Drilling glass sump

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I have to drill my sump to accommodate my new external skimmer. It has water in it but it can be drained on the side I will be drilling. Does anyone have any tool I could maybe borrow or know of what tools to buy at the hardware store? I have never drilled through glass before and am kinda nervous. I do not know if the side panel is tempered or not but it is an oceanic tank so I am guessing (hoping really) the sides won't be. Any advice and help would be appreciated.
 
I've drilled a few, it sucks... you need a nice drill, a diamond hole bit, plumbers putty, and water. Pick your spot. surround the spot with plumbers putty. ie 2in diameter hole. surround the plumbers putty 4in diameter. to create a moat. fill with water and start it. set the drill on high torque, and start slowly. speed up the drill once grooves are made and make sure you keep it wet.it has taken me around 25 minutes to drill through glass before... GOOD LUCK
 
SAZAMA said:
I've drilled a few, it sucks... you need a nice drill, a diamond hole bit, plumbers putty, and water. Pick your spot. surround the spot with plumbers putty. ie 2in diameter hole. surround the plumbers putty 4in diameter. to create a moat. fill with water and start it. set the drill on high torque, and start slowly. speed up the drill once grooves are made and make sure you keep it wet.it has taken me around 25 minutes to drill through glass before... GOOD LUCK
Click to expand...

If it took 25 mins, you had a dull bit. I have drilled mulitiple tanks, some even full of water, and it is very easy.

You don't need plumbers putty, get a hose and put a sprayer on the end of it and turn it on. Draw a dot where you want the center of the hole to be and start the drill. Tilt the hole saw so that you cut a groove off to the side and not a perfect circle. Once the groove is going good, you can tilt back to square and cut the circle. Keep the water trickling over the cut area to the glass stays cool and good slow steady pressure and within 5 mins you are done. Just don't put so much pressure that you brake the panel. If you do an empty tank. Make sure you have a towel or something on the opposite side of the plug so that if/when it falls, it doesn't hit the opposite glass panel and brake it.
 
if it's truly Oceanic, sounds like your safe - found this on another site, a guy emailed Oceanic and their reply was:

"The larger Oceanic tanks historically were not tempered anywhere. We cannot account for tanks built in Texas however as we do not have first hand knowledge of the glass pulled for constructing the tanks. We are 95% sure nothing is tempered. The sides definitely are not tempered as the bottom would be the only questionable panel."

"Oceanic never used tempered sides, only bottoms"
 
saltySamurai said:
if it's truly Oceanic, sounds like your safe - found this on another site, a guy emailed Oceanic and their reply was:

"The larger Oceanic tanks historically were not tempered anywhere. We cannot account for tanks built in Texas however as we do not have first hand knowledge of the glass pulled for constructing the tanks. We are 95% sure nothing is tempered. The sides definitely are not tempered as the bottom would be the only questionable panel."

"Oceanic never used tempered sides, only bottoms"
Click to expand...

Thanks SaltySamurai. I am going to be doing as Murf said because I cannot take the sump out from under the stand now that everything is in place. I went to home depot and found a carbonite tipped hole saw but was not sure if it was the same as the diamond tipped hole saw used to cut glass. Does anyone know it that is ok? It would save me shipping and waiting on glass holes to send theirs but if it wont work I guess I just have to keep playing the waiting game
 
The carbonite might work but it will probably take about 12 hours and would likely crack or chip out. I get the impression your sump is still running. In that case you better not take chances. If you want to wait untill monday when I get back to work I might be able to point you in the right direction to get the bit you need locally,I'm a scientific glassblower in boulder and we use those bits alot. What size hole are you drilling? I might even have it.
 
neoalchemist74 said:
The carbonite might work but it will probably take about 12 hours and would likely crack or chip out. I get the impression your sump is still running. In that case you better not take chances. If you want to wait untill monday when I get back to work I might be able to point you in the right direction to get the bit you need locally,I'm a scientific glassblower in boulder and we use those bits alot. What size hole are you drilling? I might even have it.
Click to expand...

My sump is running and I would need a bit big enough to cut a 2 1/2 inch hole (2" for the pipe and another 1/2" for the bulk head, Im guessing on the size of bulkhead). If you have one or know of where to get one it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks
 
Last edited:
ALWAYS get the bulkhead FIRST before buying a bit.

There are variations on different brands.

You can get both the bit & the BH from glass-holes.com

Stu
 
I use a two pieces of acrylic with a hole cut in one to be the guide and hold water. Clamp it to the tank (inside and out for support) and take your time. it's EASY.
 
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