DIY Drill or Pay The Cash?

I have a 72 bow front tank that i need to drill 4 holes for my return and overflow design but the question is.... do i do it myself?

i am a DIY guy i know how to work tools and design..im a mechanic which helps ha but i am nervous to drill a 300 dollar tank !

soo should i pay the 15 for the bit on ebay drill it myself or pay 10 dollars per hole at my glass shop ???

 

i have heard that drilling is easier than it seems, i have never done it though.
imo 40 bucks is better than 15 then another 300 if you mess up.
i mean its 25 more to have someone do it, thats what i would do.
the question is how confident are you lol

 

Sounds like you can do it easily and may use the bit again. I say DIY. It's not hard - if the glass is not tempered. Here is a nice overview:

http://www.3reef.com/forums/reef-aquarium-articles-how-tos/drilling-glass-aquarium-54340.html

 

I have done it and it is not that difficult. Glass-holes.com has a good video on drilling the holes. Make yourself a template for each hole so the bit does not skate on the glass. Place another piece of wood on the other side of the glass to keep it from splintering when you break through. Go slow and use the weight of the drill to cut through the glass.

 

DIY....just take your time and don't push just let the bit do the cutting.

 

Thanks everyone, with that said i think ill just do it, i think im ordering the bit now, it will be a fun experiance lol ( i called allglass, its not tempered)

nooww when my tank shatters i will be letting you guys know so oyu can laugh at me while i cry haha

 

Agreed with all the do-it-yourselfer's. Just take your time and let the weight of the drill put most of the downward pressure on the the bit/glass and keep the area plenty wet. It's so easy you'll be glad you did yourself.

 

I've drilled two glass tanks. The 75 gallon ended up being tempered (stupid me didn't see the 'tempered - tempered' sign engraved into the glass) - it shattered into a million pieces.

But the first one I did, a 29 gallon, was not tempered and it was drilled without a hitch. As long as your are sure the glass is not tempered - I say go ahead and drill. It's easy.

 

I also vote diy.its very easy to cut glass verry little pressure lots of water and use a drill with a clutch set to the easiest settting so if the bit grabs it will reduce the stress on the taank

 

Yep, just set ur clutch to the lowest setting and drill. I did 7 holes with my ebay bit, and it was cake. You don't need all that template crap either. I just marked the holes, threw a towel on the inside of the tank to catch the glass slug, and started the drill at an angle until the bit got a good bite and then slowly moved the drill upright. Trust me, this isn't rocket science, and definitely not worth 10 bucks a hole, plus the hassle of loading the tank in the car twice.

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