Question Re: Drilling Glass

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eric b 125

Guest
So I've drilled a few holes in tanks: no sweat. However, I'm putting an external beananimal overflow on my 125 and I have to drill the bottom of the overflow box for three 1" bulkheads. (that's three 1.75" holes). The bottom pane of glass is 31"L X 4" W, 3/8" thick. Should I drill the glass before siliconing the box together? After siliconing the box together? After siliconing the box together and siliconing it to the tank? I'm just a little concerned about how to go about supporting the glass if I drill before silicone. Thanks guys!
 
snakeblitz33

snakeblitz33

Well-Known Member
Not sure what you are drilling... are you drilling your tank, or are you drilling holes in a piece of glass that will fit on the side of your tank?
 
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eric b 125

Guest
Hey there, Seth. I'm actually drilling both, but my question is not regarding the tank. I just ordered the glass for the external beananimal overflow and I will have to drill three 1.75" holes for 1" bulkheads in a pane of 3/8" glass that measures 31" L X 4" W. My question was what you guys thought would be the best way to go about drilling the glass. Drill before or after siliconing it into a box shape? Or before/after siliconing the box to the back of the tank?
 
snakeblitz33

snakeblitz33

Well-Known Member
Definitely drill before siliconing anything. It's a lot easier, IMHO.
Use some tape, like painters tape or duct tape to tape the underneath of the glass out where you want to mark your holes. Set the whole thing on a slotted piece of wood. Put yourself up a water dam using some plumbers putty... next, you can either put a top board on with the three hole openings for your glass bit to drill through, or you can freehand it.
I would definitely drill before siliconing through. That way, if something happened and the glass broke you wouldn't have to break down the box and clean the seams etc. etc.
JMO.
 
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eric b 125

Guest
That's what I figured, but I thought that siliconing it first might provide extra stability for when I drill it.
 
snakeblitz33

snakeblitz33

Well-Known Member
Naa, stability comes from the wood that you set it in. A drill turns to the right to drill... as long as the glass can't slide freely you should be fine drilling it without silicone first. My problem with siliconing it first is that if you do make a mistake, you will have to completely re-do the whole thing from scratch again.
 
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