I have cut about a dozen holes in glass using my dremel and diamond bits. it works great except for the fact that it takes forever!!! i have heard that people are using tile cutting bits. I wanted to know how thick is the glass you are cutting? how do you start your holes? and do you recommend using this technique?
Tile cutting bits to drill glass?
- Thread starter fella1320
- Start date
I haven't used a tile cutting bit. I ordered a diamond hole saw off of e-bay. It worked great. I drilled a 45mm hole in a 75 gal tank. I'm not sure what the glass thickness is: 3/8 in, maybe 1/2 in.
On e-bay search for "diamond hole saw" or "diamond drill bit". Mine came from a guy in Hong Kong. The bit and shipping together were around $15 and it took less than a week to get it.
I have drilled with it twice with no problem. The first time I started the hole with the bit just off of perpendicular to the glass until there was a little groove and then straightened the drill. That worked OK. The 2nd time I built a plywood jig to keep the bit from wandering and that worked better.
Good luck.
Matt
On e-bay search for "diamond hole saw" or "diamond drill bit". Mine came from a guy in Hong Kong. The bit and shipping together were around $15 and it took less than a week to get it.
I have drilled with it twice with no problem. The first time I started the hole with the bit just off of perpendicular to the glass until there was a little groove and then straightened the drill. That worked OK. The 2nd time I built a plywood jig to keep the bit from wandering and that worked better.
Good luck.
Matt
rustybucket145
New member
I use a tile bit in my dremmel but it is slow. There is one technique that I use that seems to speed it up a little. Push the bit all the way through the glass. Then pull it almost all the way out (applying pressure toward the cut) then push it back in. You can take 'bites' of the glass about the diameter of the bit. Still slow but faster than Super Slow.
i used the diamond hole saw, except mine was 9$ shipped for a 2 5/8" bit. got it from someplace in hong kong that someone told me about here.....richontools.com....richon.com.....someting like that. took about 4 minutes to go thru the glass on my 75, and was very easy, and i got a perfect circle.
thanks alot guys that will deffinately help with drilling my holes but i was thinking about putting in an external overflow into a 29 gallon tank which would require me to cut many teeth in the glass i used to use a diamond coated bit from dremmel but that takes forever and they ware out too fast. i heard that someone used a tile cutting bit for this application i just didnt know how they got it all started.
Mikeeal
Same avatar since '05
Here's the one I use:
I use a dremel at 30,000 RPM's, and water dribbling over it from the garden hose. Oh yeah, and some safety glasses and earplugs. As far as starting the hole, I go in a small circular motion with the dremel diagonal, until I've made a hole big enough for the bit to fit through.
I use a dremel at 30,000 RPM's, and water dribbling over it from the garden hose. Oh yeah, and some safety glasses and earplugs. As far as starting the hole, I go in a small circular motion with the dremel diagonal, until I've made a hole big enough for the bit to fit through.
reeffer1
New member
Yes, just use water. Start the bit at about a 45 and just slowly let the bit work its way through the glass til it is square. Check out this link http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=444094
hllywd
Premier World Traveler
Never user a diamond hole saw. With the dremel I found tracing a circle on the inside of the tank with a Sharpie and freehanding to be the ticket. I like the idea though with the hole saw to keep it from walking with the guide. I have plenty of scrap to make one so what the heck...
