How easy are plastic Boxes to work with?

[Killer Queen]

I'm thinking of using plastic enclosures- I'm not too bothered about shielding etc, as I can work around that easily enough, and I don't need anything particularly strong. I'm  thinking of plastic more because they're (presumably) easier to work with (and to decorate, and are a little cheaper, obviously)
So those of you who use them- how easy are they to work with? Are they really all that much convinient than Aluminium enclosures?

Now, Connoisseur of Distortion said in the other plastic enclosure thread that

they are NOT easy to machine. Drilling them is a serious pain, because as the bit exits the plastic it will grab hold and swing the box! Aluminum boxes are MUCH easier to machine. They do not grab, they aren't really THAT expensive (check out Circuit Specialists), and the whole shielding concern can be forgotten.

Now, I don't have a unibit or even a decent drill, so what I really want to know is are there other simpler (/cheaper) methods of putting holes in plastic enclosures. Can they just be cut with craft knives? I dont know much about working with plastic except what ive learned from building model kits and the like. Are there easier methods anyone here uses/knows of apart from using a drill/unibit?

[troubledtom]

if you have propane/map torch pieces of the right size metal mods , you could heat up the rods and push it thru the plastic enclosure. :wink:
           keep'n it real brothers,
                     peace,
                         - tom :twisted:

[petemoore]

I use steel toe boots, clamping the box between them, for the final drillings, I haven't had a spinning box yet, but also I loosen up the drilling pressure as the bit begins to have the opportunity to gouge in and rip a thick shaving of as it exits the substrate.
 Very square drilling also lessens the shard-gouging/box twisting as the bit exits.
 Another drilling trick I use [I should get a varibit], is to sink just the corner of the tip/shank of the drill bit just under the top of the substrate I'm drilling, then finish the cutting from the other side using low pressure and slow speed.

[MartyMart]

Using something "hot" is going to make an awful mess !
Get/borrow a drill and some bits, slow speed cuts through plastic like
butter.
I've had no "noise" problems from them and have used 4 now

Marty.

[Paul Perry (Frostwave)]

Whatever you do, don't try melting a hole with your soldering iron. Because, it might ruin the coating of the tip, if it is iron plated. :oops:

I don't now what tools you have, but in my experience cutting hard plastic with a knife is a great way to cut YOURSELF with a knife.. For a real budget operation, you can use a bit witout a drill, just clamp it somehow & hold the box and press & rotate. It works... or there is always the bow drill!
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.inuastudio.com/Images/Sculpture%2520Pix/Grandfather%2520with%2520Bow%2520Drill.JPG&imgrefurl=http://www.inuastudio.com/Stone/Grandfather%2520with%2520Bow%2520Drill.htm&h=532&w=368&sz=14&tbnid=M8qpL5mU_YsJ:&tbnh=129&tbnw=89&hl=en&start=13&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dbow%2Bdrill%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26c2coff%3D1%26safe%3Doff%26rls%3DGGLD,GGLD:2004-21,GGLD:en%26sa%3DN

[smallbearelec]

GOOD plastic enclosures, e.g. the Hammond 1591 series, are not much cheaper than metal. I recommend plastic specifically for a small power supply design in which insulation is a major factor. If you do go plastic, don't use your soldering iron or similar to chew holes; the result is ragged and a pain in the neck to smooth out. Do the right thing and save your nickels for some proper tools.

[Paul Marossy]

I'll second what smallbearelec says.  

[Paul Perry (Frostwave)]

As it happens, I helped a guy do some plumbing repairs that involved plastic boxes today. Cutting holes in a plastic box with a jigsaw is CRAP!! if anyone wonders. And despite being in Australia, it was cold enough for the box to crack when we tried to force a pipe into the hole :oops:

[Killer Queen]

Well in that case, as they're not all that much cheaper or easier to work with, I think I'll just use the aluminium ones    I can probably use my grandeds workshop or the school workshop for drilling, until I scrounge up the cash for some decent equipment myself. Thanks for the advice!

[ninoman123]

I use them all the time. I found it helps to drill with the drill set on reverse a little bit then finish off with it on forward. This makes the holes cleaner and reduces the risk of flinging it across the room. Ive never had a problem with noise. They are cheap and easy to work with.

[tatems]

I drill my aluminium boxes by hand and they still turn out well, but the shoulder get a bit sore from using the manual drill.  

[octafish]

You don't really need a superfantastic drill for the light work involved in drilling enclosures. Buy a cheap mains powered drill and as long as your not a tradesman, (and you treat it carefully), it should last you years. The drill bits will cost you however. I don't use a unibit and I started with cheap bits and have slowly replaced the cheap ones with good ones one at a time. Save youself the hassle and buy a decent set of bits first time.

tatems you are certifiable!

[thumposaurus]

You don't really need a superfantastic drill for the light work involved in drilling enclosures. Buy a cheap mains powered drill and as long as your not a tradesman, (and you treat it carefully), it should last you years. The drill bits will cost you however. I don't use a unibit and I started with cheap bits and have slowly replaced the cheap ones with good ones one at a time. Save youself the hassle and buy a decent set of bits first time.

tatems you are certifiable!

I second this idea, you can get a decent drill for about 20 bucks, add another 15 or so for a unibit and you should be set for awhile.

I've also found that plastic boxes while easier to drill are harder to paint, and lable.

[ninoman123]

15 for unibit!?! They cost 35 bucks at home depot in my area. Where are u getting them for 15 bucks?