800 Tiny holes?

[EricSchimel]

So I'm working on designing another arcade machine:

https://youtu.be/yK8T7HLZfgs

I'm trying to do something different this time, namely on the side panel I want to use firber optic LEDs like these:

https://www.amazon.com/CHINLY-remote-Ceiling-Lights-lighting/dp/B014F52EHM/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1500760254&sr=8-2-spons&keywords=fiber+optic+lights&psc=1

You see a lot of installations of these on ceilings for a starfield effect. The way you install them is to drill lots of .03" holes through drywall. You then shove the fiber cables in and clip them flush.

Aside from the tedium of drilling all of those holes in the drywall, it's pretty easy looking. I can't imagine you'd break to many drill bits drilling through soft stuff like that.

I want to do this on plywood like baltic birch. I'm looking to do a really dense starfield on each side of the arcade machine, so about 400 holes per side.

Does anyone have experience using a tiny little drill bit like this to drill this many holes? I haven't committed to the design just yet, but I'm thinking about it...

[chiloquinruss]

I use 1/16th tapered Beckwith ball nose a lot. My thought would be if you drill from the back side you would have the larger part of the bit for strength and the point would only have to penetrate just the tip. Just a thought. Russ

http://www.beckwithdecor.com/index_files/Tooling.htm

[Tim Lucas]

thinking about the side and 400 stars - would you loose the effect with that many?

[Gary Campbell]

Eric...
.030 end mill and peck drill. Do a test to see if you want to cut from the top or bottom

[EricSchimel]

I really like that idea of the tapered ball mill! I was planning on drilling from the back side anyway... That may work out very well.

Gary I know I could use a . 030 mill but do you think it will take forever?

After you put the fiber cable through the hole you're supposed to glue it in place so a tapered hole I think would work great for that.

[Burkhardt]

..... so a tapered hole I think would work great for that.

Not sure about that. With the taper you can not predict the exact orientation of the fiber and the light field may look a bit uneven.
I am with Gary. A simple end mill or PCB drill bit should do the job just fine. You could use thin aircraft plywood, maybe 1/8" or 3/16" or even phenolic Garolite XX sheet (https://www.mcmaster.com/#85315k292/=18m6k1c)

[jerry_stanek]

[QUOTE=Burkhardt;197317]Not sure about that. With the taper you can not predict the exact orientation of the fiber and the light field may look a bit uneven.
I am with Gary. A simple end mill or PCB drill bit should do the job just fine. You could use thin aircraft plywood, maybe 1/8" or 3/16" or even phenolic Garolite XX sheet (https://www.mcmaster.com/#85315k292/=18m6k1c)[/QUOTE

That effect may look better as it would look more like the night sky not all the stars appear the same

[EricSchimel]

Unfortunately I can't use thin plywood. It's the side of an arcade
machine so it's holding the whole thing together. I'm going to be using 3/4 baltic birch

[bleeth]

I had a similar project in which I was drilling many 1/8" holes in 3/4" panels.
For that I used an 1/8" twist bit in a matching collett. Spun and drilled fairly slow (Like .5 plunge and 2000rpm) to keep the heat down.
Yes it was slow. But it went fine.

[Burkhardt]

Unfortunately I can't use thin plywood. It's the side of an arcade
machine so it's holding the whole thing together. I'm going to be using 3/4 baltic birch

Aha...in that case no 0.03" end mill will be long enough to drill through 3/4" (and clog) and feeding the fiber through such a deep narrow hole a problem anyway.

I would probably run 2 tool paths, first with an 1/8" end mill or drill to leave maybe 0.06" wall remaining (that could be done very quickly) and then with the thin bit to drill through (which should also be quick, given the thin wall).

[EricSchimel]

Ahh now we're talking. Maybe a good strategy would be to come in with a 1/16 tapered ball mill and leave about .06 and then come back with the tiny bit and finish up.

