Tapered holes anyone?

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willower
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Joined: Fri Nov 13, 2009 8:06 am

Tapered holes anyone?

Post by willower »

I'm looking for some help to find out how to drill small tapered holes in some 4mm thick acrylic/perspex sheeting.

In essence I want to make a guide for drawing parallel lines and I need a way to drill a tapered hole using a 20 degree engraving bit large enough to allow me to use a normal sharpened pencil - using the hole as a guide for the pencil.

My idea is to make what is, in effect, a 'Tee Square' with a series of these holes so that I can make repeatable markings quickly without the usual rule and straight edge marking that I do now.

Do I just make a circle the right size for the top surface and then make a profile cut (inside the vector) using the engraving bit - or is there some way to do peck drilling using the same bit.

Really looking for what options are available to me to achieve this outcome, never seen it done anywhere, and I guess someone here has hit this problem before?

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Adrian
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Re: Tapered holes anyone?

Post by Adrian »

You can use the drilling toolpath as it doesn't force you to use a drill bit or an inside profile cut using a spiral ramp.

willower
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Joined: Fri Nov 13, 2009 8:06 am

Re: Tapered holes anyone?

Post by willower »

Adrian,

Thanks for that, I think I'll give the profile cut with a spiral ramp a few test runs on a piece of scrap first.
Tried a toolpath preview using a drilling toolpath but don't think it will give the same 'wide' top to the hole (for the pencil) as I seem to get when I preview the inside profile toolpath.

Will try after Christmas is out of the way.... :?

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Adrian
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Re: Tapered holes anyone?

Post by Adrian »

The drilling toolpath will be constrained by the size of the bit so if you can't "drill" deep enough to get the diameter of the pencil (or the bit is tool narrow) the inside profile is the only option. That may still not work as it all depends on the bit profile to get everything working correctly.

It's a lot easier in VCarve or Aspire as you have many more toolpath options for doing taper cuts with any type of bits rather than one that has to have the correct angles, diameters etc.

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SteveNelson46
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Re: Tapered holes anyone?

Post by SteveNelson46 »

If the 20 degree engraving bit has the taper you want, couldn't you just use it as a drill bit drilling through the material and into the spoil board? The depth will determine the size of the hole on the back side. Maybe I'm missing something. It wouldn't be the first time.
Steve

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