Step-by-Step: Drilling Holes in Your Glass Tank for Bulkheads

well..i tried a sample hole on a 10g.. took about 2m chipped a bit on the inside..but the hole was a perfect size..fit in no problem..

how fast should the drill be going..i was holding back a bit on the trigger. maybe that's why it chipped a bit on the inside? or maybe too much pressure?
no cracks though..bit was cutting pretty nicely right through.

365100_1554.jpg
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7667639#post7667639 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by GoldStripe
JustOneMoreTank, are you a season ticket holder? This will be my 8th or 9th year making the drives over to Tally every weekend for games.

Sorry to hijack the thread by the way!
Click to expand...

No. I am not a season ticket holder anymore. I do get back for some games however.
Don't worry you are not hijaking the thread... you are helping others with questions on drilling. I have seen/read. :)

Ok... back to our regularly scheduled program. :) :) :)
 
triggerfish - very little pressure letting the hole saw and drill cut evenly through the other side to reduce chipping. I would hold the drill with both hands to ensure no binding as the hole saw cuts through.
 
On a 10 gallon tank it's nearly impossible to get the hole perfect with such thin glass. You will probably have much better luck on thicker so go for it!! :)
 
does anyone know if the back of jebo tanks are tempered, i tried calling them but no one picked up... thanks in advance :)
 
I agree with swedishsteel, light pressure and moderate speed.
What I've done that has virtually eliminated chipping on the back, is to set (wedge in place pretty darn snug) a piece of 2" thick styrofoam and drill into that. IME that has worked much better than duct taping the back side.
 
drilled the 55g without an issue.. the Lau bit worked great.
practically no chipping on inside.
thx for all the info.
 
It depends on the thickness of the glass, I was able to get 3 comfortably out of my LAU bit on my 125g. On the fourth it was no longer cutting well.
I do HIGHLY recommend LAU*** though. Fast (1wk) to the midwest from hong kong is amazing for the shipping that is charged.
 
Well, here's the mockup of my OM 8-way. Nothing is glued up yet.

I drilled ten holes with Diamond Hole Saws from Lau on eBay. Two holes feed the Dart pump and 8 are for the OM 8-way returns.

I had to place the Dart pump toward the edge because that is the only place I will be able to access it for maintenance when the tank is put in place. I struggled with plumbing the OM directly above it but everything was just too tight so I put a little bend in the pipe to get it away from the edge of the tank.

With the Pump and OM connected I did some tests with 45 degree and 90 degree plumbing elbows and really did not notice a significant reduction in output so I am not overly concerned with any 90 degree bends although there are only a few in this mockup.

Comments?

11670OM_8-Way_011.JPG
 
Good Lord!! I'm dizzy!! Let us know when you wet test it. Are you concerned about not having anything blow from the front of the tank? Although I'm sure your sump returns will.
 
Have you considered using flexible PVC on some of those lines? I've had trouble in the past with bulkheads leaking because there's a little bit of torque on them from my pipe lengths being less-than-perfect (since the pipe goes further into the fitting with cement than when it is dry). The natural curve of the flex might also eliminate a few elbows.

Just an idea, it looks great!

Dan
 
good lord almighty. and i thought my tank was ridiculous (well, actually, it is). I'm thinking that would be a funny thread to see -- "craziest plumbing setups".


I agree with Dan. Flex pipes really help out for crazy plumbing like that.


1019862006_0421_049.jpg
 
So a combination of Flexible and solid works well?

I have my OM unit above the water line and I was thinking I should rig some sort of support for it rather than depend on the Solid Pipe to povide all the support. Good point on bulkheads leaking cause of the torque.

I also have the two returns coming up through the bottom of the tank so I can use flexible nozzles on any of these I want.
 
I try to use as much flex as I can. It is more expensive but it is worth it in forgiveness. the smaller the diameter the more flex it has. I have some 2in. flex and it is pretty stiff but the 3/4in and even the 1in. work wonders. when you glue them you have to let them sit a little longer than regular pvc but it is well worth it.
 
I just tried 2 test holes on a 10g they both cracked. I was using a 55mm bit. The bit was moving pretty slow and I mostly used the weight of the drill, no added pressure. The 10g was at least 15 years old. Do you think it was the tank? I have a 75g sump that is getting 2 55mm holes and a 70 mm hole. I only paid $75 for the sump so i wont be out a lot of money, but I would like to get this done the first time. Any suggestions?
 
typ_c My first question would be, were you drilling the bottom? I understand that the bottom of glass tanks are often tempered glass. If you were drilling the side, the glass on a 10 gallon is very thin, thus not strong. I wouldn't be too worried about your success on drilling the sump. Good luck.
 
I agree. I didn't even practice on that thickness of glass. I tried 1/4" with no failure and then went on to my tank. The thinner the glass, the harder it is to drill.
 
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