Has anyone successfully drilled a hole through Bakelite? I bought a NOS
ignition switch housing on eBay that looked identical to my 120s but on
receipt, it’s missing the hole through to the back side. Other than that, it
should work. I’m concerned that I’ll end up with a pile of Bakelite chips if
I attempt to drill it with a regular bit. I’m thinking of a tiny Dremel
grinding stone or something like that.
“Mark 1” Mark Stephenson Phoenix, AZ
52 XK120 S673129; 59 Mark 1; 84, 85, 86, 95 XJ6
In reply to a message from Mark Stephenson sent Mon 30 Jan 2012:
I’ve ground, filed, filled and glued bakelite without issues and I
can’t see why drilling should be a problem…
We’ve ground [ with a linisher] and filed large amounts off
broken MK IV manettes to make them into SS ones and at no time did
they show likehood of a disaster.
I read on websites that bakelite couldn’t be glued or at least not
easily
I’ve recently built up and machined the mounting corner of an SS1
headlamp switch with JB weld and it’s holding on extremely well.–
The original message included these comments:
Has anyone successfully drilled a hole through Bakelite? I bought a NOS
In reply to a message from Ed Nantes sent Tue 31 Jan 2012:
Mark,
The only problems I a aware of machining Bakelite ( notice I used
the capital ‘‘B’’ to denote the real thing - there are similar
plastics that are sometimes also referred to as Bakelite ) have
been when it is really old, and particularly if it has been
subjected to a lot of heat over its service life.
I guess I am saying that I would worry of it was an original Jaguar
part that had lived under the bonnet of a running car for many
years.
In reply to a message from Mark Stephenson sent Mon 30 Jan 2012:
Mark
I’ve drilled it. Make sure you have a sharp bit, and go
slowly, especially just before you break through. If you go
too fast, or have too much pressure you’ll knock out a
chunk. Sometimes that’s difficult with a hole shooter, a
drill press works best.
Joel–
ex jag, '66 E-type S1 4.2, '56 XK140dhc, '97 XJ-6
Denison, TX, United States
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Support the back side with a piece of scrap wood or some such.
Gene McGough----- Original Message -----
From: “ex jag” jcrprops@sbcglobal.net
Sent: Tuesday, January 31, 2012 6:30 AM
I’ve drilled it. Make sure you have a sharp bit, and go
slowly, especially just before you break through. If you go
too fast, or have too much pressure you’ll knock out a
chunk. Sometimes that’s difficult with a hole shooter, a
drill press works best.
Joel
ex jag, '66 E-type S1 4.2, '56 XK140dhc, '97 XJ-6
Denison, TX, United States
In reply to a message from ex jag sent Tue 31 Jan 2012:
Hi All
When I drill Bakelite I attach masking tape to the area and drill
through the tape this keeps the edges from chipping, again go slow
and use water to keep the bit and Bakelite cool, drill press is
best, you should have no problems. hope this helps.
Regards
Michael Sweeney
XK 120 OTS
XK 140 FHC
X300 XJ6–
jagman
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The “super glues” seem to work very well with Bakelite, the same stuff
that you use to tailor make “O” rings. It works exceptionally well if
you have a clean break and no lost material.
Regards,
Rick
writes:On Tue, 31 Jan 2012 00:45:15 -0800 “Ed Nantes” enantes@bigpond.com
In reply to a message from Mark Stephenson sent Mon 30 Jan 2012:
I’ve ground, filed, filled and glued bakelite without issues and I
can’t see why drilling should be a problem…
We’ve ground [ with a linisher] and filed large amounts off
broken MK IV manettes to make them into SS ones and at no time did
they show likehood of a disaster.
I read on websites that bakelite couldn’t be glued or at least not
easily
I’ve recently built up and machined the mounting corner of an SS1
headlamp switch with JB weld and it’s holding on extremely well.
–
The original message included these comments:
Has anyone successfully drilled a hole through Bakelite? I bought
a NOS
In reply to a message from Rick Holland sent Wed 1 Feb 2012:
Rick
That’s useful to know. Unfortunately with car stuff it always
seems you’ve got something that has lost a corner or mounting tab.
The JB can be used to build it up and if it’s visible , paint the
whole thing later.
One of the Register members here has been moulding various items,
from horn buttons to terminal covers and gear lever knobs in
modern plastics which are a very good substitute for bakelite. They
even sell a tinter to replicate the look.
All ‘do it yourself’ at home stuff. I don’t know whether it’s
strong enough for distributor caps and these haven’t been that hard
to find to have been worth trying.–
The original message included these comments:
ED,
The ‘‘super glues’’ seem to work very well with Bakelite, the same stuff
that you use to tailor make ‘‘O’’ rings. It works exceptionally well if
you have a clean break and no lost material.
Thanks everyone for the technique to drill Bakelite. I used a drill press
and it worked a treat.
I will now sheepishly admit that after having drilled it and attempting to
figure out why the stem with the nut wouldn’t go through the back of the
ignition lock housing, and carefully measuring the recesses inside the NOS
lock, I realized that the piece with the stem also had to be removed from
the tumbler/key part of the lock by depressing a small spring-loaded pin.
Once I did that, the tumbler assembly slid right in. There was already a
plastic piece in the NOS lock housing for that pin. IOW, I never needed to
drill the hole in the first place. But, if I ever need to drill Bakelite, I
am now confident with my ability to do it.
“Mark 1” Mark Stephenson Phoenix, AZ
52 XK120 S673129; 59 Mark 1; 84, 85, 86, 95 XJ6
In reply to a message from Mark Stephenson sent Sun 5 Feb 2012:
Mark,
Other than ‘‘Understand first, Fix later’’ I would only add that
if you do have to drill FLAT Bakelite again, use a sharp wood bit
(i.e. a lip and spur bit) with very light pressure initially,
starting on the good surface. This will leave you with a clean
scored hole on the OD although it may break out on the rear side if
you can’t back the rear surface with something. (easily fixed with
5 min epoxy)
The other possibility, particularily for large holes on
compound curves is to start with an undersize hole, then open it
out with a conical bit. You can even make a conical bit out of a
dowel, with a slit and a strip of emery paper through the slit.
Drilling perpendicular to a compound curve is difficult in a
drillpress, so the ‘‘undersize, sand out’’ is much easier with a
steady hand, a good eye, and a cordless drill.
Andrew–
The original message included these comments:
drill the hole in the first place. But, if I ever need to drill Bakelite, I
am now confident with my ability to do it.