This sucks!

bgrae001

bgrae001

Member
Hey all, It's been a bad day for me. I just got all my stuff from Germany and I decided to drill my tank for an overflow. I thought about trying it on one of my 10gals I have first, but I didn't. Any way I cracked the back of my 40 gal. I bought this tank in Europe and I can't replace it. I guess that I'm just going to have to bust out the 37 gal I have in storage for my seahorses. This just sucks. I wonder if the tank was tempered? Is there a way you can tell before you drill if it's tempered?
I was planning on drilling my 125, now I'm not so sure!
 
4

40 galons

Guest
i have tried the same thing once. the sticker said that only the bottom glass was tempered , but after drilling half way threw the side exploded into millions of pieces. lucky for me i was just seeing if i could do it before i drilled on my dt.
 
rykna

rykna

Active Member
Dido, man that stinks. However, Bronco300, drills regular glass tanks, under 45 gallons. He said it takes a lot of patience and a lot of time. Trying to drill the hole in one shot won't work. If you PM him, I'm sure he'd could give you more details.
 
4

40 galons

Guest
lol.. yea the glass i tried to cut was obviously tempered. mine exploded just like the video. i think you may have tried to cut yours too fast.
 
bgrae001

bgrae001

Member
I was using a diamond glass saw. I was going really slow, and I kept flushing it with water. I also used the plumbers putty to hold the water in place. It felt like it grabbed on the one side, then it just snapped.
I just had my 37 gal delivered from storage and that one was broken too! I guess that I have a tank to practice on before I drill another one. At least this one is insured by the shipping company.
 
rockman

rockman

Member
When drilling your next tank Don't cut through in one shot remove the bit and spin it in clean water to get the glass particles off the bit
What might have happened was the particles built up on the bit causing binding between the valley of the cut
Good luck in the future
 
bgrae001

bgrae001

Member
Originally Posted by spanko
http:///forum/post/2650021
Pay the price and let a pro drill it. Just sayin..............
LOL... I never pay anyone to do work that I can attempt myself. I just finished installing hardwood floors in my house, and I refused to pay someone to do it.
I figure after 6 years of courses in woodworking (in public schools), 7 years as a tool and die maker (started when I was 12), 10 years as a helicopter mechanic, 11 years as a father I can at least try to do it myself and I would rather go through 10 sheets of glass to learn than to give up and let someone else do it.

I think that after all the advise, I am ready to try again!
 
bgrae001

bgrae001

Member
Originally Posted by Rockman
http:///forum/post/2650015
When drilling your next tank Don't cut through in one shot remove the bit and spin it in clean water to get the glass particles off the bit
What might have happened was the particles built up on the bit causing binding between the valley of the cut
Good luck in the future
Good idea. I'll try rinsing the bit. I kept flushing the tank, but not the bit!
 
stdreb27

stdreb27

Active Member
your break didn't look tempered.
Yeah, definately rinse the bit every few seconds.
Have fun. Fortunately I've never had one break.
 
bgrae001

bgrae001

Member
I was reading the directions that came with the overflow kit... I know, I know.. after the fact. Any way it said to set the clutch on my drill at the lowest setting so that if the bit binds the clutch will slip instead of cracking the glass.
Let this be a lesson learned for all of us men out there!
 
metweezer

metweezer

Active Member
Let the weight of the drill do the drilling. Just hold it vertical. Don't apply pressure. Put duct tape on the underside so that when you drill through the glass the piece removed doesn't fall and break the glass on the bottom. Use the putty and keep the area filled with water. Wear safety glasses and Good Luck
 
veni vidi vici

veni vidi vici

Active Member
When i did mine i propped up one side of the tank higher and clamped water hose to tank .I had a continuous flow of fresh water at all times so it kept bit cool and washed away debris.
 
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