Polycarbonates can be a superb option for roofing to improve the lighting inside a house. It is a tough plastic with high heat resistance, transparent, corrosion-free, and resistant to breaking.
With these qualities, drilling some holes to fix them around needs the right equipment. Drill bits for polycarbonate should be strong, heat resistant, and with a special tip geometry to avoid cracking it.
If you are looking for the best drill bit for polycarbonate, we have a few quality options for your consideration. Have a look.
Comparisons of the Top-Rated Drill Bits for Polycarbonate
In this section, we give a clear review of high-quality drill bits for polycarbonate and their features in-store today. However, if you won’t read with us to the end, we have a comparison table with an inclusive summary of the drill bits and their features. Let’s dive in.
5 Best Polycarbonate Drill Bits Reviews & Ranked (2023)
Working with polycarbonates requires the right drill set and we all know that they are quite affordable. Yet, finding high-quality, strong, and durable bits requires knowledge of the market. So, what features should you look for?
Let’s narrow it down to the special features. These include the flute type, construction material, tool marking and indexing, diameter sizes, and tip geometry. Check out the various specifications with each drill bit set.
1. Tortoiseshell Titanium-Coated Drill Bits
These drill bits are strong and sturdy construction of high-speed steel with a titanium coating that makes them heat resistant. They also have 118 degrees tip geometry suitable for not only polycarbonate drilling, but also for wood, metal, and other plastics.
- Material: High Speed Steel
- Cuts through: Wood, Metal, Plastics, 3D Printed parts, Walls
- Size Bits: 1.0mm – 6.0mm
- Finish Type:Titanium
- Number of bits: 51 bits
We like that the 51 piece Titanium-coated bits are strong, durable, and inexpensive. The 51 piece set is also used for various purposes because of the tip geometry and the variation in diameters.
- All-purpose drill bits
- Convenient metal container storage
- High-speed steel material with titanium coating
- Easy identification because of metric indexing
- High quality with high precision
- Not suitable for hard metals
2. Yarrkc Small Spiral Flutes and Micro Taps For Watches And Clocks
These high-accuracy mini-tapping tools come in 10 different sizes: M1 to M3.5. The standard measuring thread design ensures faster chip removal for maximum threading.
- Material: Stainless Steel
- Cuts through: Clocks and Watches, and low hardness of wood and soft metal hole processing
- Size Bits: M1 M1.2 M1.4 M1.6 M1.7 M1.8 M2 M2.5 M3 M3.5
- Tool Flute Type: Straight
- Number of bits: 10 bits
You should enjoy your tapping experience with these micro taps. Their flexible applications range from simple watch and clock making to cutting soft and hard metals. You are not limited by cost as it is an all-affordable set.
- Quality and high performing machine hand taps
- Standard metric size
- High accuracy
- Wear-resistant and highly durable
- Size labeling not specific
3. FTM.Inc Plastic Drill Bits
They are specific drill bits for acrylic, ABS, PVC, and polycarbonate. The tip geometry of 60o is appropriate for efficient drilling into polycarbonates without chipping or cracking them.
- Material: High Speed Steel
- Cuts through: Plastic (Acrylic, plexiglass, ABS, lexan, Polycarbonate, PVC)
- Size Bits: 1/8”, 3/16”, 1/4”, 5/16”, 3/8”, 7/16”, and 1/2”
- Finish Type: Gold
- Shank Type: Straight
- Number of bits: 7 bits
The bits are well-packed in a vinyl pouch for ease of carrying and identification. If you need quick, effortless drilling for polycarbonate and other plastics, this is an excellent choice and at a low cost.
- High-quality plastic drill bits
- Versatility
- Well-packed in a vinyl carrying case
- Value for money
- Limited information on the product
4. Bosch Extra Length Drill Bit
The extra length Bosch drill bit is an excellent option for use in copper, PVC, polycarbonate, and composite materials. Its durability beats that of high-speed steel by 50%.
- Material: Black Oxide
- Cuts through: steel, copper, aluminum, brass, oak, maple, MDF, pine, PVC, polycarbonate, acrylic, ABS, nylon and composite materials
- Size Bits: 3/16″ x 12″
- Finish Type: Black Oxide
- Tool Flute Type: Spiral
- Number of bits: 1 bit
If you need this bit for plastic drilling, it’s an economical single purchase considering the span of service.
- High heat resistance
- Durable
- Economical to purchase
- Great drilling speeds
- Tends to blunt after drilling several holes
5. Bosch 9/32 Inch Fractional Jobber Drill Bit
This bit is made of high-speed steel but with a black oxide finish. The black oxide makes it long-lasting compared to most high-speed steel drill bits.
