Cutting glass and acrylic

[Be102]

Looking to create some baffles for my sump, and was curious on what people used to cut the pieces. I am thinking acrylic considering I want to cut some holes into some pieces.. but glass could possible be drilled? Not really sure what people use. Am I better off custom ordering or attempting to make the cuts? Are theyre any advantages from one vs the other?

 

[xviijdx]

I Used glass in my old sump, Silicone does stick to glass a lot better Whichin turn means that it should take a lot longer for them to start bowing. I also had a glass shop cut my glass for me, but you need to measure 5x to make sure your measurements are perfect, On the other hand, Acrylic would be a lot easier to cut.

 

[Be102]

I Used glass in my old sump, Silicone does stick to glass a lot better Whichin turn means that it should take a lot longer for them to start bowing. I also had a glass shop cut my glass for me, but you need to measure 5x to make sure your measurements are perfect, On the other hand, Acrylic would be a lot easier to cut.

Would there be any tricks to getting acrylic to stick? I guess I am interested in it considering I wand kinda custom cuts.. (holes in the middle of a sheet) similar to the professionally done sumps.

 

[Skydvr]

Drilling holes in glass really isn't difficult. There are plenty of writeups discussing it. It is much easier on a panel that isn't attached to anything as you can keep it submerged when drilling and you can place something on the other side of the glass to help minimize the risk of chip out as the saw petetrates the glass.

If going with acrylic, you need to adjust the measurements to compensate for swelling as the acrylic absorbs water and expands. Plenty of people have cut acrylic baffles and cracked their glass sumps when the acrylic expanded. You can also lay really thick beads on the sump glass on either side of the acrylic baffles to hold them in place. They don't see forces like tank or sump walls do, so you don't need the bond to be as strong. Also roughing up the bonding surfaces helps the silicone to hold better. The thick beads add a little extra security. There is silicone for plastic, but I'm not sure how well it holds a silicone to glass joint or if it is reef safe.

What are the holes for? Filter sock holders? Probe holders? I don't recall seeing people drill holes in the baffles. You can go with glass for the baffles and use acrylic for the portions that have large holes or difficult cuts. The tools to drill large holes or to make complex cuts in glass are far more expensive than the tools for acrylic (on the scale of retrofitting a sump). The acrylic will also be easier to drill and make complex cuts.

Both glass and acrylic can use the score and break method for something like this. You don't need to go crazy with tools for a one time job. There are special diamond bits for drilling glass.

 

[Be102]

Drilling holes in glass really isn't difficult. There are plenty of writeups discussing it. It is much easier on a panel that isn't attached to anything as you can keep it submerged when drilling and you can place something on the other side of the glass to help minimize the risk of chip out as the saw petetrates the glass.

If going with acrylic, you need to adjust the measurements to compensate for swelling as the acrylic absorbs water and expands. Plenty of people have cut acrylic baffles and cracked their glass sumps when the acrylic expanded. You can also lay really thick beads on the sump glass on either side of the acrylic baffles to hold them in place. They don't see forces like tank or sump walls do, so you don't need the bond to be as strong. Also roughing up the bonding surfaces helps the silicone to hold better. The thick beads add a little extra security. There is silicone for plastic, but I'm not sure how well it holds a silicone to glass joint or if it is reef safe.

What are the holes for? Filter sock holders? Probe holders? I don't recall seeing people drill holes in the baffles. You can go with glass for the baffles and use acrylic for the portions that have large holes or difficult cuts. The tools to drill large holes or to make complex cuts in glass are far more expensive than the tools for acrylic (on the scale of retrofitting a sump). The acrylic will also be easier to drill and make complex cuts.

Both glass and acrylic can use the score and break method for something like this. You don't need to go crazy with tools for a one time job. There are special diamond bits for drilling glass.

I guess by the holes, i meant stuff similar to how professional baffles have holes that allow water to go through. I also don't really know what I would make a filter sock holder out of, so that would be something too. What is considered 'aquarium safe' for plastics? Food grade?

 

[cromag27 Verified Sponsor]

Those holes aren't necessary. you can adjust water height using baffle height. filter sock holders can be made out of acrylic, abs, really most plastics. most common is acrylic.

 

[Be102]

Drilling holes in glass really isn't difficult. There are plenty of writeups discussing it. It is much easier on a panel that isn't attached to anything as you can keep it submerged when drilling and you can place something on the other side of the glass to help minimize the risk of chip out as the saw petetrates the glass.

