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Making of the hole making apparatus


I attempted to think of the tool to make a hole with size which isn't opened at the drill at the acrylic board. It is the way of making a hole by dissolving acrylic using the heat of the nichrome wire.
However, at present, I decided to stop the making of this tool. It is because of the following reason.

To dissolve acrylic board, the high temperature is necessary

The about 160°C temperature is necessary to bend an acrylic board.
To dissolve an acrylic board, any more high temperature is necessary.
The necessary temperature can be gotten if using a nichrome wire.

The incision of the acrylic board to have opened by dissolving isn't beautiful

When dissolving an acrylic board in the heat, as for the acrylic in the melted part, it gets into swing. Therefore, after making a hole, it is necessary to shave beautifully using the file.

It is difficult to control the temperature of the nichrome wire

The nichrome wire must be stretched like a straight line. Also, it doesn't use a long wire. It is about 10 cm long. There is possibility to have burned out when appling much electric power to the short nichrome wire. It is necessary to control slight electric power. I don't understand whether or not I can control at the electric power controller which used a triac. It may had better control with the power supply of the direct current of the low voltage.

The structure with way of installing a nichrome wire and bench is difficult

The small hole can be opened with the drill inside the hole which is opened to the acrylic board and the nichrome wire must be let through. Therefore, the end of the nichrome wire must be made the structure which can be easily attached or removed from the pole. When using a crimp-style terminal, a hole with size with the crimp-style terminal which goes through the acrylic board must be made.

After all, I thought that the one which made a hole more using the jigsaw was simpler and decided to stop the making of a tool by the nichrome wire. However, the jigsaw can not make a hole in the center of the wide board. In the such case, I think that the way of making a hole by dissolving in the heat is effective.

The contents of this page may be different from your expectations.


In case of the thin acrylic board, a hole can be made using the graver.
In case of the board which is thinner than 0.5 mm, the way of using a graver is simple.

I introduce the procedure which makes a hole using the small jigsaw below.


The making of the outline which makes a hole

    When paper is set up to the acrylic board, draw an outline of the hole using the compass. However, when making a hole, because the paper tears, it has the possibility to get not to understand a line. It had better picture a line directly on the acrylic board.
    I am using a divider(Implement which measures a regular intervals size).
    The divider is doing a form like the compass. However, both legs are made with pointed metal. The circle can be pictured at the acrylic board when fixing the leg of the one on the circular center and making a circle with the other leg.





Making a 3-mm hole inside the pictured circle

    This is the hole which lets through the blade of the jigsaw. It is OK if being a hole with size with passing blade.




Makeing a hole with the jigsaw

    It cuts the inside of the pictured circle with the jigsaw. The cut circle arranges a form behind using the file. So, it is OK even if it doesn't cut beautifully according to the circle. However, it is necessary to be always the inside of the circle.




Arranging a circular form with the file

    It arranges a circular form using the semilunar file or the circle stick-shaped file. When the part to install in the hole is at hand, you work while installing a part in the hole actually and confirming the size of the hole. It makes the burr(Pointed part at the end) of the edge in the complete hole beautiful with the file too.


A big hole can be made in the thick acrylic board by above way.