drilling 10 gallon?

reefnut · #1 02-01-2005, 01:44 AM

has anyone drilled such a small tank?I want to have a overflow and a return but i am wondering if it is a good idea on such thin glass.the panes are cheap to replace but will i be able to fill it up to the black trim without it falling apart from the two holes?

Invigor · #2 02-01-2005, 02:56 AM

i plan on doing mine dremel style...a friend of mine has a 10g drilled for his refuge...drilled at the top in the corner for 3/4" piping.

sumpfinfishe · #3 02-01-2005, 06:45 AM

Should be ok as long as you keep the holes at opposite sides, don't drill them side by side. Also depends on who is doing the drilling and what kind of equip. and patience they have. I would also drill at least 1 inch away from the plastic frame, if not 2 inches.

Rikko · #4 02-01-2005, 08:44 AM

Drilled a bunch of 'em with ease. The only breakage was when I dropped a saw on it (don't ask...). The only thing that I try to make sure of with thin glass like that is not to crank the bulkhead fittings on too tight so there isn't a horrid amount of pressure on that little glass, and obviously absolutely no chance of any solid pipes connected to it getting knocked as a strong torque will blow the pane out with ease.
sump's 1" rule is a good idea - I followed the engineer's rule I'd seen posted which was to keep 1.5 times the radius of the hole space between any edge and a hole.

Dremel is way easy for these - should take you 10 mins MAX for a 2" diameter hole.

Griffin · #5 02-01-2005, 04:55 PM

best thing i did when drilling my 30gal was i took some scrap plexiglass and drilled the same size hole in it first used silicone to hold it in place on the outside of the tank exactly were i was going to drill. Without that guide i am sure i would have scratched the hell out of the side of the tank. Slow and easy and lots of water (couple of beer to calm the nerves doesn't hurt either

). When done take the scrap piece off and your off to the races.

Rich

reefnut · #6 02-02-2005, 01:48 AM

well i tried using a dremel to cut a 1 1/2 inch hole in a scrap of 5 mill today.i was about half way through and it cracked.i did not use any water just kept feeling how hot it was so i dont think it was a heat issue.i traced the hole and followed the outside of it to cut it out.the bit i was using was one made fore grinding glass and ceramics.and i put very little pressure on it.if someone has time can they describe how they did theirs.did u cut all the way thru from one side?did they use any kind of lube?did i use the right bit?it is green and about the sixe of a pencil eraser and it comes to a dull point at the end.

Rikko · #7 02-02-2005, 07:12 AM

You absolutely have to keep it wet. The problem is that if it heats up, the bit starts to flake and lose the cutting bits and it's garbage. I always trace my hole and park in under the hose outside (on low but steady flow) and make the actual pilot hole by making a lazy circle (not just ramming the bit straight down, otherwise if you slightly bend the Dremel you could break the glass). Once you're through, just start working your way around and 'saw' the bit up and down. You can actually use a lot of force if you keep it cooled.
I used a diamon coated bit. As far as I know diamonds are the only thing used for cutting actual glass, though I could be wrong.

reefnut · #8 02-03-2005, 02:50 AM

well i took rikkos advice and cut two holes and an overflow in 5 mil glass in about 1 hour.it was so easy.thanks for the help.

Rikko · #9 02-03-2005, 03:19 AM

Excellent!

Next time you do it, push harder and you'll be surprised how much faster you can make it go. My first hole in 3mm probably took 45 mins to get halfway around. Then the second time around, after some ridicule from my dad (who's done this sort of thing forever), I really put my back into it and got a 1.5" hole in 3mm done in like 7 mins.