Step-by-Step: Drilling Holes in Your Glass Tank for Bulkheads - Page 10

aroundtuit · #**226** 02/24/2006, 10:34 AM

I haven't drilled mine yet, but I'm planning on using a Calfo style/horizontal over flow, either internal or external.(click here for thread)

vanceny · #**227** 02/24/2006, 10:42 AM

new page

Anyone get a chance to see my diagram on the previous page? Any comments.
Thanks

OceanNwisconsin · #**228** 02/27/2006, 08:15 PM

anyone drill a large tank... specifically a 210 aga rr would be cool!

getting it this weekend and want to put 3 holes in the back and one on each side for CL..

causeofhim · #**229** 02/27/2006, 08:37 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by vanceny
new page

Anyone get a chance to see my diagram on the previous page? Any comments.
Thanks

First, why are you making that style of overflow? I would suggest a horizontal overflow, which has a better surface skimming ability which equals more efficient skimming.

Also, if you do keep your overflow plan, I would have two drain bulkheads and have the return either over the top or through another hole.

Everything else looks good!

Ddddrgnfly · #**230** 02/28/2006, 03:16 AM

ttt

causeofhim · #**231** 02/28/2006, 09:41 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Ddddrgnfly
ttt

I couldn't agree more.

Level 4 · #**232** 03/12/2006, 11:40 PM

ttt

30mini · #**233** 03/13/2006, 09:18 PM

After reading this post, it is giving me the courage to drill into the 46 Bowfront that I have! Now, I do know that the bottom is tempered, so I'm not drilling there, but i'm drilling into the back near the top to create some overflow/return holes. I have already ordered the bulkheads and the hole saws off E-bay... just waiting for them to get here! Wish me luck!!

JustOneMoreTank · #**234** 03/17/2006, 08:19 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by 30mini
After reading this post, it is giving me the courage to drill into the 46 Bowfront that I have! Now, I do know that the bottom is tempered, so I'm not drilling there, but i'm drilling into the back near the top to create some overflow/return holes. I have already ordered the bulkheads and the hole saws off E-bay... just waiting for them to get here! Wish me luck!!

Good luck. Be sure to let us know how it goes!

aquamanco · #**235** 03/25/2006, 10:11 PM

One quick question. This black silcone is it the same black windsheild silcone?

aquamanco · #**236** 03/29/2006, 03:30 PM

Well I got the time, it came out great. Four holes in my next tank a 75g. They came out great. Took 1 hour with prep. I would suggest a novice take their time drilling less than 1000rpm. I started at 1200 rpm for the first 3 than the last one 1000rpm.
I have worked with a lot of cutting machinery i.e. raildrill,drill press,x-y cutting rigs,Bridgeport & Portabans. Take your time. Do it safely and slowly. Wear goggles and gloves.
I love RC

aroundtuit · #**237** 03/29/2006, 08:12 PM

I would recommend an even slower drill speed. One of the few places I've been able to find much detail about drilling an aquarium is on Diamond Drill Bit & Tool's web site. Follow the link above, click on "How to Use Diamond Drills" and read through the whole page. They recommend 500 rpm for a 1" hole and 250 rpm for a 2" hole. I believe this web site has lots of good suggestions including drill speed, drill pressure, cooling, hole location, etc.

JustOneMoreTank · #**238** 04/01/2006, 02:51 PM

Excellent link aroundtuit

Here is a more direct link to the information on using diamond drill bit usage. Lots of pertinant information on drilling tanks.
http://www.diamond-drill-bit-and-too...Drill/MAIN.htm

DerekW · #**239** 04/02/2006, 01:02 AM

That's a crazy site, try this:
http://www.diamond-drill-bit-and-too...lt.htm?DD1.htm

JustOneMoreTank · #**240** 04/02/2006, 04:54 PM

Ooops, thanks for the link that I was aiming for DerekW.

DerekW · #**241** 04/02/2006, 05:50 PM

Doesn't what page you go to, it has the same url at top.... pretty tricky

BraenDead · #**242** 04/09/2006, 11:51 AM

Some tips I thought I would share after drilling lots of small holes in my 75g (8mm holes drilling slots for an external overflow).
- Using a drill press is easiest, but if this does not work, I recommend using a cordless drill. I haven't found a corded drill which offers good enough speed control.
- Do not drill at fast speeds, use slow. I used 600 rpm on the drill press and use a cheap cordless drill (6.8V) that does not go very fast either. Using a corded drill was hard to control the speed and went WAY too fast and did not produce a good smooth cut.

- My technique:
1. The best way to start a hole without any slippage is to make a guide for the hole. I use a small piece of acrylic with a hole drilled the same size as the drill bit. I recommend not using the same bit as you may wear-out some of the diamond dust from the bits. Use this guide to drill your hole by either clamping it in place, or if you can not clamp it, you can put a small amount of plumbers putty to form a thin sheet on the acrylic to keep it in place on the glass. You only need to use the guide for a little bit until you have cut away enough for the bit to fit in without sliding around.

