Anyone know how to drill glass?

[Nuuze]

Hi,

I was wondering if anyone has the equipment and the know how to drill glass? I was thinking of maybe a trade for drilling/frags possibility. If not let me know how much. I'm thinking of a 2 3/8" hole for a 1 1/2" bulkhead drain and two 1 1/2" hole for 3/4" bulkheads on each side for returns on the top of the back wall. Let me know.

[Paradox009]

Hey there.. Your corals are looking great in my tank! Hope the pump is working for you...

Drilling - Its much easier then you would expect.. Get a Drill hole saw for glass on ebay for cheap. Ensure you get one the right size to fit the bulkhead. Ensure the glass you are drilling is NOT tempered. Its easier to drill with a coorded drill, but Ive used battery ones all the time. If you do not have a drill guide, You may want to get a thin piece of wood, and drill a hole in it with the hole saw that you plan on using. Tape this to where you want the hole on the tank and use it as a guide to start the cut. Once youve made a good enough groove, Remove the wood.

Its a good idea now to use some putty to make a circular damn around the area you want to drill. Also, on the other side of the glass, use tape and stretch it across where the hole will be, so when the glass gets thin, it wont fall on its own weight which usually causes a small chip. Now your ready to drill the rest of the hole. Dont press too hard. A little pressure with the weight of the drill is fine. Every once in a while, lift the drill up a little, so water can get into the groove for cooling. Keep doing this until your done!

If you dont feel comfortable in doing it, I can do it for you, but it may be more convenient if you find someone closer to you...

[superedge88]

http://archive.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1043785

[Nuuze]

I'm glad you like the corals Paradox009 and thanks for the info! :) Let me know when your Cuttle-Farm is ready!

superedge88, Looks like I have some reading to do and some bits to buy. So far no where on the tank shows "Tempered Glass" although the tank is used and the label may have fallen off. But the bottom center was drilled. Is it common for sides of a tank to be tempered or just the bottom?

[superedge88]

If the bottom was drilled by the manufacturer then it was probably tempered after it was drilled, so don't drill the bottom. As far as the sides go, you will have to call up the manufacturer and find out if the sides were tempered. What size tank is it and who made it?

[Nuuze]

The manufacture did not drill it, the original owner drilled it then sold it on craigslist to the second person as an ongoing project that was never finished and that's where I came in. I have no idea who the manufacture is and neither does the person I got it from. It's a 24"x24"x24" 60G cube. One this I noticed is on two opposite sides of the trim are two tiny pins in the top trim. Any ideas?

[ianiwane]

Mike (sfsuphysics) told me that if you hold a uv light to tempered glass it will glow.

[Nuuze]

Really?! I have one of those UV Spot Spotter UV urine detectors for my dog brand new in the box I never used. Will that work?

[ianiwane]

Not sure, PM Mike, he would know better.

[Nuuze]

Okay, PM'd Mike.

[sfsuphysics]

Yes, UV light will make tempered glass glow. However I'm unsure if it's a particular range of wavelengths it will occur, or if you have to nail one specific wavelength. Either way test with a piece of glass you know is tempered to see if your pee light *laugh* is appropriate.