Drilling aquariums

[Reab]

Hi all I am going to be drilling my new 40g aquarium. I have everything ready but my practice runs on a scrap tank havent gone so well. When I finish the hole the glass on the inside is chipping off and not leaving me with a clean hole. I need some tips, does this mean I am just drilling too fast? Thank you.

 

[Retro Reefer]

Try clamping a block of wood inside tank behind the section your drilling, it will help with chipping on break through.. you may also be applying a little to much pressure

 

[Crabs McJones]

Hi all I am going to be drilling my new 40g aquarium. I have everything ready but my practice runs on a scrap tank havent gone so well. When I finish the hole the glass on the inside is chipping off and not leaving me with a clean hole. I need some tips, does this mean I am just drilling too fast? Thank you.

Drill from the inside out. They way if there are any chips they're on the outside where the seal doesnt matter so much. When you get to the end make sure the drill is close to perfectly level and apply no pressure whatsoever, let the weight of the drill do the work. Also I've found it best to drill outside or somewhere where you can let a garden hose run cool water where you're drilling to keep the bit cool. As soon as you start seeing water drip on the bottom of where you're drilling is when you're close to breaking through

 

[Erica-Renee]

I clap a two pieces of mdf sandwiching the glass between them one a guide hole on the side drilling from . On the side I am drilling from i put a small amount of calk/ silicon to help hold water inside the guide hole .. You want to run the drill at a constant and fairly fast speed keeping it very secure and allowing its own weight to drill the hole without any force applied by you..
If you have a Clutched drill set it to slip with relatively low pressure.. You want this just higher then the resistance the bit is causing..

Hope this helps..

 

[WVNed]

Keep in mind you are actually grinding a hole. As the glass thins you must use less pressure on the bit.

 

[Reab]

I think ill try using a block on the inside too probably will work better than the duct tape I am using now.

I am using a drill bit from Lowes at the moment, I looked on BRS and their bits seem to have a few large teeth where this has multiple smaller ones, could that be an issue as well?
I thought i wanted the bit to be going slower rather than faster?

All attempts have been done outside with a garden hose running.

Thank you all

 

[dantimdad]

Drilled literally hundreds of holes in glass.

Make a guide and start on the inside just enough to get about 1/16" deep while keeping it cool with water.

Take the guide and flip to the outside. Finish the hole. Let the weight of the drill do the work. I cannot stress this enough!

The guide, if done correctly will line the holes up.

 

[WWIII]

Good tips so far! Practice makes perfect. How long is it taking you to drill the hole? On a 40 breeder it takes me somewhere around 20 mins or so to drill a clean hole. I use a little pressure once the hole is started, 90% of the hole takes me less than 10 minutes. Then the last 10% takes 10 mins alone. I use plumbers putty to build a dam around the hole and use a hose to slowly flush the hole while I'm drilling. Very slow water flow, but it helps! I also use painters tape to hold the glass in place for when I drill through, so it doesn't drop and chip anything and to try and keep the hole a little cleaner. Keeping the drill even and level is kinda hard, but important! You can do it!!!

 

[Reab]

Any thoughts on my drill bit?
This is the one I am using
https://www.lowes.com/pd/LENOX-2-in-Diamond-Non-Arbored-Hole-Saw/50325477

This is what BRS and all the videos ive seen use.
https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/diamond-coated-glass-drill-bits.html

 

[Erica-Renee]

Any thoughts on my drill bit?
This is the one I am using
https://www.lowes.com/pd/LENOX-2-in-Diamond-Non-Arbored-Hole-Saw/50325477

This is what BRS and all the videos ive seen use.
https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/diamond-coated-glass-drill-bits.html

this is not the smoothest you can use .. I use those for tile and have drilled glass with them.. a SMOOTH Rim bit is best. especially for biginners

 

[Reab]

Ok I think I'll order one and wait to do the 40. This is my 4th hole, second time using tape on the other side. I speed the drill up and moved to a more level and stable area. Thank you all for your help!

 

[Reab]

This is on my practice 20 not on the actual tank. I plan for the hole to be further from the edge on my 40

 

[lapin]

As said above you are not using the correct bit. Do clamp wood as a guide and as a backer. Seal with silicone to hold in the water. You can also put a little baking soda in your water mixture. It helps lube the hole and makes a bigger mess.
You want something like this one you have linked. It has no teeth.
https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/diamond-coated-glass-drill-bits.html

 

[reefruss]

Back in the good old days, yes I'm old, I always used a slotted brass bit. You would make a dam out of plumber's putty and fill it with some water, add carborundum and just grind your way through the glass. It was slow but you never had much chipping unless you used too much pressure. I did support the tank from the inside on my drill press with wood which definitely helped. I drilled so many tanks and many of them are still in use probably 30 years later. Did I mention I'm old?

 

[lapin]

Yes the old days. With my egg beater hand crank drill I could drill a hole in a 2x4 in about 30 min.