drill into glass

[CJG]

Does anybody know how to drill into glass? I have no experience in this department and if anyone knows how to do it or has ever done your feedback would be appreciated. The glass is about a half inch thick and I would like to drill holes preferably at a inch and a half but could get by with one inch. Let me know your thoughts. Thanks

 

[big t]

Well the best bet is to call around to the glass shops and get quotes. It should cost about 15 to 30 per hole. They will not gurantee that they will not smash your tank either, but it is worth the risk. Also try not to drill too many holes in a glass tank. Good luck. If you really want to do it yourself order a diamond hole saw online, they are 50-100+ dollars. The other thing you can do is do it with a dremel, but with 1/2" thick glass would be pretty time consuming. They have little diamond tipped bits for glass and ceramic, and are pretty cheap.

 

[CJG]

Thanks big T, i'll see what i can do, any other feedback is appreciated.

 

[ChrisRD]

I ordered a diamond coring bit from AmeriGlas (click on "Power Tools" > "Diamond Drill Bits" > Diamond Core Drill Bits") and did several holes with no problem. I did it outside with a drill press and a garden hose for cooling. They have instructions on their site. Pretty easy actually.

It looks like a 1" bit on their site is about $30. Keep in mind if this is for a 1" PVC bulkhead you'll need a much bigger bit than 1" (you probably already know that, just figured I throw it out there... ...just in case. ).

HTH

 

[CJG]

Thats really helpful, i'll have to check that out. The other thing is though, how many wholes did the bit last for. And could i would just a regular drill gun over a drill press. let me know, thanks. Also, how big of wholes did you drill, and how many. thanks

 

[ChrisRD]

I drilled three holes with this bit and it doesn't look noticeably different. Apparently the life of the bit can vary significantly depending on how fast you run the bit (check the recommended speed charts on the AmeriGlas site), how thick the glass is that you're drilling, how well you cool it, etc..

I've seen LFSs drill tanks with a hand drill so I know it can be done - just make sure it's variable speed so you can run it slow enough. I've never tried it myself, but if I was going to, I would probably make a guide out of a block of wood to get the bit started neatly. You could probably just use a regular wood bit (hole saw) to drill a hole just big enough to fit your diamond bit in and then maybe clamp it or double-stick tape it to the tank.

HTH

 

[CJG]

how thick was your glass

 

[ChrisRD]

How thick is a 75 gallon AGA tank? Not sure, I guess maybe 3/8" (it's an older tank)...

 

[tike]

This is what i uased to drill my 10 gallon.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=32400

 

[CJG]

I bought a 2.5 inch bit from ameriglas and drilled six wholes without any problems with a hand drill. Thank you all for your input and help.

 

[bigdave]

Hey Cody glad you was able to drill that beast of a glass tank. If you can get us some pictures of the tank drilled. Give me a yell if you need any help. Dave

 

[CJG]

NO problem, i'll post some picks in the next day or two, I'm thinking about makeing a trip up there in the next couple days anyway so i'll give ya a call prior.