How To Drill Sheet Rubber

Other applications include drilling holes in silicone baby bottle teats and cutting sheets of rubber to make gaskets seals and other components.

How to drill sheet rubber.

Rubber is a type of polymer that stretches back to its original shape when bent or stretched. It s made from latex which comes from a tropical tree. Most of the items might already be in your home. Speed changes are as easy as opening the lid and moving a rubber belt from one pulley to another.

A trick that a salesman for laboratory glassware told me long time ago. In general the rubber will have a tendency to pull up into the drill bit so you need to hold the rubber securely to the drill press table. Instructional video on how to cut rubber with a sharp utility knife to a specified length. The most expensive drill presses are floor standing models but you can buy a decent benchtop unit for about 100.

Drill presses also come with beefy cast iron tables with tilt and height adjustments and allow a variety of clamping options. If you need to drill 2 or more holes next to each other use a level to make sure they are properly lined up. If you re drilling into tile ceramic or glass mark the spot with an x made of masking tape. A hollow punch sometimes called a washer cutter or gasket cutter.

I tried using a standard 2 flt carbide endmill and found that just like a drill bit the hole size was significantly smaller than the tool. All you need is a few things from your local hardware store to drill rubber. To drill holes in soft materials like sheet rubber or leather first i make a sandwich by clamping the material between two pieces of 1 4 in. This will both mark the spot and keep the drill bit from slipping or chipping the tile when you begin to make your hole.

I experimented with some tools i had on hand and made several discoveries about what worked and didnt. Then i drill through the entire assembly. Our lasers can be used to cut and drill rubber for a variety of applications. I use a brad point bit for the smaller holes and a forstner bit for the larger ones.

Rubber processing is common in the automotive industry where holes are drilled in rubber car door seals and material is cut for windscreen wiper blades. These rubber balls are supposed to have 1 8 holes drilled through them.