dremel + tile bit = wier???

[cmitcham]

i saw a picture in some thread where someone had cut a weir with a dremel. could i get some detail?

one pass full cut, or many passes?
cooling?

i have a free 55 gal i will try this on. i have the little dremel attachment to keep it plumb, and i'll make a template with nice round corners.

thanks!

p.s. i do not know how to spell wier, so i've used both guesses.

 

[customcolor]

i do beleave "i befor e except after c" is how it goes

becarful with the 55. the glass is very thin for them. i may crack, but if its free and is a junk tank to begin with, i see why not. good luck!

 

[Blazer88]

I used a tile bit and dremel to cut an AGA 5G for a bulkhead that I am going to use as my fuge. I found the tile cutting bit worked great and it was easy to work with on thin glass. I think the hardest thing about cutting the wier would be getting a straight line.

 

[cmitcham]

thanks for the replies.

i'm envisioning the dremel riding against a plywood fence that will give me the straight line. what i'm wondering is, do i set the bit to cut the full thickness of the glass, or do i make a pass cutting a shallow groove, then repeat with bit deeper and deeper till finally through...

oh yea, i before e... i thank mr. twain for my personal motto - "it's a poor soul that can only spell a word one way."

 

[runningstix]

Here you go. Do one pass! This was on a 58 oceanic

A) cut trim with dremel cutting wheel

B) tape depth and clamp guide!

C) Cut vertical

D) Cut Horizontal

I recommend sanding the glass so its not razor sharp once cut!

Done! Use lots of water and go slow. Hope that helps!

 

[cmitcham]

that's the picture i saw before. thanks so much! a great project for this weekend. next week i'll post pictures of my new wier, or my pile of broken glass

 

[firebirdude]

runningstix, how do you prevent livestock from hopping through into your skimmer?

 

[spleify]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13439635#post13439635 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by firebirdude
runningstix, how do you prevent livestock from hopping through into your skimmer?

Eggcrate.

 

[gookster]

once you start doing you'll wonder why you never drilled tanks in the first place

 

[BeanAnimal]

runningstix and others...

You should really round the corners on a cut like that. Ther 90 degree corners create a weak point where a fracture can start.

 

[DodgeDude99]

the corners are round, the bit is round, so therefore the corners will be as well.

 

[firebirdude]

Can we get some pics of this tank up and running? Perhaps a vid?

 

[BeanAnimal]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13440634#post13440634 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by DodgeDude99
the corners are round, the bit is round, so therefore the corners will be as well.

Of course, but a larger radius moves the stress further from the corner, spreading out the force and preventing a weak spot.

 

[Aqua Keepers]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13440702#post13440702 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by BeanAnimal
Of course, but a larger radius moves the stress further from the corner, spreading out the force and preventing a weak spot.

I agree with bean. I did this to a 29g without rounding the edges and the tank cracked on me after 3mos