How to drill your tank, ILLUSTRATED!

[charlesgage]

After viewing may threads from many very helpful folks on RC. I drilled my first tank this weekend (20 Long) for a 3/4 inch bulhead and a 1/2 inch bulkhead. This was surprisingly easy, and only took about an hour including cleanup. I took a lot of pictures, enjoy!

Step 1 - Buy your bulkheads, Dremel part #7150 (2 diamond bits), and some modeling clay. I got all but the bulkheads at wal-mart for 8 bucks total.

Step 2 - trace your bulkhead hole out on some stiff paper (cereal box will do). And cut out the hole, make sure the bulkhead fits through easily.

Step 3 - Use the cutout and a sharpie to mark where you want to drill. Make sure to account for the entire bulhead not just the threads.

Step 4 - Make a circle out of modeling clay to hold the water for cooling.

Step 5 - Install round dremel bit and cut around the circle very lightly without water.

 

[charlesgage]

Step 6 - Fill the dam with water

Step 7 - Drill around in a circle until you have a light impression about 2 drill bits width, then choose a spot and drill slowly through the glass

Step 8 - Once you are through take a bowl / baby food jar / tupperware and attach it to the other side of the glass using modeling clay, you may support it with boxes if you wish, fill it with water. This keeps your hole wet and your work area clean. Many others used spray bottles, which i thought was inneficient. Using this method the bit stays ice cold the whole time.

Step 9 - Switch to the tapered bit, pushiong in and out and taking your time, follow your inititial cut around until the glass falls through!

Step 10 - Install Bulkhead and enjoy!

NOTES: Keep dremel on fastest setting. If you have one, use the dremel extender piece, i would not want to hold the dremel for that amount of time!

Number one tip: Don't be afraid, it's easy!

 

[andynyc]

Wow excellent directions with illustrations! I'm definitely bookmarking this thread for when I upgrade!

Thanks!

 

[MAreefer1]

cool....nice directions

 

[bkwudzjeep]

Pics are really worth a thousand words! Nice job!!

 

[charlesgage]

Thanks guys! Best of all, i did it all in the living room while my daughter watched an episode of the wiggles.

 

[eleodes]

great thread!

 

[Snakebyt]

great thread.. ill keep this one in mind if i decide to drill

 

[rizkeeper]

you used the dremel for the entire process?

I wish my walmart sold Bulkhead....lucky you.

 

[rizkeeper]

question, why do you need a bowl on the bottom of the cut?

I understand keeps things clean, but does it serve a purpose in cutting?

 

[mille239]

it keeps the bit (tapered one) cool after you make the initial hole through with the round one.... the tip of the tapered bit remains in the water in the bowl as you gor around the circle cutting. HTH.

 

[elephen]

Great how-to!

 

[mokujin22]

yeah, thanks a ton. great idea with the modeling clay.

 

[charlesgage]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6510887#post6510887 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mille239
it keeps the bit (tapered one) cool after you make the initial hole through with the round one.... the tip of the tapered bit remains in the water in the bowl as you gor around the circle cutting. HTH.

Exactly right! and yeah i used a dremel for the whole thing.

 

[mille239]

note.. plumbers putty from the hardware store works well as a substiture for modeling clay.

 

[raskal311]

2 min one of these

http://cgi.ebay.com/40mm-Diamond-co...580160743QQcategoryZ61574QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
and a hand drill. Much faster

First time I used this I was skeptic as to how easy it would be to hole the drill firm so that it wouldnââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢t run all over the glass but turns out its super easy. I already have 20+ holes under my belt with not cracks or breaks yet.

 

[00nothing]

GREAT how to i do reccomend however that if u can do the entire process outside then u can jsut use a garden hose to cool the hole my kids are getting used to hold the hose while dad cuts the glass. I also found the rounded bit to be unnecessary if u start with the other bit just hold the bit at an extreme angle to the glassle it will dig in some and that will be enuff to start your cut then its jsut a matter of following the line

But once again great job

 

[garvondavis14]

how hard is it to drill a good circle so that the bulkhead fits, i mean one w/out rough, uneven edges?

 

[Stile2]

I used a rotozip with a tile carbine. On my 29 gallon I used the dremel, and my upgrade to a 77 gallon I used the rotozip. The rotozip is much faster.

Nice thread.

Keith

 

[charlesgage]

The hole is not hard to make for the bulkhead, but it will never be perfectly round.

Reason i didn't use a hole saw is because i couldn't find one locally and i can't wait a week for it. Next tank i will use a hole saw and do another tutorial.