[scottp55]

Eric,
Just in case this becomes a standard routine for you, just mentioning these bits I bought for super fine 3D detail.
I bought the pack with .125" shanks with .25mm through 1mm TBN after a discussion on the Vectric forum, and when Randal bought some and posted the link, I decided to try them out.
They cut very clean with my "Moon" test on hard Maple, and I screwed up and ran the offset toolpath with the bit ZZeroed from the spoilboard instead of the material top....
SO it plunged at 1.5IPS all the way to the collet nut and tried to cut.....and after cleaning it up it was undamaged at 10X loupe inspection. :)
I measured the .25MM Radius one and I'd do holes with it....not sure if I'd use drill toolpath....I'd probably draw .01" circles and do a Profile on line with a spiral ramp with a lot of passes, and final pass of .001" for clean up.
JUST ordered some more .125" shanks and a .25" shank yesterday;
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1pc-R0-25-1-8-shank-Solid-Carbide-tapered-Ball-nose-endmill-coating-TiAlN-HRC55/252831816273?_trksid=p2047675.c100011.m1850&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIM.MBE%26ao%3D1%2 6asc%3D41375%26meid%3D5fd4b4369cb443709ef6df4d1f23 77b7%26pid%3D100011%26rk%3D2%26rkt%3D9%26sd%3D2527 60178784

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1-4-shank-tip-R-0-25mm-Solid-Carbide-tapered-Ball-end-mills-HRC55-TiAlN-coated/262911695733?_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIM.MBE%26ao%3D2%2 6asc%3D41375%26meid%3Dfb105f8103fb4875bceac6a4f427 1779%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D3%26rkt%3D6%26sd%3D2631 01006145

I got an August 3 to August 23 delivery date, but on my first 2 orders it was 3 week delivery. If that's too long, then maybe we could work out a way so you could use my two .125" shank ones and just replace them for me? E-mail me from contact list if interested.
I just thought the 1/8" hole with the tip a perfect size might interest you.
I also used the .5MM Radius on a demo for a Lady who's come to shop twice to get basic CNC info, and all cuts have been a sand free finish in Maple and Cherry.
scott

[Red F]

You could pocket the backside of the plywood where you are going to add your lights and then use the smaller bit to drill the hole.

[scottp55]

I just got another "Moderator must approve" notice after a long reply:(
Eric,
check these out....have worked very well in testing, and the .125" .25MM Radius one might be perfect for BBPLY.
I buried one right to the collet at 1.5IPS on an offset 3D toolpath, and after cleaning and inspecting with a 10X loupe...no discernible damage in Hard Maple.
I JUST order another .125" and a .25" shank and delivery was August2 toAugust23, but my first 2 orders were 3 weeks....You'd be welcome to use my 2 .125" shank ones if you'd just replace them...contact me through e-mail in contact list if interested.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1pc-R0-25-1-8-shank-Solid-Carbide-tapered-Ball-nose-endmill-coating-TiAlN-HRC55/252831816273?_trksid=p2047675.c100011.m1850&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIM.MBE%26ao%3D1%2 6asc%3D41375%26meid%3D5fd4b4369cb443709ef6df4d1f23 77b7%26pid%3D100011%26rk%3D2%26rkt%3D9%26sd%3D2527 60178784

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1-4-shank-tip-R-0-25mm-Solid-Carbide-tapered-Ball-end-mills-HRC55-TiAlN-coated/262911695733?_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIM.MBE%26ao%3D2%2 6asc%3D41375%26meid%3Dfb105f8103fb4875bceac6a4f427 1779%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D3%26rkt%3D6%26sd%3D2631 01006145

scott

[EricSchimel]

Scott, that's a really kind gesture, I appreciate it!

I'm good for now however, I'm still designing this project it's not going to get milled for a month or so. I'm just doing all of my figuring ahead of time so I don't back myself into a corner with something that's going to either not work or take far too long.

I think I may have figured out that I can use slightly larger diameter fiber optic tubes, so between that and pocketing the back side I think I'll be in good shape. I'm going to order a few bits and do some testing small scale before I commit 100%.

[scottp55]

That's good Eric.
I was leery of Chinese bits after my very first try with a batch of 10 1/8", and they were so lousy they're still sitting in the back of the drawer.
Glad I tried these, and after initial testing immediately ordered more so if I dropped one on the floor, I wouldn't be shut down.
FUNNY....I put a piece of BB Ply and the bit on a paper towel to take a pic, and spilled coffee this am and used paper towel to clean spill and threw the bit in the trash:)
Major scramble 2 minutes later...glad it stayed in the paper towel!!
Digging through kitchen trash can is NOT the way to start a day:)
Looking forward to see method you come up with as the best!
scott

OH, We wound up using Drillman1's Kyocera .0625" up and downcuts for buttonholes for literally several thousand buttonholes in Maple,Cherry,Black Walnut, and Bloodwood, and always perfect cuts, and only on my second 1/6" downcut.:)
Maybe he has a Kyocera in whatever diameter you need?