anyone know how to drill glass?

[Steven0000]

i have a 20g and a 10g tank
i would like to make the 10g a sump

how would i drill a hole to fit 2 bulkheads in each tank?

[PHOTOG]

I used a carbide glass drill bit, there are also the diamond tipped dremel its but I killed that one early on.

the carbide blades have a shaft and the tip has a flat spade shaped bit.,,,just put that ino the dremel and punch the initial hole then proceed to slowly make the circle, i found that putting the bit all the way through the glass then pulling it up while pressing the glass worked best.

dont forget to have tons of water flowing over the bit.


P.S. love the avatar, Underoath is one of my Favorite bands.

[woz9683]

They also make diamond hole saws for drilling glass. It's much easier to get a good circle this way. You can buy them on ebay for just a couple bucks apiece.

[underpar]

Take a look at this video. http://www.vidilife.com/video_play_961740_Superman_s_Glass_Drilling_Demo.htm?tc=997912
Good luck, Fred

[ryan115]

keep in mind that there is a good chance that the 10g will crack. The glass is so thin that even if it is drilled without cracking, the pressure that the bulkheads put on often will crack the tank.

[George Grogan]

check this thread:http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=603816

[shyland83]

i find for the smaller tanks with the thinner glass the dremel works better than the hole saw. too easy to crack it with the hole saw. The thin glass cuts like butter with the dremel. I drilled my 20g with the dremel in my bathroom, kept the bit cool with a spray bottle full of water you don't need THAT much water just enough to keep it cool. drilled a 1-3/4" inch hole only used about 2 cups of water.

[adnup]

I've drilled lots of tanks with the cheap bits from Lau but let me tell you that the 10 gals are so thin that after drilling them I cracked 2 by just wiggling the pvc going to the bulk heads. IMO go with atleast a 20 for the thicker glass

[Steven0000]

thanks for all the replys guys

i picked up one of those glass and tile drill bits from homedepot and
tried drilling some practice glass and it didn't go so well

PHOTOG: thank you for the comment, underoath is awesome
i and i recently saw them in concert a few days ago

and thank you fred
i have learned that you cannot drill tempered glass

one problem
how do i know if my tank has tempered glass or not?

[onehawksfan]

a 10 gallon tank will ALWAYS eventually crack (if not right away) regardless of how you cut the hole. The glass is WAY too thin. I've spent over 100 bucks on 10 gallon tanks and even with the panel removed and a drill press it still breaks eventually. Besides, what can you really put in a 10 gallon? A 29g sump should be a good size for refugium (20g long) or sump.

[Steven0000]

ok, but how do i know if my tank is tempered glass or not?

i have come up with a solution for the 10g sump problem anyway
and i would like to not spent much more than $50 on this progect
(i have most eveything i need, excluding the glass to make the baffels out of, plumbing, and caulk)

i will just make a pvc overhang