit cool so you can scrape the melted plastic off. Oh, and you need to drill a lot more holes!
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Forest Garden
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Re: shotgun and humidity [Re: Paresthesia]
#9740451 - 02/05/09 12:23 PM (15 years, 1 month ago) |
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i just made a shotgun terrarium and it's filled with drained perlite just like in RR's video. I'm using a "analog hygrometer" and it's only showing that i have 80% humidity BUT since it's winter i have my wood stove going a lot. I'm guessing the air is just too dry in the house so i have several air humidifiers running in different rooms in the house and a kettle of water on top of the wood stove. Still it was showing 80%. I bought a Tropic Aire humidifying system and put that in the shotgun and left the perlite in also. Still it's showing 80% humidity. I misted some water in there also and made sure all surfaces were wet. I noticed that all the terrarium walls dried up after a couple hours.
Is the air in my house just too dry? or is this $5 analog hygrometer a piece of junk?
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just me
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did u calibrate your hygrometer?
if not, wrap it in a moist paper towell for 15 and remove from paper towell and adjust the dial on the back to 99%
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Forest Garden
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Re: shotgun and humidity [Re: just me]
#9740909 - 02/05/09 01:55 PM (15 years, 1 month ago) |
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no, i didnt calibrate the hygrometer. honestly for $5.00 i didnt think it'd be something i could calibrate at all. It's just the 1st one i found. it has an adjustment screw on the back that i didnt see before because it had a magnet stuck to the back of it to stick it onto things.
i wrapped it in a warm wet paper towel and then adjusted it to 99%
thanks!
i'll put it back in the terranium and see how it goes. since the walls kept drying off, i'm still suspicious of it.
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makaveli8x8
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im not sure what they are called off hand but you can buy hole cutters that go on a drill. they are bigger holes but they make holes easy. should work if you use the smallest size and just cut less holes. they have a really nice hygrometer on amazon that i highly recommend, it even has a remote prob and its pretty cheap too
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RedBeerd
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Registered: 12/04/08
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Re: shotgun and humidity [Re: makaveli8x8]
#9747909 - 02/06/09 03:22 AM (15 years, 1 month ago) |
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I also was more successful when I set my drill to the highest speed rating....
I figure it's either the added heat, or less chance to grab that speeding it up works a little better.
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CptnGarden
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Re: shotgun and humidity [Re: RedBeerd]
#9750042 - 02/06/09 02:26 PM (15 years, 1 month ago) |
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i can swear by a hairdryer and hole saw...
the smaller the teeth the better. Lenox is a good brand for saws.
soften the plastic at the spot and around it, and then go to town. higher speed, use less pressure, and the smaller teeth cut off less so theres less chance of it cracking from the force of the drill.
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Peterthinks
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Registered: 11/10/04
Posts: 2,379
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Re: shotgun and humidity [Re: CptnGarden]
#9757867 - 02/07/09 10:58 PM (15 years, 1 month ago) |
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cutting plastic. use hot knife.
Big holes, coffee can with ends off heated on stove element.
small holes, torch and nail.
do in a well vented place. stinks!
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Blitz7341
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Re: Drilling holes in plastic without cracking it [Re: PitcherCrab]
#16005574 - 03/27/12 08:31 PM (12 years, 3 days ago) |
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great info guys I'm going to be making my first shotgun FC in the next few days. i just had a couple questions. 1. when you say put tape over where the hole is going to be, does that mean on the side where the drill bit is going into the plastic or on the side where its going to come out, or both? 2. what type of tape do you recommend?
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kingkey24
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Registered: 03/28/12
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Re: Drilling holes in plastic without cracking it [Re: Yrat]
#16009282 - 03/28/12 02:46 PM (12 years, 2 days ago) |
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Quote:
Yrat said: when i made my shotguns, i used a small, cheap soldering iron. after the tip was heated up, i just pushed it through the plastic, pulled it out, and repeated. no little bits to clean up, nice smooth holes, and when the iron cools down again, the hard plastic is easy to pick off.
this will work
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