Drilling acrylic vs glass for a bulk head. Is it the same?

[daves-reef]

I have successfully drilled glass tanks with a hand drill using a simple wooden jig a couple times for bulkhead.

Is is drilling acrylic done same. Diamond hole saw etc. is there a special technique?
Anything to be carful about compared to glass?

 

[reefstarter]

A regular fine toothed hole saw will work on acrylic . start in reverse so not to dig in to quick . then switch to forward speed and don't push . just let the bit do the cuttings . and be carefull at the end as it may bind up and crack the acrylic

 

[JohnK]

Assuming you can reach, it works great if you start the hole from both sides, this way you don't get a rough break out and the bit is less likely to bite and grab at the end. Also it's good to go a little bit at a time and take breaks to let the acrylic cool.

 

[Gsxkid]

I've drilled both from what I have seen acrylic is easier. I just used a regular hole saw. The diamond saws are only for glass. So you want to start in forward until the pilot bit is through. Then switch to reverse and let the actual hole saw cut in a little maybe a 1/16 of an inch just to get your hole set. Then I would stop lift the hole saw up so only the pilot bit is through the hole. Get the hole saw spinning before you touch the surface. You want to run it at a higher speed than when cutting glass. Then just start letting it cut. I apply very little pressure. The higher speed combined with low pressure prevents it from catching and binding up. I run it at the higher speed the whole way through. That's the best way I have found. No water or anything. I personally have never stopped to cool the bit down. But if I were drilling thicker acrylic I could see doing that.