Shorten a tank

[Gary]

Might be something worth considering. I have seen people cutting odd curves or very think glass who first score the glass with a glass cutter, then they place a line of lighter fluid on the score line and light it, The quick burst of heat cracks the glass off.

I wonder if this would work on the tank, doing each side at a time.

In any case, I would recommend trying this on a scrap piece of glass first.

[Aquattro]

Keep in mind that thinner glass is way more prone to cracking than thick stuff. Personally, I wouldn't try it, and I try lots of stupid things.

[rastaangel]

score the glass with a glass cutter, then they place a line of lighter fluid on the score line and light it, The quick burst of heat cracks the glass off.

Thats a very bad idea that will result in a cracked tank... Thermal breaking is a VERY tempermental thing that has a 90%+ failure rate and if it works it usualy results in a savagly rough "sharks tooth" edge. The only time you ever use heat/fire to cut glass is for laminated glass and its only to stretch the PBV so methal hydrate can penetrate the crack to disolve the PVB or melt it
But back on subject...Ive done it many times... But ive been working with glass for a long time so I know how to do it, but even tho I can 90% of the time I take it apart as glass over 4mm thick is far harder to get to run cleanly.
If your dead set on doing it a water fed diamond saw is your best bet, dont try the scribe way as its far harder and requires knowledge of good glass cutting

[Myka]

That sounds like fun nonetheless!! I might try that on a scrap piece of glass just for fun!

I can scribe and break glass no problem, I've done that several times. I was trying to figure out how I could do it with the tank together, but I don't think I could get smooth enough movements to break it nicely.

The glass on a 20 gallon is 3/8" I believe. I wish I had one of those handheld water saws, but I just have a small table saw style. I will try to use it, but I'm worried about it binding as I'm pushing the tank along.

Glass always makes me nervous. I received 33 stitches from a chainsaw 10 years ago, and have been leary of things that cut ever since. No idea why I became a carpenter after that!

[rastaangel]

I have never found a 20g with 3/8" glass... Most are 5-6mm, which is easy to cut. Cutting glass flat is easy but when its fixed completeing the run is the hard part and you will run into issues in the corners

33 stiches from a chainsaw isnt that bad mindy I get that count from plate glass and windshield slips...

[Myka]

Whoops! I meant 3/16". Ya, I'm worried about scribing because I know it won't break nice if I can't do it in one smooth scribe and one smooth move to do the breaking. I don't think I can do it. I wish I had a junker tank I could try it on. If attempted to scribe I was going to scribe a short end first from the outside, then try to break into the inside. That way I could get a good scribe, but not sure how to do a good break to the inside.

Oh I know...I am freakin lucky with the chainsaw.

[rastaangel]

The break doesnt have to be one smooth break. There are more then 1 way to run glass. Applying pressure from the inside or tapping the scrib with glass pliers will run the scribe. I do it easily multiple times a day LOL but yet I cant tell you how to do it perfectly and its never a for sure thing...

[Myka]

If I don't break it in one smooth break then I fail miserably.