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Air Holes in AMAC

Metalman2004

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I bought my first sling and an enclosure from Jamie's (not my first t, just my first sling). The enclosure looks great and its nice that it came with everything needed. As I start to expand my collection of slings it seems the cheaper way to go would be to buy AMAC boxes instead.

How are you folks poking holes in your AMAC boxes? I read in a book about using a red hot paperclip to melt small holes in plastic enclosures. Would this work with the acrylic boxes? If not I do have a drill press. What size bit should I use? Should I use a slow speed setting so I don't crack the boxes?
 

Enn49

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I just heat a needle up for sling containers and a metal skewer for larger ts.
 

Kymura

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Soldering iron works as well. If I use a drill I just use low speed so as not to melt the plastic bit size dependant on what's going in the enclosure.
 

kormath

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you got the drill press already, may as well use it. it's simple. For slings i use a 1/16" bit for the smallest ones, when upgrading to an amac box i drill holes half the width of their carapace so they can't escape through them. put 4 or 5 holes around the top of the box on each side, then whatever pattern you want on the lid. I usually make an X cause it's fast and i'm lazy ;) Go slow with a drill press on medium or high speed. I use a hand drill for all of mine, and put a wood block on the inside to drill into to keep the box from cracking. Buy an extra box to practice on ;)
 

Metalman2004

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So I got a 4"x4"x8" AMAC box for when my versicolor moves up. What size holes do you think for this box? This is the same size box as the Jamie's medium size. She says this'll hold up to a 3.5" juvi.
 

kormath

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depends on the size of the versi when you put it in there. Nothing bigger than half the width of the carapace is my rule of thumb. then you also gotta factor in what you're feeding and not let hte prey escape. I'd do 1/8" or so holes. that should be plenty big for air circulation and not let the T or prey escape.
 

SpiderDad61

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Warminster PA
I bought my first sling and an enclosure from Jamie's (not my first t, just my first sling). The enclosure looks great and its nice that it came with everything needed. As I start to expand my collection of slings it seems the cheaper way to go would be to buy AMAC boxes instead.

How are you folks poking holes in your AMAC boxes? I read in a book about using a red hot paperclip to melt small holes in plastic enclosures. Would this work with the acrylic boxes? If not I do have a drill press. What size bit should I use? Should I use a slow speed setting so I don't crack the boxes?
IF u use a drill, first mark the hole spots with ruler and marker. Start with a small bit, and go low speed thro the holes with LIGHT pressure.
After, get ur next bit size u want the holes to end up being, and with the pre drilled holes, it'll go thru like butter. De butt the holes with a small brush.
If melting, use a soldering iron for slings. It's a perfect size sling hole. Bigger holes, I have a metal awl or hole punch I heat til it's red, and once my holes are marked, melt them.
Both work fine. The melting method is faster, and no clean up after. Either way, wash the Amac box with water after
 

Metalman2004

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3 Year Member
Messages
810
IF u use a drill, first mark the hole spots with ruler and marker. Start with a small bit, and go low speed thro the holes with LIGHT pressure.
After, get ur next bit size u want the holes to end up being, and with the pre drilled holes, it'll go thru like butter. De butt the holes with a small brush.
If melting, use a soldering iron for slings. It's a perfect size sling hole. Bigger holes, I have a metal awl or hole punch I heat til it's red, and once my holes are marked, melt them.
Both work fine. The melting method is faster, and no clean up after. Either way, wash the Amac box with water after

What exactly do you mean by debutting the holes?
 

kormath

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i use my fingernail on the acrylic right after drilling to deburr. usually comes off really easy. I've tried predrilling once, it ended up cracking on me, i just drill the size i need now and go slow, let the bit do the work.
 
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