How to enlarge cup holders?

[no704]

Anyone put bigger cup holders in? I've got a '86 BL and the drink holders are sized to hold a can. Would like to make them hold a can + cozzie. I'm sure the inserts are Avilable anywhere, but how to enlarge the hole becomes the question. I'm thinking a hole saw, but already having the old hole what to center it? Might have to make some kind of shunt/plug to center the hole saw.

Any of you smarter guys do this with easy success?

Thanks,

Neil

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: How to enlarge cup holders?

you need to clamp or screw a board over the existing hole with the new hole already drilled into it...... The board will locate the hole saw so you can start the new hole

 

[bajaunderground]

Re: How to enlarge cup holders?

Why you yelling?

Get a demel tool and a be careful! Hole saw is too hard to center and make it look clean...fiberglass and gel coat will just chip and fray.

~Brett

 

[no704]

Re: How to enlarge cup holders?

Didn't mean to yell text looked really small in the posting bit.

Thanks for the quick replies.

Neil

 

[moosehead]

Re: How to enlarge cup holders?

+1 to dremel and patience

 

[no704]

Re: How to enlarge cup holders?

I do not have much experiance workin with fiberglass, try to avoid it really (Itch). But I'm thinking cut a plug with the bigger hole saw taper it on the lathe and use a metal cutting hole saw in reverse to cit the fglass.

 

[H20Rat]

Re: How to enlarge cup holders?

Hole saws do NOT work well in fiberglass. They will rip the edges out, and will get extremely hot and gum up. By far the best thing I've ever used for delicate fiberglass cutting is a rotozip spiral saw. (well, generic menards rotozip clone.) Basically its a big dremel on steroids. The nice part about the spiral saw is that it has an internal fan on the motor which happens to blow air OUT, so it constantly is blowing the fiberglass away from you. It also helps to have a helper with a shop vac holding the end by your cut.

(cut 4 speaker holes + 2 12" sub holes in my boat using this... LOTS of fiberglass cutting!)

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: How to enlarge cup holders?

I've cut LOTS of holes in f glass w hole saws.... Never had a problem..... I use my cordless drill in low gear and it has always been easy.

 

[jkimball]

Re: How to enlarge cup holders?

I used a hole saw to cut 4 speaker holes in my fiberglass.
Just run it in reverse in a low gear (as Smoke said) to cut through the gel-coat, then forward while still in the lower gear to get through the glass. Not that bad at all.

 

[ken51k]

Re: How to enlarge cup holders?

That is correct...the trick is to start the hole with the drill in reverse and a slow speed. As to getting and keeping it centered, put a block of wood in the cup holder so the drill will be kept centered.

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: How to enlarge cup holders?

Just came up with another way to center....

say you have a 3" hole and want a 4" hole.... Use a 3" hole saw to cut a plug from wood.... Insert said plug in existing hole and put 4 or more coarse wood screws in the gap around the circumference of the plug and hole.... That should lock the plug in place... Then switch to the 4" holesaw and cut the new hole.

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: How to enlarge cup holders?

Here's another option.... In the past I've found it to work with some hole saws and not w others.

How to Enlarge a Hole Using a Drill : How-To : DIY Network

 

[JimS123]

Re: How to enlarge cup holders?

Forget the whole project. The larger size cup holders fit only the smallest of drink cozys, so are worthless.

Buy a teak drink holder and surface mount it.

 

[Splat]

Re: How to enlarge cup holders?

This may be another solution, thermos brand sells a stainless steel double walled coozie that fits cans. They are very thin compared to foam ones and they work so much better . mine fit in standard cup holders. They are available on their site.

Edit: apparently they aren't on the thermos site anymore. Here's a two pack, but I'm unfamiliar with this vendor. Amazon has them as well but their price is higher.
http://www.vat19.com/dvds/thermos-stainless-steel-soda-koozie.cfm

 

[Scott Danforth]

Re: How to enlarge cup holders?

buy these: Combination Rod & Cup Holders | MateSeries.com

however my suggestion is to pick up something like this and chuck it in the drill. : Rotary Files + Rotary File Sets | Power Tools | Northern Tool + Equipment

 

[Grub54891]

Re: How to enlarge cup holders?

I just put the old size hole saw inside the bigger one as a guide,never had an issue,never had it chip or crack. When done,dremel the edges and clean it up.

 

[no704]

Re: How to enlarge cup holders?

Like the hole saw inside a holesaw plan. As well keeping the area wet for dust control.

Thanks for all the good ideas,

Neil