# Acrylic enclosure/cube ventilation...



## skar (Aug 13, 2011)

Those little/larger cubes that you get from michaels right . Well I tried drilling holes in one and it just splinters cracks .
How do you drill holes in these -- or can you - do you use heat ? ? ?


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## J Morningstar (Aug 13, 2011)

In brittle plastic you need to lubricate the drillbit and go slowly with no pressure...if you push at all the plastic will crack. A fine ended soldering tool will melt holes well as well as a small brad nail and a blowtorch to heat it, just hold the nail in a pair of vicegrips, set the torch on a table and go.


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## JayMadison (Aug 13, 2011)

I knew soldering irons could do anything. Are you talking like a normal pencil style one?


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## J Morningstar (Aug 13, 2011)

They have ones with small tips for precision soldering, like circut boards...they should do the trick easily.


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## Kathy (Aug 13, 2011)

Yeah, I just got a cheap small one and it's perfect!  Way easier than trying to drill.


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## skar (Aug 13, 2011)

I C. Guess it will wait till tomorrow. Thank you for the help


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## Formerphobe (Aug 14, 2011)

What kind of drill are you using?  I had no problem drilling holes through Michaels's cubes with a high speed drill (Skil) with 1/16 and 5/64 drill bits.  Mostly let the weight of the drill carry the bit through the acrylic, minimal pressure.


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## cnapple (Aug 14, 2011)

If you don't want to buy a soldering iron, a fine tipped blade and a candle work just as well. Just heat up the tip and twist it through the plastic.


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## skar (Aug 15, 2011)

Finished product . used a torch with a soldering iron attachment, worked effortlessly and I love it !! Looks so cool   YAY





invisible irminia in there too . sorry it's kinda crappy pic....


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## flamesbane (Aug 15, 2011)

If you put the side of the cube you are drilling against a piece of scrap board you will minimize cracking.


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## cnapple (Aug 15, 2011)

Well done. I have my Psalmopoeus and Avic slings in nearly identical setups (I think I even have the same "species" of fake leaves!). I agree, they are really great looking, especially all lined up in a row. Looks so much neater than a bunch of tupperware.  I've even started using them for my terrestrial/fossorial slings as well.


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## Quazgar (Aug 15, 2011)

Formerphobe said:


> What kind of drill are you using?  I had no problem drilling holes through Michaels's cubes with a high speed drill (Skil) with 1/16 and 5/64 drill bits.  Mostly let the weight of the drill carry the bit through the acrylic, minimal pressure.


+1 for anybody else who is looking for how to do this.  Don't push the drill through, just hold it stable while it digs its way through the acrylic.  It can take a little practice to get the feel of it, but it's not too terribly difficult.


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## webbedone (Aug 15, 2011)

A place called "Solutions" has way better cubes and way better prices than michaels, personaly i melt holes in thin plastic and drill anything thats close to 1/4 inch and you have to let the drill do the drilling, dont apply any pressure what so ever.


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## skar (Aug 16, 2011)

cnapple said:


> Well done. I have my Psalmopoeus and Avic slings in nearly identical setups (I think I even have the same "species" of fake leaves!). I agree, they are really great looking, especially all lined up in a row. Looks so much neater than a bunch of tupperware.  I've even started using them for my terrestrial/fossorial slings as well.


Thank you :biggrin:
Ya I love the way it looks ! It's perfect decor right ?
I will have to check out solutions and see what they have !
The drill I understand could work but a soldering iron was only 15$ and easy as eating pie .
I'm excited !


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