Ultimate Discount Aquatics Glass Drilling

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Ultimate Aquatics > DIY & PLUMBING > Glass Drilling

How to drill glass
When drilling glass for the first time we strongly suggest that you practice using a scrap piece of glass first!

Glass drills work by grinding away a ring of glass to make a round hole. This process is fairly slow and a degree of patience is required. It is critical that the drill is allowed to do its work rather than being forced very hard into the glass. The use of too much pressure will almost certainly cause the glass to break or at best it will produce a very poorly finished hole. This is especially important right at the end when the hole is about to penetrate the glass. No more than 10kgs of pressure should be needed to drill glass. If using a drill press we suggest turning the wheel with a finger rather than a hand.

The drill should be well lubricated at all times and a slow flow of water is ideal for this. A garden sprayer or small watering can is perfect for dribbling water onto the workpiece. The water keeps the drill and the glass cool. It also carries away the ground glass which prevents the drill from sticking in the hole and speeds up the cutting process. It is possible to drill glass without water but this is very risky and it will significantly shorten the lifespan of the drill bit.

The drill should be run using rotary action only (NOT hammer action!). The drill speed should be moderate; for most "aquarium sized holes" around 500rpm seems to work well. Smaller drill bits will tolerate faster speeds and larger drill bits need slower speeds. Obviously, if you are using a mains electric drill be very careful with the cooling water and use an RCD! A battery or air powered drill is a much safer option.

When the drill finally cuts through a round glass circle often falls out of the end of the drill bit. Some thought should be given to what will happen to this circle. For example if you are drilling through a tank stood on end then the circle may fall several feet before hitting the other end of the aquarium. This could hit hard enough to break the glass!

Diamond Glass Drills

A range of ecconomical diamond glass drills for drilling holes in glass aquariums to fit tank connectors etc.. Will drill to a depth of 35mm so fine for pretty much all tanks.

Supplied with a parallel shank to suit normal drill chucks.

No cutting oil needed, just lubricate with ordinary tap water. This avoids the twin dangers of leaving behind toxic residues and surfaces coated with oil which are unsuitable for silicone sealant.

Want a different size? Available in virtually all sizes (3mm to 125mm) to special order, phone for details on 01334-656699.

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Ultimate Aquatics > DIY & PLUMBING > Glass Drilling

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