First time drilling - did you practice first?

[NancyFish]

After researching, I feel confident if I go slow enough it should be fine — so just curious, did you bother practicing first?

I saw a cheap 5g tank at petco I almost picked up, but the fact they’re so thin and likely to brake it kind of didn’t make sense to dull my drill bit practicing.. yet I’m still on the fence

 

[Dom]

No I didn't. That would have been a good idea.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

I drilled my first tank ever last year in March, after some 15 years of procrastination lol. I did not practice. I watched a few YouTube videos and bit the bullet and went ahead.

It was much easier than I thought , it was just long. Took me about 20 minutes per hole. Just go slow and don’t put pressure is my best advise. Let the drill do the work they say lol, but it’s true.

 

[redfishbluefish]

@NancyFish, not sure what you've looked at but first on the list is to verify that the glass is NOT tempered. Tempered glass can not be drilled...it will shatter. There is an easy way to determine temper using a pair of polarized sunglasses...and found by doing a Google search.

As far as drilling...Just do it! My advice is to use a template, go slow and use water to cool and back up the hole with a backing plate (wood or plastic piece). This could minimize chip-out.

Here is my last drilling for two holes...

And here are the specifics...use a template. If your kit didn't come with one, simply make one using a piece of scrap wood. It will direct the bit to drill in the exact location. Drilling without a template is for experts only. Without a template the bit will dance around the glass.

When I place the template I use a little plumber's putty between the template and glass to hold the water in the hole of the template. I also have taped the template to keep it from moving while setting up the clamps.

On the opposite side of the glass I clamp a piece of plywood (or some other stiff material) to minimize chip-out.

Put water in the hole and start to drill......slow bit speed and NO pressure on the drill. This is especially true as you get close to breaking through the other side. You don't want chip-out.

Best of luck....and after your first hole, you're an expert!

 

[NancyFish]

No I didn't. That would have been a good idea.

Did you end up cracking it?

 

[NancyFish]

I drilled my first tank ever last year in March, after some 15 years of procrastination lol. I did not practice. I watched a few YouTube videos and bit the bullet and went ahead.

It was much easier than I thought , it was just long. Took me about 20 minutes per hole. Just go slow and don’t put pressure is my best advise. Let the drill do the work they say lol, but it’s true.

20 mins, you’d think they’d make a holder that it can just sit there lol.. I wouldn’t mind a hour if it meant a successful drill. But that’s what I’m going to do, just bite the bullet. Thanks for sharing!

 

[NancyFish]

@NancyFish, not sure what you've looked at but first on the list is to verify that the glass is NOT tempered. Tempered glass can not be drilled...it will shatter. There is an easy way to determine temper using a pair of polarized sunglasses...and found by doing a Google search.

As far as drilling...Just do it! My advice is to use a template, go slow and use water to cool and back up the hole with a backing plate (wood or plastic piece). This could minimize chip-out.

Here is my last drilling for two holes...

And here are the specifics...use a template. If your kit didn't come with one, simply make one using a piece of scrap wood. It will direct the bit to drill in the exact location. Drilling without a template is for experts only. Without a template the bit will dance around the glass.

When I place the template I use a little plumber's putty between the template and glass to hold the water in the hole of the template. I also have taped the template to keep it from moving while setting up the clamps.

On the opposite side of the glass I clamp a piece of plywood (or some other stiff material) to minimize chip-out.

Put water in the hole and start to drill......slow bit speed and NO pressure on the drill. This is especially true as you get close to breaking through the other side. You don't want chip-out.

Best of luck....and after your first hole, you're an expert!

Thanks for sharing such a through process.. I noticed a ton of people get chip out. It kind of makes more sense to drill inside out because of that, yet most videos are opposite.

Did you tape behind the glass before adding the wood clamp? The putty behind the template isn’t a bad idea either, thank you!

 

[redfishbluefish]

Thanks for sharing such a through process.. I noticed a ton of people get chip out. It kind of makes more sense to drill inside out because of that, yet most videos are opposite.

