reefphreak Posted February 4, 2003 Author Share Posted February 4, 2003 A spray bar is no problem. Clear pvc ? Link to comment
lizbeth Posted February 5, 2003 Share Posted February 5, 2003 Originally posted by BruiseAndy It's a modified durso that a guy named stockman came up with. A saleen mustang is still a mustang just modified. Stockman and Durso are different styles of standpipes just as Mustangs (Saleen and stock) and GT40's are both Fords. Link to comment
reefphreak Posted February 5, 2003 Author Share Posted February 5, 2003 Has anyone on this board ever drilled a 29? I'm sorry but as my Diamond bit gets closer to the east coast I'm getting nervous about drilling my 29. Link to comment
wetworx101 Posted February 6, 2003 Share Posted February 6, 2003 This is how you do it... First: buy about a 1/2 pound of GE silicone epoxy, it's the stuff All-Glass uses to "weld" together the frames of the tanks that are too big to put a one piece trimset on. (180's and 120's I believe) Second: Find where you want to put your hole on the back of the aquarium, or the bottom, and put the epoxy on generously around the area where you will be drilling to make a complete ring. Make it about 3" high. This will contain the water pool you will use to cool while drilling, as well as reinforce the area around the hole to prevent cracks. Third: Apply some epoxy to the contact edge of the drill bit where it goes into the drill. This will provide the extra grip the drill will need to be able to 'torque' it's way through all that glass. Fourth: Also apply epoxy to the contact edge where it will cut/grind the glass and press it up on the glass so it will glue into place. This will keep the drill bit in place so it doesnt wander off center like many hole cutters do without a guide. Fifth: With a torch, heat the underside of the glass where you will be drilling to make the glass softer. Sixth: hold the drill firmly in one hand and with a hammer, start hammering away on the back of the tank where you just heated it up with the torch while you begin drilling on the other side. Press very hard and the hole should only take you seconds. If you run into problems, use the claw side of the hammer to 'pry' at the desired holes edges until the hole appears complete. ENJOY your new hole!!!! Link to comment
wetworx101 Posted February 6, 2003 Share Posted February 6, 2003 oh i forgot to mention adding pepsi to the hole's drill side in the epoxy pit for cooling. trust me, it cools your throat so well, and it cools glass bits very well also...or you could use raw egg. Link to comment
reefphreak Posted February 6, 2003 Author Share Posted February 6, 2003 Thanks a lot.. I got everything but the hammering part. So basically I make a big pool around the hole about an inch away all the way around to hold my pepsi and I can glaze or spread silicone rite over where my hole is gonna be to keep the bit from walking. Link to comment
justin699 Posted February 6, 2003 Share Posted February 6, 2003 assuming the tank is empty, and you will probably only use the expensive diamond bit a few times, why not take it to the glass shop and have them do it, I bet they would drill it for $5. That means you could do 6 tanks before you even broke even. I personally would probably lose the bit way before I got my money's worth out of it. Just a thought. Link to comment
reefphreak Posted February 6, 2003 Author Share Posted February 6, 2003 I called the place that would drill it out and they can't do it for 2 months and they want $25.00 a hole. So I will do it myself. Link to comment
glazer Posted February 6, 2003 Share Posted February 6, 2003 Hmmm, dunno phreak... wet was purty thourogh with the whole step by step instructions.. I am SHOCKED he left out the dead cat/full moon part... ??? hehe Well I can't say I drilled a 29... drilled some holes in a 150 though and a few other biggies and smallies. Getting started is the hardest part, both literally and figuratively. Since the saw does not have a pilot bit in it it does tend to "walk" a bit.... You said you were putting the hole in the bottom corner, yes? You may want to make a little plywood square as a template. Plywood to fit in the corner and have a hole cut in it the same size as your bit for the glass. This will keep it from wanting to skate around on you. Get it started then you can take the ply off.... don't know because of the weather if you could take the tank outside and just let the hose run over it while you are drilling, that's the easiest way to do it.... if not, um along the lines of wet's advice, take some clay or silly putty or whatever and make a dam around your "hole to be" and fill it with water or anti-freeze. Other than that..hmmm, not much else to say except take your time. Don't put any extreme pressure on it, just let the saw do all the work. Actually if this is your first time drillin' I think you'll be pleseantly suprised how easy it is... ESPECIALLY with a bran' spankin' new hole saw! Good luck man!... I don't have a dead cat here to send you but I do have this cool rattle with chicken feet on it I could send ya if ya want,hehe. Link to comment
lizbeth Posted February 6, 2003 Share Posted February 6, 2003 Oh and you have to cross your toes. I forgot that in my how to drill glass post. I have lots of live cats...I'll bet that why it went well for me and the crossing toes thing..... Link to comment
wetworx101 Posted February 6, 2003 Share Posted February 6, 2003 Uh, guys, I was joking.... Lucky I left out the part about the flexolinear thermocoupling and the telescopic reducing flange being used to hammer out the glass while gripping it with a left hand 9/16 wrench....oh, and be sure you get a drill that has a xener diode in it because thise are made in Japan, much better than the Taiwan ones that are crap. He he he...I had to... Link to comment
reefphreak Posted February 6, 2003 Author Share Posted February 6, 2003 I'll give it a try. Yes glazer I am doing the bottom back corner. I was thinking of making a template out of ply or luan to hold it in place in the corner but wasn't sure if it was ok to do that because the bit would be a little too dry. I'll figure something out. Thanks to all of you and I'll let you know the results. I'm probly scared of nothing. Link to comment
