Anyone know someone who can cut glass holes in the NYC/ Long island area?

Snoopy 67 · May 18, 2022

AV was sold.
deddragon, just take your time & let the weight of the drill do the work.
Just put something under where you drill the hole like a towel to catch the glass falling out so it doesn't crack the pane on the other side. Watch a video, not that big a deal.

Zeuserdoo · May 18, 2022

I just did my first one, I had so much anxiety over it that I got sick and had to stop halfway through. I went back to it though and got it done, you can do it.

Martingale · May 18, 2022

Drill from the inside so the bulkhead gasket doesn’t have to be against a burred edge. The side you start to drill on will have the better edge of the hole. You can try to start on one side and finish in the other, but that always seems more difficult to me.

I would put some tape on the opposite side of the glass you’re drilling to catch the glass when it falls out. Maybe a towel too just in case it falls anyways.

Using one of those suction cup drill guides is really helpful for being confident your hole is exactly where you want. If you’re really concerned the fancier metal one can also work, but it is excessive. You could also drill a piece of wood or acrylic to use as a drill guide. When you first start the drill it will want to skip on the glass. The guide helps prevent this. If you do it without a guide then start drilling at an angle. A couple videos is good for this as it’ll show you all the techniques.

I would also surround where you’re drilling with plumbers putty in a circle so that the drill bit is constantly submerged underwater. I find this to also be easier than constantly running a hose over the hole.

Let the drill do all the work and do not apply pressure. When you get close to the end be especially careful not to push as you can chip the edge. Some chips on the outside glass aren’t any issue, as long as the bulkhead gasket has a good seal on the inside you won’t have to worry about anything.

Oh, and be 110% certain you aren’t drilling tempered glass. You’ll drill all the way to the end only for it to shatter in a million pieces. If you can confirm this from the manufacturer that would be best. Those cheap tanks are sometimes manufactured with whatever is available on hand. Aqueon is most notorious for this. Since your tank is also smaller you might not be able to drill from the inside, which isn’t a big deal, just take your time letting the drill do all the work.

Remember you aren’t “cutting” through the glass, you’re sanding a circular hole through it. This is why keeping the drill bit wet is important as heat will cause the glass to crack.