glass cutting hole saws
- Thread starter mflamb
- Start date
BillyFSU
New member
I've drilled tanks with both a hole saw and the dremel kit. I prefer the dremel and only use that now. Its really easy. Problem with using a hole saw is you have to use some sort of clay/putty/mud to create a pool of water around the hole(to prevent overheating). Also it takes a few seconds for the hole saw to bite down and in that time its really easy to let the bit skip out and chew up the glass. With the right equipment you can avoid these problems but I still think its easier and cheaper just to dremel it.
BillyFSU
New member
I traced the outline of the hole from my bulkhead using a sharpie. I was drilling from the outside of the tank so I taped the inside of the tank (to prevent the glass circle from falling and cracking the other side of the tank once its cut out pretty much). Its late and I 'm guessing, but I think the dremel bits I used are 7103 and 7134. One is a ball point that I used to punch through at one point in my traced circle, and the other is a cylindrical shaped bit that I put inside the punched hole to drill out the rest of the circle. I bought both bits at walmart.
I just did a quick search and it seems alot of people recommend using the hole saws over dremels on thicker glass which I'm thinking you may want to check out. I used a dremel on very thin glass on 5-20 gallon tanks. Apparently thicker glass takes much longer and burns up dremel bits quickly but I have no experience with this.
I just did a quick search and it seems alot of people recommend using the hole saws over dremels on thicker glass which I'm thinking you may want to check out. I used a dremel on very thin glass on 5-20 gallon tanks. Apparently thicker glass takes much longer and burns up dremel bits quickly but I have no experience with this.
Only if it's big enough. I put a 4" powder blue tang in November, and the lion fish got it in its mouth when it swam by. We got the lionfish to spit it out. Also the yellow tang sorta didn't like it.
It lasted about a week then disappeared , either being gobbled up alive , or died from stress, the gobbled by something.
Also there's a puffer the size of a volley ball hiding behind the rock, and a snowflake eel.
alizarin
New member
To cut with a dremel you draw your circle and grind away the glass in that circle while spraying water mist from a bottle when you see white powder (keeps it cool and from getting airborne). You drill out the bulk of it in a circle then grind down the edges until the bulkhead fits the hole... or whatever you like. The diamond bits from harbor freight are much better than the dremel brand bits I've seen and much cheaper. The " 50 PC. DIAMOND MOUNTED POINT" on this page: http://da.harborfreight.com/cpisearch/web/search.do?keyword=diamond&Submit=Go
The diamond mini-cutting discs are useful for stuff too.
The diamond mini-cutting discs are useful for stuff too.
ReefArtist
In Memoriam
Hi mflamb
Just to let you know it will take about 2 or 3 weeks to get the hole saws from lau***. I ordered some about two weeks ago and still waiting. I have a 29g that needs a hole - I might end up using my dremel, but I only need one and it's a 1.5", so no big deal.
Just to let you know it will take about 2 or 3 weeks to get the hole saws from lau***. I ordered some about two weeks ago and still waiting. I have a 29g that needs a hole - I might end up using my dremel, but I only need one and it's a 1.5", so no big deal.
