Step-by-Step: Drilling Holes in Your Glass Tank for Bulkheads
- Thread starter JustOneMoreTank
- Start date
swedish steel
Member
dtaranath - be sure to convert the bulkhead hole to mm to get the correct hole saw size. Bulkheads require different hole sizes based on the manufacturer. My original order for hole saws was incorrect due to not taking this into account. For instance, a 1 inch bulkhead requiring a 1 7/8 inch hole is equivalant to 47.625mm. One inch equals 25.4mm. I would test drill in scrap glass and try the bulkhead for fit or at least compare the bulkhead with the actual hole saw before drilling. I just got the three bulkhead sizes I will be using and the new hole saws I ordered from Lau should arrive tomorrow or soon after. My 130 and 300 will soon have holes in them.
Thanks for the heads up. I double checked everything, and the 45mm saw works nicely with my 1 inch bulkheads (the bulkhead fits in the hole saw itself). I'm just concerned that I may not be able to cut 5 holes with one saw. I think I should be able to, but that's why I asked the question. Any thoughts on that?
You'll generally have some slight conchoidal fractures along the rims. Slight is the key word here, if you're doing it right they shouldn't be very big. The worst ones are usually associated with the bit coming through the other side, which is why I like to clamp a piece of scrap glass on the other side.
Dan
Dan
Willy315
New member
I read somewhere thast you want to sand the holes to help prevent cracking , I'll see if i can find the website that states that
Read the bottom of this page
http://www.northcoastmarines.com/bulkhead_fittings.htm
Last edited:
So I drilled my first hole!
I bought some drill bits off ebay from hongkong dealer lau
48mm and 38mm for 1.5" and 1" pvc parts though the 48 mm is a little snug it still turns inside the whole easy enough.
I used a scrap piece of glass I had lying around, for a coolant ring i cut the top part of a cd spindle(too big for use on a tank but ill find something smaller), used water, and started drilling w/ a cordless.
at first it skipped a lot so i made a 1/3 moon groove first, it worked out well.
its really easy, esp after the groove is made. i cant believe i paid 25$ for a lfs to do it.
I bought some drill bits off ebay from hongkong dealer lau
48mm and 38mm for 1.5" and 1" pvc parts though the 48 mm is a little snug it still turns inside the whole easy enough.
I used a scrap piece of glass I had lying around, for a coolant ring i cut the top part of a cd spindle(too big for use on a tank but ill find something smaller), used water, and started drilling w/ a cordless.
at first it skipped a lot so i made a 1/3 moon groove first, it worked out well.
its really easy, esp after the groove is made. i cant believe i paid 25$ for a lfs to do it.
BallaBooyeaH
Premium Member
WOW - what a link.
I need hole for a closed loop I need for a 4 way which I first plumbed wrong. It would not work due to to many bends and this lost all my head oreasure. So I need to Drill. I was looking at having to pull the pane of glass out and sending it to get drilled - looking at over €100 for this to be done then would have to put it all back together.
Gonna order from Lau and get the bulkheads I need first.
Quick question, I was looking at bulkheads from this supplier - http://www.coralculture.co.uk/shop/index.php?cPath=157_159 they have a 32mm tank connector which is the size of my plumbing. AM I better off getting the Savoko fitting? Just want to make sure that I get 32mm clean through the glass.
Thanks again for this thread - RC rocks.
I need hole for a closed loop I need for a 4 way which I first plumbed wrong. It would not work due to to many bends and this lost all my head oreasure. So I need to Drill. I was looking at having to pull the pane of glass out and sending it to get drilled - looking at over €100 for this to be done then would have to put it all back together.
Gonna order from Lau and get the bulkheads I need first.
Quick question, I was looking at bulkheads from this supplier - http://www.coralculture.co.uk/shop/index.php?cPath=157_159 they have a 32mm tank connector which is the size of my plumbing. AM I better off getting the Savoko fitting? Just want to make sure that I get 32mm clean through the glass.
Thanks again for this thread - RC rocks.
piranhaking
New member
i know that this hasnt come up for a while, but i think the antifreeze on the cuts would be more for lube than heat. If youve ever felt it, it is rather slippery.
JustOneMoreTank
New member
Glad everyone is still enjoying the thread and getting useful information out of it. 
RC is a great resource.
RC is a great resource.swedish steel
Member
I get my bulkhead fittings from plumbingsupply.com. These are heavy duty fittings. You can get schedule 40 or schedule 80 bulkhead fittings, but I prefer the idea of a more heavy duty fitting that the schedule 40 since I do not want to tear the tank down to replace a faulty one later. Be sure to match the hole saw to the required dimension of the bulkhead hole requirement before drilling.
swedish steel
Member
I believe a coast-to-coast type weir overflow serviced by bulkheads feeding a sump with any partial water change or top off occuring at the sump is the best way to go.
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