my accomplishment for today.

[Skorpinok]

Nothing bigdeal but - I drilled my first tank today. Sorry I didn't take pictures of the step by step. I purchased the hole saw from Richon Tools.com (http://www.richontools.com/catalog/c20_p2.html). It was cheaper that having someone drilling it for me. It was a slow drilling - but well worth the effort.:D.

Here's the end result.
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a198/To_Arbitrate/PICT3104.jpg
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a198/To_Arbitrate/PICT3101.jpg

[sid700]

Congrats A. What size is it? Also, how long (in minutes) did it take and how thick was the glass?

[dswong01]

Good job Alvin

[Elite]

It's a lot easier than you thought huh :D ..

[Skorpinok]

Thanks....

I'm not sure how thick the glass is, but it's a standard 40g tank. It took about 2 - 3 minutes x 3 holes with a 38mm hole saw for a 3/4" bulkhead. I used a 19v drill and used low settings to drill the hole. Also, used a 2 litter coke bottle, punched a hole for slow control water flow to cool the bit.

Of course, I cracked the first glass. Thank god is was just for practice. I guess the glass was to thin.:cool:

[Skorpinok]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8623427#post8623427 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Elite
It's a lot easier than you thought huh :D ..

Yes, it was. Especially with the hole saw. It was a cleans circular cut.

[Ti]

good stuff

[Vincerama2]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8623452#post8623452 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Skorpinok
Of course, I cracked the first glass. Thank god is was just for practice. I guess the glass was to thin.:cool:

Yikes!

What would you say is "too thin?"

V

[norcal99]

Anything thinner than 3/16" will be a lot tougher. They key is nice even pressure and using a hole saw with a lot of teeth (80 is ideal) and keeping things cool (water drip line). Keep steady with the drill and keep it slow and you should be fine.

[Elite]

V. I drill couple 10G tank and it was fine. The glass on those tank are pretty thin. Just go slow and don't put any pressure.. Let the drill do the work :D

[Skorpinok]

Vincerama2 - the glass that I broke was a scrap glass from HD. That glass was probably too thin - probably thiner than a 10 gallon tank. I forgot to mentioned that I also drilled my 8g tank and had no problems.

I think the key is to put as little pressure as you can - but you do have to put some pressure to drill through the glass.

[Skorpinok]

Ohh yea, who's next to get their tank drilled - I can help.:D

[Elite]

You coulda come to dannieboiz's house and helped him out ... His tank is 3/4" thick. It was fun drilling through those :D

Yeah, for thick glass you have to put pressure on it but for thin glass I let the weight of the drill do the work. Everytime I put any pressure I crack the glass :D ..

[Skorpinok]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8635930#post8635930 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Elite
You coulda come to dannieboiz's house and helped him out ... His tank is 3/4" thick. It was fun drilling through those :D

I doubt I could've helped him since I received the hole saw last Wed. Perfect timing - 4 day weekend for me.

[Mr. Ugly]

Hehe... I drilled a couple 1.75" in my 40 last week too :)

I taped up the glass from underneath, and made a putty dam on top. Filled with water, and drilled away with the diamond hole saw. No prob.

For diamond, use high speed, and light touch.

[dannieboiz]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8639022#post8639022 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Skorpinok
I doubt I could've helped him since I received the hole saw last Wed. Perfect timing - 4 day weekend for me.

Elite and I drilled two 60mm and 8 1" holes on my 3/4" no problem. Might have been better if it wasn't freezing outside while we're working. LOL