Spray or other treatment for hardening cardboard?

[Bfarn]

Hi all,
I'm doing a job that involves cutting fairly small details into/through cardboard. I'm using a normal 1/16th" carbide drill bit, and it absolutely chews up the top surface of the stock - lots of loose paper fibers and attached shapes. The bottom surface, which is spray-mounted to my spoilboard comes out clean, but I need clean holes on both faces.

What I'm wondering is if there's some known method of treating the carboard to stiffen it prior to cutting. Maybe even a simple enamel would do the trick, but I don't necessarily want to darken the cardboard too much, or leave a weird coating that could crack or crumble.

Or maybe there's some kind of specialty drill bit?

I'll be experimenting throughout the day, and I'll report back if I discover anything, but if someone could help me avoid reinventing the wheel, that'd be wonderful.

Thanks!

[RedskinsJBS]

I don't have any real experience with or knowledge about machining cardboard, but why not spray mount another piece of material to the top face of your cardboard? If is comes out clean on the bottom, make the top the bottom and you're set!

HTH,

Jay

[RomanLini]

Art shops sell a number of clear spray sealers to seal paper without changing it's look too much or soaking in too far. I have some here for sealing pastel and charcoal artworks, it sprays easy dries very fast and is almost invisible when on but seals the top fibres. I don't know how well it will work with a deep cut but it has to be better than no sealing. It is also designed to last and not go yellow or craze etc.

[rusel]

What I have done in the past when dealing with soft matrial is to put a cover board on top and drill through it. It clamps the cardboard surface down so the drill can not lift it. Make sure the top board does not bend up in the middle when clamped
I had to engrave some loofahs used this method worked well see pic

Russell

[RICHARD ZASTROW]

Just a thought: right hand cut, left hand helix cutter. Cuts down towards spoilboard? Worked on aluminum sheet many moons ago.LOL

Dick Z