"Need Drill Bits for Plastic Figures" Topic

I've been working on converting HaT plastic figures, which involves drilling holes with a pin vise tool. I'm finding that my drill bits do not cut through this type of plastic very easily. My drill bits work just fine on metal figures, but they have trouble with plastic material.

Does anyone have recommendations for drill bits for a pin vise that do the job on plastic figures?

Any bit should do to cut into plastic as the plastic is pretty soft compared to the metal you are used to drilling. The problem is getting the bit to "bite" into the soft slippery plastic without the tip sliding off first.

Try poking a pilot hole with a needle or awl. You won't need to put the pilot hole all the way through. Just make a hole that the tip of the drill can centre on and stop sliding until it gets some purchase.

I hope this helps.

There aren't any special drills for plastic. As noted above, a pilot hole can help. The main thing is that plastic clogs the drill far more rapidly than metal, particularly if it gets hot. You just need to keep extracting the drill bit and cleaning it.

I don't seem to have problems with Armies In Plastic figures, but the HaT figures are more difficult to work with. The bit makes a dent in the plastic, but then it just spins in place without extracting any more material. My thought was that maybe the plastic was dulling the drill bits.

HäT figures are just one of the polythene variants and shouldn't blunt the drill bit quickly, mate. Polythene is "oily" and the bit may be slipping rather than biting, if the feed pressure is too light, or the spin too quick for the pressure. Use the bottom of a figure base and experiment with pressure and how quickly you turn the pin vice. What you're looking for is the swarf to feed up the bit channels as the bit spins.

If, as folks are saying, the bit is slipping and not grabbing the plastic, I think the starter hole from a pin is a good idea. I have been thinking on what you could do to the plastic to allow the bit to grip. Maybe a dab of superglue would hold on the plastic long enough for the bit to get going.

Another pilot trick is to run the bit counterclockwise (or anti-clockwise if you prefer) for a few turns to create a shallow dimple to keep the bit from slipping and creating an area for it to bite once you change direction.

I recently saw some fine drill bits for sale in LIDL. They came in sets of 8 – 10 at about £4.99 GBP a box.

These would be ideal for plastic, wood and even metal.

Tony

In the days of Airfix figures we used a hot pin to make holes for weapons etc. We didn't have sophisticated tools like pin vices back then – you couldn't make them out of flint !!!

To be less flippant; I found a power drill (hobby size) to work quite well on polythene when a pin vice failed to work.

Agree with pilot hole. Also brace your figure a bit: if you're drilling out a hand, have the bottom of the hand resting on something. And apply a little pressure.

Maybe heat would work?

YouTube link

Try a Dremel. The fast spin rate should assist the bit through the plastic quite nicely.

A Dremel might melt the plastic. Are the bits you are now using on the plastic the same ones you use on metal? If so, that may be the problem, they are too dull to cut into the plastic. You should get another set of bits and keep them just for the plastic.

Make the dimple.

Make sure the drill bit is tight in the pin vice. That can cause slipping.

Push harder.

Or use a Dremel on a slow setting. I won't melt the plastic with a tiny drill.

Or use a #8 guitar string as the metal rod to convert figures. I use it all the time to swap heads. Just push it in to the plastic with a pair of needle nose pliers. Then trim to suit. A pilot dimple or pilot hole is helpful but not always required.

Mike Bunkermeister Creek
Bunker Talk blog

place a sewing pin in a cork, point side out. Heat it with a candle flame and quickly push it through. It is what I do on 3d prints.

I agree with the hot pin or paperclip (depending on the size hole needed). You have to be careful but it works.

Does anyone have recommendations for drill bits for a pin vise that do the job on plastic figures?

I've found that the drill bits sold for use on printed circuit boards (PCB) work OK on plastic figures. I got a set of bits from Amazon and, as I recall, they were not very expensive.

I don't understand why you need to drill.
Remove soft plastic base with a scalpel.
Super glue the feet to whatever base you want.
I've done this to many soft plastic's and it works great.
Note:generally I glue them to 20mm hard plastic slota base's.

I just reread the opening post i don't know why I thought he was basing!
Nevertheless I have found just super glueing works just fine I've glued on head's weapons packs alsorts!
I use "jot" thick glue.
I also store my soft plastics in zip lock bag's in a pile in a box with no real problems.