Did you tape behind the glass before adding the wood clamp? The putty behind the template isn’t a bad idea either, thank you!

I actually put duct tape on the plywood scrap. Don't overlap the tape....just butt it up to the first piece so that there is no raised portions....you want intimate contact of this backer board with the glass.

As far as drilling from the inside....for chip-out not effecting the seal....It all depends on how the bulkheads are going to be installed. Nut inside the tank or outside the tank? Realize, regardless of how the bulkhead is installed, the gasket always goes on the flange side....ALWAYS....never on the nut side. And as far as a water seal, it also doesn't matter...flange in or flange out. So, it you can, drill from the flange side. That is, start the hole on where the flange side of the bulkhead will eventually be.

 

[Dom]

Did you end up cracking it?

No. But the hole wasn't clean and the bulkhead dripped. @redfishbluefish has the right idea; create a template using a piece of 1/4 inch plywood. It is how I have drilled tanks since my first attempt. It is a good method. It even allowed me to open a 3/4" hole to a 1" hole. Good method!

 

[Lbrdsoxfan]

Template is key, but I've carefully drilled freehand a hole also. I drilled for the first time earlier this year also, went from a internal overflow box to an external overflow box. It was worth it and I didnt break anything, lol. The boogieman of drilling isnt anything to fear, as already said make sure the glass isnt tempered. Also light pressure and low speed as you come through the glass, less chance of chipping the glass when you break out to the other side.

Before with internal overflow:

The swap:

After:

After photo was drilled external overflow rop left and drilled 3/4 bulkhead for the return at top right.

 

[NancyFish]

No. But the hole wasn't clean and the bulkhead dripped. @redfishbluefish has the right idea; create a template using a piece of 1/4 inch plywood. It is how I have drilled tanks since my first attempt. It is a good method. It even allowed me to open a 3/4" hole to a 1" hole. Good method!

Did you have to redrill the hole when it was dripping or how did you correct?

Ours came with a piece of accrylic template but the return I need to make a template. Was debating what to use to clamp the back still.

 

[Dom]

Did you have to redrill the hole when it was dripping or how did you correct?

Ours came with a piece of accrylic template but the return I need to make a template. Was debating what to use to clamp the back still.

I could have patched and re-drilled, but that bothers me. I purchased a new piece of glass, drilled the holes and then installed it on the tank.

How you drill a tank depends on where you are drilling it.

 

[NancyFish]

I could have patched and re-drilled, but that bothers me. I purchased a new piece of glass, drilled the holes and then installed it on the tank.

How you drill a tank depends on where you are drilling it.

I guess that makes sense! I was about to attempt drilling today but had to make a wooden template for the return - my clamp literally wouldn’t hold wood even attached to a table. Back to rethinking

 

[NancyFish]

lol figured I would try a scrap glass I had and wood with the template that was already made and cracked barely flaming it all together.. so those clamps are out!

 

[Dom]

lol figured I would try a scrap glass I had and wood with the template that was already made and cracked barely flaming it all together.. so those clamps are out!

So whats the plan here; are you drilling the individual panes and then assembling the tank?

Also: You may want to put on some shoes; you're working with glass.

 

[NancyFish]

So whats the plan here; are you drilling the individual panes and then assembling the tank?

Also: You may want to put on some shoes; you're working with glass.

lol no, I just figured I would try to practice on a scrap piece of glass and it cracked when I tried clamping. Not the most encouraging.

Still debating just biting the bullet vs trying to practice on something else a little more sturdy.

 

[NancyFish]

Nailed it, the amount of relief after this painly long drilling is insurmountable. Thanks guys!

 

[Dom]

Nailed it, the amount of relief after this painly long drilling is insurmountable. Thanks guys!

Nice job!!

 

[redfishbluefish]

Nailed it, the amount of relief after this painly long drilling is insurmountable. Thanks guys!

You're now an expert! Nicely done.