drilling a plastic overflow box

[Terry Martin]

I need to drill a plastic overflow box to install with a bulkhead. The tank is already drilled. I have a hole saw kit. Can I use that or do I need a special plastic drill bit. Any tips on not shattering the plastic. Thanks!

 

[Chris A.]

Tape up the area your drilling, don’t apply to much pressure. If you can secure it to some scrap wood so it drills right into the wood would be the best.

 

[Terry Martin]

Tape up the area your drilling, don’t apply to much pressure. If you can secure it to some scrap wood so it drills right into the wood would be the best.

good idea, I'm pretty sure I could clamp it to a piece of wood.

 

[Arsalan]

Is the hole saw for wood? I’d try it on a similar material first to see how it comes out.

Also maybe a dremel would be helpful?


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[Terry Martin]

Is the hole saw for wood? I’d try it on a similar material first to see how it comes out.

Also maybe a dremel would be helpful?


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Yes, it’s a hole saw for wood. I tried on a piece of plastic and didn’t work well. I do have a dremel for fragging lps but don’t have a circular piece for it.

 

[Arsalan]

Is the hole saw for wood? I’d try it on a similar material first to see how it comes out.

Also maybe a dremel would be helpful?


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Yes, it’s a hole saw for wood. I tried on a piece of plastic and didn’t work well. I do have a dremel for fragging lps but don’t have a circular piece for it.

You could tape the circle on an drill a 1/4” hole with a normal drill but then use one of these to make the circle bigger:
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Dremel-...PIPHorizontal2_rr-_-203362633-_-202263174-_-N


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[jcherepo]

Try running the drill in reverse using the hole saw bit. Wouldn’t hurt to keep a bit of water on it either for extra caution but probably would be ok without it.


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[Greg Hiller]

If you have a dremel tool with a tip that can grind, sometimes you can kind of melt your way through plastic. Mark the area for the size of hole and work slowly.

 

[Terry Martin]

I decided to cut a rectangular opening in back of overflow to go around the bulkhead and then siliconed the overflow box in which worked nicely. I used the dremel with cutting wheel and it cut the plastic well with no splintering (did tape as well but think would have been fine without). Thanks to everyone for advice.