Strengthening bolt holes

[brisa_main]

Hi

I have some bolt holes drilled in some 10mm cast acrylic. When tightening one of them I heard and then saw a small crack running off from the hole.
It has to be done up pretty tight (maybe not as tight as i did) so is there anyway to strengthen a hole?

It was laser cut if that helps

[kellys_eye]

All you can do is spread the load. Acrylic will have a certain load value at which point it breaks and spreading the load is the only way to increase it. Larger washers.

If the acrylic isn't meant to 'crush' together then you can sleeve the hole with a piece of metal pipe.

[ultimatehandyman]

It's easy to crack acrylic regardless of how the holes have been drilled.

As kellys_eye has said a metal insert in the hole will help prevent this.

If you are tapping the acrylic to accept a thread you are better off using a thread insert if you have to have the bolts tight.

[brisa_main]

Yeh i think metal inserts would work great. Good thinking!