Spent Saturday deciding between acrylic and tempered glass for my side panel...

I was stuck for like 3 hours trying to pick between acrylic and tempered glass for the custom side panel on my build. Acrylic is way easier to cut and drill at home, but I kept reading horror stories about it scratching if you look at it wrong. Tempered glass looks way cleaner and is tougher, but I don't have the tools to cut it myself and getting it cut custom would run me $45. I ended up going with acrylic because I wanted to try painting the back of it with a dark smoke color, and I figured I could always replace it later if it gets messed up. The painting part went surprisingly well, I did three light coats and let it dry in the garage overnight. But man, when I went to drill the mounting holes, I cracked the edge on my first try because I didn't use a pilot bit. Had to order a second sheet for $12 and start over... has anyone else had trouble drilling acrylic without cracking it?

2 comments

2 Comments

stellafisher1mo ago

Is it just me or is drilling acrylic basically the same life lesson as when you rush putting IKEA furniture together and strip a screw? You spend the money to learn to slow down and use the right bit.

the_anthony1mo ago

Read some guy on a PC building forum say you should drill acrylic underwater to keep it cool and prevent cracks. Tried it on my second sheet with a sharp brad point bit and it worked like a charm, no chips or cracks at all. Did you ever get yours to cooperate or did you end up switching to another material?