wetworx101 Posted February 6, 2003 Share Posted February 6, 2003 Ill be serious here for a moment. There are a few things to look out for when you drill. As you are drilling, watch the glass 'dust'. It should appear as just a grit. If you start getting pieces that are actually reflecting light, as in shards of glass, ease up on the bit a little because you could cause small chips to start breaking around the edge of the hole. Not too big a deal, so dont panic, just ease up and keep going. If you dont, then you could make larger fragments or even start a nice spidering bullet effect inthe glass. If you end up with some roughness around the edge of the hole you just 'ground' out, especially the opposite side, dont panic...some fine sandpaper, or even better yet, a dremel tip for sanding glass...it helps with that bulhhead seal and a pro look that wont cut your fingers when you touch it. JUST REMEMBER: You cant go too slow when drilling glass. Keep it all wet and cool, supported on the backside, do it on a drill press if available...and slow, slow slow.... Link to comment
reefphreak Posted February 6, 2003 Author Share Posted February 6, 2003 Should i put tape on the backside or something ? Link to comment
wetworx101 Posted February 7, 2003 Share Posted February 7, 2003 You dont need to, but perhaps a block of wood pressed on the other side would give the glass some support. Another tech I've seen is to drill part of the way on one side...then flip it all around and finish drilling from the other side. The trick is to measure accurately because the glass can distort from an angle. I watched someone drill 3/4" plate in this manner, but the glass distorted so much he was 1/4" off on the other side. He spent another hour 'honing' out the hole up to the next bulkhead size (2"). A 29 will be nowhere near as bad...but be careful. This will prevent the chipping that may happen when "breaking through to the other side". Dont fear a rough edge however, because you can always sand away or hone the hole later to an more pro looking and less finger slicing finish. Link to comment
reefphreak Posted February 11, 2003 Author Share Posted February 11, 2003 Would one 1 3/4 hole in each of the back corners of my 29 be ok or would it be too much for the glass to handle as far as stress? I drilled my drain for a 1" bulkhead and now I want to drill the other corner for a 1" bulkhead return.The hole is 3" out from the back and 3" from the side. I want to do the same in the other back corner. Link to comment
reefphreak Posted February 11, 2003 Author Share Posted February 11, 2003 Git up there.... Link to comment
glazer Posted February 11, 2003 Share Posted February 11, 2003 hey freak.... Well reading through your posts... as I understand it you drilled the hole for your drain line in the bottom back corner. Now you want to do the same on the other side for your return line? First, as you are asking... I have had many tanks in different sizes drilled with many holes.... even had a 150 that had the drain and return holes drilled right next to each other in the bottom... that bugged me a bit but the glass was really thick and since it came that way figured it was otay. So no... two holes on opposite sides of your tank is by my best guess and experience not a prob at all.... Howeeeeeever...... if I got ya right, why do you want your return line on the bottom corner? I would go in the UPPER corner myself. Stuff can and does go wrong, not saying it will but you could potentialy drain the whole tank out. Even if you run your return line on the inside all the way up to nearly the water surface your pump would be fighting the "downward" pressure by the water filling it... er if that makes sense. Uh, I'll wait to ramble further till ya get back on this one,hehe. Now if all this is moot....as in your drain is UPPER corner after all and now ya want your return up there on the other side of the tank then carry on.... should be just fine! Link to comment
reefphreak Posted February 11, 2003 Author Share Posted February 11, 2003 I was gonna make it run up to just under the water surface and make a spray bar out of it. I see your point about draining the tank though. If I was to drill it in the back glass up in the corner,Where would the best place to put it be as far as glass strength? Link to comment
reefphreak Posted February 11, 2003 Author Share Posted February 11, 2003 I was gonna do it from underneath that way all the plumbing would be under the tank but I need your opinion. I'm drill happy now that I did one hole. I can't believe that I was so worried about drilling the hole so much. I was worried for nothing. lol Link to comment
glazer Posted February 11, 2003 Share Posted February 11, 2003 Well I would go with the hole having at least an amount of glass around it to either edge equal to the size of the hole. Er what? Hole is 1 3/4"... so 1 3/4" from top edge down to edge of hole and the same from side edge over to edge of hole, er what what again!? Um, no less than 2 5/8" on center.... (measured from edges of tank. (psssst, did you make up a jig/template to start the other hole you drilled? Use that...hehehehe) Link to comment
reefphreak Posted February 11, 2003 Author Share Posted February 11, 2003 I have a teplate that places it about 3 inches out from both edges. The same one i used for the bottom. I want you to know i appreciate your help too. Link to comment
reefphreak Posted February 11, 2003 Author Share Posted February 11, 2003 How bout coming up through the bottom and having a pvc pipe come up to just under the surface aiming straight up and creating a water flow to turn over the surface of the water? Link to comment
lizbeth Posted February 11, 2003 Share Posted February 11, 2003 I'd also vote for drilling the top back. Why make it more complicated with more plumbing? Plus if you do the bottom you loose that much more space in the tank and have to aquascape around the "up" pipe. Link to comment
reefphreak Posted February 12, 2003 Author Share Posted February 12, 2003 Ok, This is exactly what I wanted, opinions from you two reefers. Thanks Glazer and Lizbeth. I guess I'll start drilling. Link to comment
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