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Unread 09/08/2008, 12:22 PM   #96
chrismunn
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Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Austin, Texas
Posts: 4,200
if your uncomfortable free hand drilling, you can get a 2x4 and drill the same diameter hole in the 2x4, then clamp it to the glass. you can use that 2x4 with the hole as a guide to keep your drill bit square to the glass while drilling. someone already mentioned it before about tipping the bit and having it bind up and crack the glass. that is always a possiblity to be aware of. it normally happens when you actually make it all the way through and your punching out the other side. that initial jerking motion when you make it all the way through the glass is normally the killer. as stated earlier by someone, simply using the weight of the drill without adding additional pressure is the safest way. you can also use plumbers putty to create a circular water dam, then fill that dam with water while drilling. thats to keep the drill bit cool while drilling. if your using the 2x4 drilling jig you'll have to just run a hose over the drill site. a friend holding a spray bottle will work fine as well.
working with granite, i drill holes in this fashion daily. its not exatly the same, but very similar. if you have scrap glass i would absolutely recommend practice drilling a bunch of holes to get a good feel for it. the most crutial part to pay attention to is controlling your drill as your bits coming out the other side of the glass.

that being said, im really looking forward to watching this thing take shape! your planning seems to be moving right along with hardly any interuptions!

one thing i was noticing with your CL outputs is that the design leaves an area along the entire back length in the bottom corner where detritus might accumulate. the outputs coming from the bottom of the tank point forwards and away from the back, and the output situated on the back wall seems to also point forward again missing that back bottom corner of the tank. thats not to say it wont get any water movement, but the flow back there would, in my best guess, be gentle enough to carry detritus into the area and then deposit that waste right inbetween the 2 outputs. although with rockwork right abstructing the outputs from the back wall im sure the flow will go straight up and down, as well as inbetween all the rocks, in which case detritus accumulation in that area wouldnt be a concern.


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