Drilling into acrylic?

[justinm0424]

Hey all,
I'm adding a closed loop on my tank and I was wondering what kind of hole saws are the best for drilling through 1/2" acrylic? I'm drilling 4 1.5" bulkheads and 1 2" bulkhead into my 150 gal. Would diamond bits work the best or should i just use regular wood hole saw kit?

[lfjewett]

I've drilled many acrylic tanks and always used the normal wood bits. Just remember to let the blade do the work, don't push and crack the tank. Also the acrylic tend to get very hot, so conider taking a break once or twice to clean off your blade and clean out the hole.

[discocarp]

Regular hole saw, go slow, take frequent breaks to let it cool down, make sure you are straight, and don't force it - let the tool do the work.

Drilling acrylic is a breeze!

[justinm0424]

Should I make a dam and use water or drill tapping oil so the bit is always submerged?

[discocarp]

Not needed with acrylic. Don't think it would hurt, but I only do this with glass.