If going with acrylic, you need to adjust the measurements to compensate for swelling as the acrylic absorbs water and expands. Plenty of people have cut acrylic baffles and cracked their glass sumps when the acrylic expanded. You can also lay really thick beads on the sump glass on either side of the acrylic baffles to hold them in place. They don't see forces like tank or sump walls do, so you don't need the bond to be as strong. Also roughing up the bonding surfaces helps the silicone to hold better. The thick beads add a little extra security. There is silicone for plastic, but I'm not sure how well it holds a silicone to glass joint or if it is reef safe.

What are the holes for? Filter sock holders? Probe holders? I don't recall seeing people drill holes in the baffles. You can go with glass for the baffles and use acrylic for the portions that have large holes or difficult cuts. The tools to drill large holes or to make complex cuts in glass are far more expensive than the tools for acrylic (on the scale of retrofitting a sump). The acrylic will also be easier to drill and make complex cuts.

Both glass and acrylic can use the score and break method for something like this. You don't need to go crazy with tools for a one time job. There are special diamond bits for drilling glass.

How should I go about making 2 4 inch filter sock holders out of a piece of glass? should it be extra thick? I am talking about the filter socks sit into.

 

[Even Further]

Baflles do not need holes. Its actually better to have over/under baffles so the flow is skimming the top water layer in each chamber. Holes in baffles and under/over baffles promote stagnate surface water and scum build up.

Use glass for the baffles. Measure by making templates out of cardbloard or wood. There needs to be a gap for the silicone bead, 1/16" on each side. You don't want the baffles to be too big. Glass is easy to cut once you learn how to do it and get the hang of it, (must be annealed aka non-tempered).

Making a sock holder using a flow up and over design takes some planning and the right tools. The top plate that holds the socks should be made from a plastic like acrylic. It should be two pieces solvent welded together so the sock rim sits inside the top plate, and held by the bottom plate that has a slightly smaller OD hole. Look for google images on acrylic sumps with this design, that will help to see how they do it.

 

[ahiggins]

I cant say anything towards glass but I have made my own baffles/lids from acrylic. I use a bandsaw or jig saw to cut. It works out really well and all you have to do is lightly sand the edges to get the residue off. good luck

 

[Skydvr]

Are you talking the normal 4" round drop in style filter socks?
If so, I'd go with acrylic as it would be rather expensive and not cost effective to purchase a 4" diamond hole saw to drill the two holes (and probably never use again).

 

[Be102]

Are you talking the normal 4" round drop in style filter socks?
If so, I'd go with acrylic as it would be rather expensive and not cost effective to purchase a 4" diamond hole saw to drill the two holes (and probably never use again).

Thats exactly what I am talking about, and I agree with the saw.. Basically I purchased one of those glass cutting things and it has worked really well so far on my practice cuts (even though the glass was thinner than 1/4in) But I am clueless what I would make the Drop in filter sock thing out of. Any ideas for tools? Where would I even purchase the acrylic?

 

[Skydvr]

You may have an acrylic fabricator near you, you can possibly get an off-cut for cheap.
There are a bunch of online acrylic vendors.

The big box stores carry acrylic as well, although it isn't the best quality stuff. But you aren't building the sump or aquarium out of it, so it doesn't really matter.

I'd check for a local fabricator or vendor first.


You can ghetto fab it with a dremmel.
Wood saws work on acrylic. Hole saw, skill, or jig saw. Who says the hole needs to be circular? You can make your own socks and rings to hold them in place.
If you have a drill press, you can go scray fab and use one of those adjustable circle cutters on a low speed. They work well (and are cheap), but if you don't have them set up correctly and run them on high speed, they are quite dangerous. You also need a drill press that has a decent mass to it or is bolted down. Nothing like having an unballanced mass spinning at a high rate of speed. (Not recommended for the uninitiated or for use with hand held drills)


You could also contact one of the acrylic fabricators on here and see if they will make it for you. You supply the dimensions. If you need to ask the question, you probably need to buy the tools. It may be cheaper in the long run to have someone make it. Are you realistically going to use the tools need to make it again?


I haven't (intentionally) made curved cuts in glass, I'm not sure you would be able to cut a 4" circle out of glass with a normal glass cutter. I've seen it done with a circle scriber in the movies.....
I know the process for notching a glass panel, but I have never done it myself and it is a very different process from removing a circle from the center of a panel. Maybe a glass shop could do it for you.