- Material: High Speed Steel
- Cuts through: Metal, Wood and Plastic
- Size Bits: 9/32″ x 4-1/4″
- Finish Type: Black Oxide
- Tool Flute Type: Spiral
- Number of bits: 1 bit
With this bit, you’ll experience effortless drilling, less heat, and longer periods of service. If you need to fix your polycarbonate roofing, this bit is handy and at a cheap price.
- Inexpensive
- Great drilling speed
- Resistant to heat and wear
- Durable HSS with black oxide finish
- Wish for various diameters of the same quality & price
Choosing the Right Drill Bit for Polycarbonate Sheets – Buyer’s Guide
Drilling in polycarbonate sheets requires a lot of care and the right drill bits for fast and efficient drilling action. Before you start working on your piece, clamp it either singly or on both sides to avoid movement during the exercise.
You should also apply masking tape on both sides before drilling so that your hole does not chip over. Not forgetting, you need a backstop board or plywood that also prevents an uneven or chipped hole.
Now, what features should you look for in polycarbonate drill bits? Let’s narrow it down to some factors to consider before buying the best bits for the job.
Tip geometry
Drill bit tips for plastic tend to have a lower angular finish than ordinary bits. If you are using the normal bits, consider grinding the flute tips to a 60-90o angle for effective use on polycarbonate drilling. The right tip geometry eliminates grabbing which may lead to uneven or cracked edges on tough plastic.
Construction material
High-speed steel is a tough and sturdy material for making bits. However, when electroplated with the right metal like titanium or black oxide, they become stronger with a longer bit life.
Titanium-coated drill bits also have a high heat resistance therefore do not corrode and are slow to wear.
Screw size
When drilling a polycarbonate, the hole needs to be slightly larger than the screw. This is due to the ability to expand and contract in plastics.So depending on the screws you have for fixing your sheets, you should come up with the right bit diameters for the job.
Some Action You Need to Take for Keeping Away Danger
Now, when drilling through polycarbonate, you need to take a few precautions to keep away from danger or some losses.
Here is a quick reminder of what to do:
1. Keep your polycarbonate sheets clamped on your working table. This should improve the drilling accuracy and avoid unnecessary shifts.
2. Mark off your working sheets with a small drill bit instead of a center punch. The center punch may be too heavy and crack your material.
3. Protect your eyes with working goggles. You don’t want any eye injuries, right?
4. Have some backing wood such as plywood below your polycarbonate sheets. This prevents chipping on your working sheets.
Frequently Asked Questions
We respond to some common questions about drill bits for polycarbonate and their significant differences in terms of features and functionalities. Check out our responses right here:
Q: Can you drill a hole in polycarbonate
A: Yes, you can drill a hole using drill bits for plastics. The drill bits may be high-speed steel with titanium or cobalt coating, yet have a special angular geometry of 60- 90o which is not too pointy.
You also have an option to grind the ordinary bits by 10-15oto reduce the slope before using them.
Q: Does polycarbonate crack when drilled?
A: If using the right drill bit for plastic, polycarbonate will not crack. However, ordinary drill bits with tip angles of 118-120 degrees may cause polycarbonate to break/crack its edges.
Also, low drill speeds with minimum pressure should be fine.
Q: Is polycarbonate plastic shatterproof?
A: Polycarbonate is tough plastic and very much resistant to breaking. However, if overly manipulated it may develop cracks as a sign of tension.
Q: How do you drill Lexan without cracking it?
A: First, mark off the place you need the holes. Attach a masking tape, and then using the smallest drill bit, create a small pilot hole.
Make sure to hold your Lexan polycarbonate on your working bench. And at the bottom, use backing plywood to prevent chipping off.
At the same time have another masking tape where you expect the hole to pass through. With the right drilling speeds and pressure, your Lexan sheets won’t crack a single bit.
Which is Best – Our Final Verdict
Although all our polycarbonate bits are the best quality you can find, Tortoiseshell Titanium-Coated Drill Bits is our top pick. The 51 piece set is not only affordable but also high-performing with standard metric values and utmost accuracy.
They come in an indexed metallic case, and you have all-bit diameters with a slight increment of 0.1mm. It’s a multi-purpose set and you get value with every single set you purchase.
Conclusion
Polycarbonate sheets for roofing require the right holes for fitting in the screws. For ease of drilling and the right diameter size for the screws, you need the right drill bit sets.
Have a look at our top list of best drill bits for polycarbonate. You may be one step away from finding the best bit for your polycarbonate roofing.