drilling glass

CMcNeil

CMcNeil

New member
is there anyone local that would be willing to help me drill my new tank for a closed loop?im picking it up on sat or sun and would like to line someone up to help out.i have never drilled glass but have read the DIY forums and it doesnt look that hard.i would still prefer to have someone who has done it help.if you would like to(or are willing to) help out pm me please and we can set something up.
 
I've done it a few times... used diamond hole saws I got from ebay. It went 100% ok every time. Just go SLOW...

I don't think I'd want to do it on someone elses expensive tank though.
 
I'm drilling 4 holes in a 125 this Saturday if you want to watch. I've never done it before, but "I've seen pics of it being done." (Yo doomicon) I have diamond hole saws and a lot of nerve.
Mike
 
mflamb maybe i can bring my 75 and drill it when you do yours?would that be possible.i would gladly help offset the cost of your bits.we could do a tank drilling get together :D
 
Hey - if you guys need to brorrow some bits you're more than welcome to come and pick them up. I finally received the diamond coated ones they are 60mm, 45mm, 25mm and 38mm (I have 2 of each). All it would cost you is hole 25mm or 38mm in my ten gallon tank :D. I ended up using a dremel to put a 1.5" hole in the 29G I had. I did it but it took forever! After all that work, a few days later I cracking my 29g tank, put a little to much stress on the PVC I had attached to it trying to remove a broken SCWD - Grrrrrrr. Oh well - life goes on. They really aren't that hard to drill, I'm just over it at this point. Of course I did get a 65g out of it - I had water and everything in the tank and you know to keep the live rock alive it needs a tank - fast! Just let me know - I live in Largo off Highland Ave and East Bay.

Carol
 
Do you know what size holes you need for those bulkheads. Bulkheads have different size hole requirements depending on if they are schedule 40 or schedule 80 or some other style bulkhead. Check where you are buying your bulkheads and see what size hole is necessary.
 
ok i just checked and a 3/4" bulkhead is 45mm holesaw,the 1" bulkhead is 50mm holesaw,and the 1 1/2" is a 70mm holesaw.these all are spears sch 80 bulkheads.
 
reefartist i may take you up on that offer.so i can borrow them if i drill your 10g tank?if i cant get anyone to help me ill just go for it myself and pray for the best :eek:
 
Hey no problem. I was kidding about the drilling of the 10 gallon - I've just been through hxxx the last few days. What we could do is drill my 10g (test run and cheap) and then you can take them and drill your tank. That's the only thing I need to have drilled right now. Just PM me and let me know, I'll be home all day tomorrow.
 
If you don't have any clay (or alike) stop by walmart and get some modeling clay so you can build a water dam. Keep fresh water in there and keep cleaning out the drill hole area.
 
i was reading the DIY forums on here about this.the guy used a plastic bottle and cut off a piece to use as his dam.he taped it to the tank and filled it with water.reefartist im gonna call the place i got the tank from and see if i can get it friday night or saturday morning.ill get back to you.
 
also can you guys tell me how many holes i can put in the tank.i would like to put 4 outlets on the back wall,1 inlet on the back wall,and 2 outlets in the front left and right corners.do you think this will weaken the tank too much.
 
That sounds good. I read the same thread but I ended up using clay. I'm a clay and glass artist so I have plenty laying around - LOL.
 
checkinhawk, if you checkout that same thread they talk about how many and placement. I think I saw in the first 5 or 6 pages that they had put at least 4 on the back. The main rule is to make sure they're not close to each other, you know give a couple of inches of clearance. I saw on thread where this guy must have put around 10 holes on the back - someone did warn him about weaking the glass but it still ended up working.
 
im getting a 75.i was gonna spread the holes around with alot of space between them.id say the holes would be minimum 8" apart.
 
From what I've read that's not at a problem. it's only a concern if they are like within 1/2" or something like that. I have an old 10g tank that I've practiced on - if you like you could drill some holes in it just to get the feel before going "live".
 
here is what im thinking or something close to it.
closedloop.jpg
 
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