• Hello!

    Either you have not registered on this site yet, or you are registered but have not logged in. In either case, you will not be able to use the full functionality of this site until you have registered, and then logged in after your registration has been approved.

    Registration is FREE, so please register so you can participate instead of remaining a lurker....

    Please be certain that the location field is correctly filled out when you register. All registrations that appear to be bogus will be rejected. Which means that if your location field does NOT match the actual location of your registration IP address, then your registration will be rejected.

    Sorry about the strictness of this requirement, but it is necessary to block spammers and scammers at the door as much as possible.

Air holes in sterilites

LindsayMarie

LindsayMarie

Been here awhile
What is the best way to get the "neatest" looking and softest (to avoid nose rub) airholes on all these sterilites? Without taking hours and hours. I see other peoples tubs and vent holes and I swear they sat there and measured each hole precisely. Anyways, any pointers????
 
A piece of peg board if you have it will give you the perfect grid spacing, and then an appropriate sized drill bit, just file off the inside to make it nice and smooth without sharp edges. That or you can melt holes with the correct size nail, but that could get messy.
 
Personally, I prefer using a soldering iron. I tried punching holes and drilling holes, and I found I had a tendency to crack the plastic. Eventually I just used the soldering iron to melt holes, and then used a damp sponge to get the extra melted plastic off the iron. At the end, all you have to do is pull away some little tendrils of plastic (kinda like when you use a hot glue gun).
 
Jrgh17 said:
Personally, I prefer using a soldering iron. I tried punching holes and drilling holes, and I found I had a tendency to crack the plastic. Eventually I just used the soldering iron to melt holes, and then used a damp sponge to get the extra melted plastic off the iron. At the end, all you have to do is pull away some little tendrils of plastic (kinda like when you use a hot glue gun).
Click to expand...
That's what I use, and I usually don't even get the little tendrils once you get the technique "perfected". This method also gives you the ability to make holes of various sizes, suitable for new hatchlings on up to adults. It not only works for Sterlite tubs, but also on deli cups and Gladware (or generic equivalent). I have a preference for the small, red handled soldering iron that I found at Home Depot. Lowes probably carries it as well. It's not that expensive (I think I paid around $30 for my last one, but don't quote me on that) and well worth it.
 
Ditto on a soldering iron. I used to use a drill, and with a good set of bits, you don't have to worry about cracking the plastic. But after drilling an entire rack worth of holes, my arm was sore from holding the drill non-stop. So I tried the soldering iron and haven't looked back (I actually have one just for making tub holes). If you go that route, try to do it outside, because the fumes wreak!

Oh, and the one I got, I got from Wal-Mart for ~$8 (maybe a little more, regardless, the cheapest one I could find). Works great!
 
I use a wood burning tool which is really just a soldering iron that you can change the nibs on. I got mine from teh local craft store. I do it by a window with a fan set to "exhaust".
 
cornspot said:
I use a wood burning tool which is really just a soldering iron that you can change the nibs on. I got mine from teh local craft store. I do it by a window with a fan set to "exhaust".
Click to expand...

That's what I use too. It only cost $12. Works great!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top