Can I drill Avonite galley worktops?

[jfm]

I want to fit a permanent hob fiddle, made with corner posts with bars between them. I want to have the corner posts made in a lathe, with a (say) 8mm dia pin (protrudung down from a shoulder), and I want to drill 8mm dia holes right thru my avonite worktop and glue the pins of these corner posts in the holes

How easy is it to drill Avonite? Any special drill needed? Does the top surface splinter or chip? Better to drill fast or slow? Thanks

BTW, there is a 50page download on how to work \aAvonite on their website, and it talks about sawing, routing, joining, sanding, polishing, but says nothing on drilling!

 

[Whitelighter]

Would have thought a stone drill bit and lots of water would be the way forward.

 

[VicS]

In the Avonite Surfaces Fabrication guide it says [ QUOTE ]
Avonite Surfaces material can be easily machined
with ordinary woodworking tools, such as routers,
saws, planers, lathes, drills, and sanders. All blades
and bits should be carbide tipped.

[/ QUOTE ]

 

[burgundyben]

I was about to remind you about that download until I got to the last few words of your post. Could you get a bit of scrap avonite fro EBY or Fairline?

 

[ians]

Jfm

Have a quick word with Argonautical (jason) on this forum, he knows about this sort of stuff

Regards

ian

 

[oceanfroggie]

Same as drilling marble bathroom tiles I'd guess. Starter bit, then wood rather than stone bit to minimise risk of cracking (ie reduced hammering)

 

[tcm]

yes. Best is a specially-extra-sharp angle drill but a normal hss drilbit will do. Generates lots of heat and slippery to start so mask tape over the hole to reduce inital slip, then not too fast else goes melty and new drillbit and bit of coolant around.

 

[gimmesunshine]

from a tile shop you can buy drill kit which has decent bits but also a suction cup holder to stop it slipping and water resevoir to cool while you drill
think tile eady make them

 

[epervier]

it's only a resin based product, so I would use a new 8mm drill bit and a battery drive drill at relatively slow speeds I think you'll find it a soft material to work with and not like granite or marble, corian is another resin based material, sunseeker have been using it for years, it can be sanded polished reshaped, all with everyday tools, although the adhesives and fillers might be difficult to source in small quantities.

 

[Argonautical]

JFM

No problem at all to drill the stuff. We use Corian more than anything else, just tape the spot your going to drill and use conventional drill bits.

All stress free!

Merry Christmas All.
Jas

 

[jfm]

Thanks everyone. I shall drill with a normal drill then, sharp, and slowish speed. If it all goes badly wrong and I wreck the galley I'll post pics here :-/ Thanks