Drilliing acrylic: diamond hole saw? liquid for cooling bit?

[cherubfish pair]

I want to do some acrylic drilling and have drilled many times using wood hole saws. How do the diamond hole saws used for glass compare vs. the wood? And can a dam be made around the site for a liquid, water or other, to cool the saw?

[thrasher1472]

I haven't tried the diamond on acrylic but I have used water to cool a regular wood hole saw and it makes a world of difference. It was only 1/4 inch but the water kept it from melting and gunking up, smooth cut. I think water is key with either type of saws.

[stage3-s4]

I dont think you can use a diamond bit hole saw for acrylic. Acrylic is a thermoplastic so it will pretty much just melt anytime you add friction to it. Diamond holes saws don't actually drill anything they just grind away the material at a very slow pace. You can get a pretty clean hole with a fine tooth hole saw.

[KevinsHVAC]

I dont think you can use a diamond bit hole saw for acrylic. Acrylic is a thermoplastic so it will pretty much just melt anytime you add friction to it. Diamond holes saws don't actually drill anything they just grind away the material at a very slow pace. You can get a pretty clean hole with a fine tooth hole saw.

+1 I used a 6 3/8 recessed light diamond hole saw and it did just that, melted its way through. Depending on the thickness of the acrylic you will be fine. Mine was 1/4" thick.

[McPuff]

I've had a lot of good luck using regular hole saws for wood... I just run them backward and that way they won't bind at all. Just go a bit slower and you also don't get much melting. Has worked very well for me thus far.