Drilling Glass Tanks?????????????

reefwiser · May 20, 2014

Use blue painters tape on the back side. So that when you get close to breaking thru you will start to see bits of blue tape show up. This lets you know you are almost finished.

VicD81 · May 20, 2014

Glass-holes is pretty legit. Check out their vid on how to drill. I didn't use plumbers putty just a hose with a slow stream to lubricate the bit. When the bit starts to break through you can see the water seeping through.

prsnlty · May 21, 2014

LOL, I'm a chicken too that's about to drill my 180 when my supplies come from Glass-Holes. I Purchased the guide also. Drilling on an angle to start off made me nervous, now I don't have that excuse for my cowardly way ;) I am going to drill mine from the inside. I can't turn this heavy tank over :(

Good luck to you!

fagundespavinp3 · May 21, 2014

Cool thanks everyone I will look at the glass-hole.com web site. I think I have looked at my empty tank more than I have looked at my full ones just out of anxiety lol.

shred5 · May 21, 2014

VicD81 said:
I was considering taking it somewhere to get it drilled but every place I called said they can do it but they offer no guarantee. If it cracks it cracks!

Thats right.. Even if you buy it from a LFS and they drill it and it cracks while they are doing it... The aquarium is not warranted by the manufacturer once drilled.

Anyway i still have drilled many tanks.. It is easy if you go slow and keep it wet.. Thicker glass is easier and you can always practice on another piece of glass.
But I can certainly understand not wanting to crack a 150.. sometimes it just of matter of putting wholes too close.

BRS has a glass drill bit guide to help drill holes. I have not tried it but I will next time I have to drill a hole in glass, might even work on acrylic.
http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/glass-drill-bit-guide-thk.html

prsnlty · May 21, 2014

Does anyone know how close is too close to drill a 1 3/4" hole next to another on 3/4" glass for a 180?

Jackie

dvskin · May 21, 2014

Here is my setup. Pretty simple and straight forward.

Chad

dvskin · May 21, 2014

prsnlty said:
Does anyone know how close is too close to drill a 1 3/4" hole next to another on 3/4" glass for a 180?

Jackie

General rule is the hole has to have at least the diameter of the hole in glass around it. So a 1.75" hole needs a 1.75" buffer of glass around it

ETORRES477 · May 21, 2014

You can go to any glass replacement shop and have it drilled by a professional if you are worried about cracking the glass. They have all the tools and experience to do it right. When I went to get my sump drilled it cost me about $30 bucks.

Outoftheflames · May 21, 2014

If you dont want to buy the equipment needed--I have a stained glass studio.. If you have one in your area ask them. I have done them for several people in our area. Most people in these kinds of shops are more then happy to help you out and will even come to you.

WDLV · May 21, 2014

HTML:

Why yes. Yes I have.... and it's bloody nerve racking every time.

prsnlty · May 21, 2014

dvskin said:
General rule is the hole has to have at least the diameter of the hole in glass around it. So a 1.75" hole needs a 1.75" buffer of glass around it

Good to know, thank you! So I need 3.5" from hole edge to hole edge. 4" to be safer. In my case I'm capping a hole someone drilled in a very odd place but it may come too close to where I want to put the new hole. This 1.5" hole is is 6" away from the walls on both sides in the corner. Since my tank is a peninsula I can't use that hole. It's too far away from the wall and too small.

Jackie

prsnlty · May 21, 2014

ETORRES477 said:
You can go to any glass replacement shop and have it drilled by a professional if you are worried about cracking the glass. They have all the tools and experience to do it right. When I went to get my sump drilled it cost me about $30 bucks.

None in my area will touch it. Plus my tank is too big and heavy to take to them. I'm going to practce on a 10g and hope for the best. I have a 40 slate bottom reptile tank that has 1/2" glass (very old tank) I may try also.

Jackie

fagundespavinp3 · Jul 17, 2014

I know this thread is a bit old now but I took your advise and just went out and bought the Diamond Hole saw and Drill Guide (I highly Recommend)
with bearing. and had my girlfriend run the water while I cut the holes did (3) 1" holes In my 180 Gallon DT. It was a bit nerve wracking but I got through It In about 10-15 mins (It went longer bc my next door neighbor come over to see what I was doing and started talking to me about music and what not...LOL) kept on the slow speed and cut away. I used the LCD and Polarized lens trick to test if it was tempered or not.

prsnlty · Jul 17, 2014

Looks great! I did mine also :) We drilled the bottom though and it took us a few hours to do 2 1" holes. I don't know why but we let the drill do all the work.

fagundespavinp3 · Jul 17, 2014

It was weird how fast it went the glass is 3/8 thick!!the only weight was me pulling the trigger and one finger from my other had just to stabilize it since I don't have one of those fancy drill gun Guides that hold the whole gun up not just the bit.