Drilling thousands of small holes in HDPE "poly pipe"

[EmGo]

3000 holes. Not exactly production world.

You're going to go into the "not very exciting" bin as well, if you don't watch out

 

[William Lynn]

500' x 17mm PC Drip Line with .95 GPH Emitters Every 12" (DIG)

The Drip Store's Excel Pressure Compensating Drip Line from DIG is extruded drip tubing with self-contained, flow regulated inline emitters molded into the inside wall of the drip tubing in preset spacing.

www.dripirrigation.com

Me thinks you want to take away all the cussing when the project doesn't go as planned.

 

[mike44]

Figured it was worth a shot to see if you guys have ideas. We will be drilling around 3000 small holes in 1" poly pipe for drip irrigation purposes. This won't be a CNC operation, but looking for a way to make this go faster. But beyond speed right now, I am trying to select tooling that will do this and make a nice, clean hole. I am just not convinced a twist drill is the answer. The pipe is thin wall so drill pressure is an issue, but we are talking about a .125"-ish hole.

Basically a small barbed fitting goes in each hole and I am trying to minimize leaks, though I realize this won't be, or even need to be perfect. I ran testing on a sample, one hole drilled with a straight flute step bit, another was simply pierced. The drilled hole was leak free at 60psi, but the pierced hole had a small leak. Piercing was also problematic in that it deformed the pipe, even with support, just due to the force needed.

I also attempted to melt a hole in but I think that would take very precise heat control and did not make a nice hole regardless.

I know PE pipe will make some serious stringy chips, which is not really a problem, other than I would like to minimize burrs inside/outside the pipe.

Before you drill the pipe , check out "MR Landscape" web site. I have irrigated several different ways. PVC pipe in a green house and high tunnels. This worked okay. Soaker hose, did not hold up well. Lasted 3 seasons til the hose cracked. Drip irrigation tape. This was the worst of the lot.
Drip irrigation hose , this is the best . Mr Landscaper website has this hose in two diameters.
Been using it for 6 years and am very satisfied. You can make bends without 90° fittings though they carry them. They have starter kits to try out. I have 2 high tunnels with this irrigation.
No emitters to plug in, they are built into the hose.

 

[Bill D]

Soldering iron in a non rotating mill spindle or drill press.
BilLD

 

[reggie_obe]

The manufacturer has punches. Quit trying to roll your own. Don't drill the holes, the chips will plug the emitters. If you won't buy the really cheap factory punch, then melt them in.

As far as the line with molded drippers, I'm guessing the OP wants the push in drippers so he can put a line on the emitter discharge to go to a pot or similar.

Yes to the above.
What kind of drip or trickle irrigation system is running at 60psi?

 

[swade]

Make sure that you can flush out all of the cuttings, they will plug random holes and reduce flow. Also provide a filter/strainer sized smaller than the holes on your water supply: A .125 orifice @60 psi will deliver more than 100 gph, are you sure you have the supply for 3000 of these holes? I have been involved in refrigerated water/brine spray systems, test a length of pipe and calculate your flow, it is easier to add holes than remove them.

 

[Bill D]

I would use a countersink cage and the correct bit. But add a shoe to the foot of the cage that is a half round trough the diameter of the tube. This will locate the drill on center and prevent walking. A short length of 2x2 wood with a hole drilled in the diameter of the foot. Glued on or strapped on somehow.
BilL D

 

[surplusjohn]

Bimba makes air cylinders with hollow punches on them. they are cheap you could use multiples. air blast clears the punch. i also thought of a flow drill approach, with this wall plastic, a dull drill bit run at high speed might give you the same effect.

 

[surplusjohn]

Bimba makes air cylinders with hollow punches on them. they are cheap you could use multiples. air blast clears the punch. i also thought of a flow drill approach, with thin wall plastic, a dull drill bit run at high speed might give you the same effect.

https://www.bimba.com/en/detail/original_line_hole_punch i see now that the smallest punch is 1/4 inch.

 

[Tony Quiring]

What are you using as source for materials?

Box store?

Do not go there.

Landscape supply, avoid that too.

Locate an agriculture supply.

There seems to be a "back room agreement" in place, Landscape and retail sell certian things and commercial ag, the good stuff.

They make drip tube in many sizes that will take the pressure and can be punched.

Our system has maybe 1500 feet of 0.9 od drip line buried just under grass root level with multiple cross ties to insure multiple pathways for water flow.

Underground is the distribution, rows next to the trees with cross columns to improve water flow.

Each tree has 4 emitters connected via short 1/4 od tubing.

the system is fed by one valve that feeds the distribution from both ends.

we use 1 GPH buttons and have the pressure set to 10 psi as we also have drip tape in garden.

The lower pressure drops the flow some, you can set yours to what the emitters need.

Been in service for 20 years and still in good shape.

Can handle higher pressures but drip does not need more than 25 psi.

To insure good flow have good distribution.

The correct materials will do the job, visit a commercial ag supply and discuss your project, they likely have what you need.