Cutting Hole in Hatch

[Tetepare]

Drill the pilot hole first. That way if you get cockeyed with the holesaw it won’t scar your plastic. Then drill out the hole and sand. Very simple.

[AKA-None]

Oh and older plexiglass tends to shatter easier than new. So take care.

[Kalimniosjohn]

I would cut the hole in thin plywood first to use as a template. Then use double sided tape to fix the template to the plexiglass and use a router with a flush trim bit. It will come out much smoother then with a hole saw and with no risk of somehow going off center.

[Tillsbury]

Be very careful with a large hole saw in a hand drill. It can grab and create a right old mess unless you're experienced and know what to expect. I've drilled a lot of large holes and with something as expensive to replace as this I'd use a router too.

[Rod B]

Originally Posted by OrangeCrush

Has anyone successful cut a hole in a plexiglass hatch? I want to install a Vetus UFO2 passive vent to improve ventilation in my forward cabin. The installation calls for a 85mm cutout, and I would guess that my hatch plexiglass is about 1/4” thick. I wrote to Vetus and they recommended I employ a “professional hatch repair service” but I don’t think they have those in Brooklyn!

Has anyone successfully cut a hole in a plexiglass hatch? I’m gonna get some scrap plexiglass and try a few things out. They sell an adjustable carbide tipped hole cutter for about $7 that might do the trick, or maybe a regular hole saw. A 85mm Forstner bit isn’t cheap but could be worth it if it’s definitely the best tool for the job.

Any tips or relevant experiences are greatly appreciated, thanks in advance.

Lots of good advice here, it's also a good idea to start cutting a hole in plastics and other relatively soft materials with a hole saw to start with the saw running in reverse.

[gulfstar37]

Originally Posted by OrangeCrush

Has anyone successful cut a hole in a plexiglass hatch? I want to install a Vetus UFO2 passive vent to improve ventilation in my forward cabin. The installation calls for a 85mm cutout, and I would guess that my hatch plexiglass is about 1/4” thick. I wrote to Vetus and they recommended I employ a “professional hatch repair service” but I don’t think they have those in Brooklyn!

Has anyone successfully cut a hole in a plexiglass hatch? I’m gonna get some scrap plexiglass and try a few things out. They sell an adjustable carbide tipped hole cutter for about $7 that might do the trick, or maybe a regular hole saw. A 85mm Forstner bit isn’t cheap but could be worth it if it’s definitely the best tool for the job.

Any tips or relevant experiences are greatly appreciated, thanks in advance.

1 vote for hole saw

[Rorzech]

[QUOTE=OrangeCrush;2885308]Has anyone successful cut a hole in a plexiglass hatch? I want to install a Vetus UFO2 passive vent to improve ventilation in my forward cabin. The installation calls for a 85mm cutout, and I would guess that my hatch plexiglass is about 1/4” thick. I wrote to Vetus and they recommended I employ a “professional hatch repair service” but I don’t think they have those in Brooklyn!

Has anyone successfully cut a hole in a plexiglass hatch? I’m gonna get some scrap plexiglass and try a few things out. They sell an adjustable carbide tipped hole cutter for about $7 that might do the trick, or maybe a regular hole saw.

Masking tape over hole area to protect the plexy surface, and drill starter hole away from edge (inside hole) then use jig saw ( variable speed) at slow speed with a sharp plastic cutting blade, then sand edges , them super fine sand, then polish until clear. No need for a big hole saw rusting and taking up a lot of room in your tool box that you may never use again and never be able to sell.