2. I tried dozens of methods trying to eliminate any glass knicks and shards from happening while the bits goes through the back side. Using duct tape on the back side works alright, but you will still get some knicks and shards. The best way to eliminate this is to start drilling one side as described above in #1. Once you have gone a little bit, remvoe the guide and do the same process on the back side of the glass. Make sure to line the guide up so it lines up with the front side where you started to drill and do the same process. Drill at least 1/16" deep on the back so that there will be no shards or pieces that break away once you finish the hole. I have found that I did not need a water dam by keeping the drill bit wet with a spray bottle every 5-10 seconds (drill for 5-10 seconds, stop drilling to spray off bit, then drill another 5-10 seconds). 1/16" shouldn't take too long to drill.

3. After drilling the back I recommend putting a piece of duct tape to keep the piece of glass from falling. More importantly, I found that occasionally the drill bit would get loose in my cheap cordless drill. If the bit is loose, you dont want it coming out and falling through the hole.

4. After drilling the back, finish with the front. Initially, I used water dams to hold a lot of water but I found that I did not need a lot of water to keep it cool. This added a lot of time and was a mess to do (especially with the 70+ holes I drilled). I found all I needed to do was keep a small puddle of water where I was drilling the hole. Monitor the bit while you are cutting by feeling the bit and the glass to make sure they are not hot. If they are noticeably hot, you need more water or maybe you should just use a water dam (my holes were much smaller than what others may be).

Hopefully these tips will help out.

Bob

BigSkyBart · #**243** 04/09/2006, 12:01 PM

Thanks for the tips, I'm going to test my drilling technique on some small tanks this afternoon. I want to do a cascade/steped setup, connecting a few 20's and 15's with a single pump. I'm having a springtime outbreak of aggression among some of my cichlids. I think this will work.

jaze36 · #**244** 04/09/2006, 08:42 PM

I just drilled my first tank this weekend, used the advice found in this thread . All went perfectly, thanks for the help.

DHyslop · #**245** 04/09/2006, 08:54 PM

Bob,

Lets see pics of the external overflow when you're done! I recently did a 75g with 25 slots 1/4" x 3/4".

Dan

BraenDead · #**246** 04/09/2006, 08:57 PM

Did you use the same process for making the slots? Any issues with structural integrity with the tank?

The process of setting up the new tank is taking me a while as I have had very little free time the last few months to work on it. I should have the tank finished by the end of the week and ready to do a leak test/structural integrity test.

Bob

jamesBS · #**247** 04/09/2006, 10:20 PM

has any one ever drilled a tank with water in it.i have a 90 Gal that I want to put a anther drain in. I wood drain down a third and have at it.do you think glass dust will hurt corals.its just sand right

DHyslop · #**248** 04/10/2006, 08:59 AM

I made my slots using a dremel and two bits: a ball-tip and a tapered one. After drawing out the shape of the slots I traced them by hand with the ball-tip to make a shallow groove along the perimeter of each slot. At that point I used one of the bits to make a small hole through the other side, then used the tapered bit like a file in and out to spread the hole up the groove until each slot was cut. About ten hours of Dremel time!

It works, but you can tell they're done by hand.

If I could go back in time I might see if I could get some tiny 1/4" hole saws to cut out the top and bottom of each slot, then use the dremel to make the sides.

The tank has been full for about four months now and I have no structural issues yet. There are at least a couple external overflows out there that have failed--I tried to find all the threads I could about the failures to try and mitigate that in my tank. The failures I found all were done on the rear pane and IIRC all were done by cutting one large slot and not small ones. I believe there was one failure involving square corners! If anyone knows of any other failures, let me know.

With those in mind, here's what I did with my 75g: 25 slots, each planned to be 1/4" x 3/4" with 1/4" between (the glass is 5/16"). Ultimately they ended up being a little bigger, maybe 5/16" wide just due to my inexperience. The slots are on the side pane and end about 1/4" below the top of the tank. I used 1/4" glass for the overflow box and have two standpipes inside.

Everything ever built is a compromise, and this is a good example: 25 1/4" slots isn't very much flow, but I did not want to cut all these holes in the longer span of the rear pane. The flow is enough for my FOWLR system, though.

Dan

BraenDead · #**249** 04/10/2006, 04:59 PM

You've got me a bit worried now regarding my slots. I drilled 20 slots 8mm wide (.314") by 3/4" or 1" tall on the back panel with 3/4" space between each slot. Also, I did not drill any slots in the center and left about 10" of sloid glass so that the center brace would not be useless. All of the holes I drilled have their top about 1"-1.5" from the top of the glass - pretty much at the bottom of the frame of the tank.

I'm hoping that I will not have issues since I have the glass intact by the center brace and I have a bit of spacing between the slots. Any thoughts on this as far as good idea/bad idea? Do you have any links or anything to those who did have tank failure from drilling the slots? Do you know if it failed right away or if it held water for a while and then failed?

Sorry for all the questions, I'm a little paranoid about setting up the tank in my office now.

Bob

adnup · #**250** 04/10/2006, 10:07 PM

WOW...that was alot of reading! Just read the "hole" thread.
I'm picking up an AGA 55 and want to drill it for an overflow. There must be 1000's of AGA 55 owners out there, well, tempered or not??

BraenDead 0 awsome tips...and JustOneMoreTank thanks for starting this thread!