Drilling acrylic tank

[ganjero]

I'm thinking in drilling two overflow holes (1 1/2") on my 125 gallon acrylic tank, is this complicated? is there a chance to crack the tank? is it safe?

[ganjero]

^

[Angel*Fish]

I think it's pretty straight forward and not likely to crack if you use the correct drilling tools.

Anyway - here's a bump and if that doesn't help, you might get more responses if you try reposting your thread in the DIY forum here on RC

Link to the DIY forum :) (http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=3)

[Angel*Fish]

Maybe this will be helpful (http://archive.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=873219&highlight=drill+and+acrylic)

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=715807&highlight=drill+and+acrylic (http://archive.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=715807&highlight=drill+and+acrylic)

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=237347&highlight=drill+and+acrylic (http://archive.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=237347&highlight=drill+and+acrylic)

[silverwolf72]

I did mine out side. Hole bit, water hose turned on low so it runs arcross area to be drilled. Then just take it slow. Alot eiseir than I thought it would be. Other than it kept draining the battery on my cordless every hole and a half.

[Shagsbeard]

Use putty and a wall of some sort about the hole to be drilled to hold water in the area for cooling. If you heat up the bit you will melt the acrylic and cause a real mess. You need to have a secure drill or a drill press or something. Don't use a hand drill, you're going to get impatient and apply too much pressure. You want a slow drill speed over a long period of time... without heat. That's hard to do by hand.

Call up a glass shop and ask them how much they charge... it might be worth having them do it.