Need help with glass panel "trimming" ???

[Red_Man]

Hello! Well I was planning on DIYing a couple 20g talls into sumps. Measured my width at the top of the tanks and I ordered the glass and picked it up today. Get home to find out that the freaking tanks are almost 1/16 skinnier at the bottom! Any ideas on how to trim the glass down? I can't score it and break it because the amount I need to remove is too small. Thanks for any help. Tried checking YouTube but it just comes up with how to score n break glass like normal.

 

[skjl47]

Hello; This will be very risky so do not try it. I have in the past ground the edges of glass a bit. I am assuming you mean that the glass needs to be tapered a bit to fit.

With enough safety equipment you might not die, but a bad cut is possible. Not sure of a safe way to go about it. I got away with rubbing fresh cut glass edge on some cement a few times. Little chips of glass will fly almost for sure so double eye protection at the least. Safety glasses and a face shield. I was only trying to dull the cut edges so the glass could be handled. I have not tried to remove as much glass as you intend. Should you ignore my advice, then cover well any body parts that have value to you.

Might be best to get some more glass cut to size?

 

[davenmandy]

Diamond skill saw blade and a water hose? Wet Tile saw? Just speculating, things to look into, i dont know the answer.

 

[Red_Man]

Hello; This will be very risky so do not try it. I have in the past ground the edges of glass a bit. I am assuming you mean that the glass needs to be tapered a bit to fit.

With enough safety equipment you might not die, but a bad cut is possible. Not sure of a safe way to go about it. I got away with rubbing fresh cut glass edge on some cement a few times. Little chips of glass will fly almost for sure so double eye protection at the least. Safety glasses and a face shield. I was only trying to dull the cut edges so the glass could be handled. I have not tried to remove as much glass as you intend. Should you ignore my advice, then cover well any body parts that have value to you.

Might be best to get some more glass cut to size?

Lol! I shall take care to cover all my extremities! Unfortunately I don't have any concrete smooth enough unless I drive 20 minutes up to the new shopping plaza they just put in.

D davenmandy
Not so sure about the diamond skill saw blade but I do know that a tile saw will not do the job in any case. Used to have a tile saw and the diamond grit is to large for glass use. Broke a couple panels trying to modify them for a friend.

I have some grinding stone attachments for my Dremel. Might give that a go. At worst I'm only out $6 for a panel. :/

 

[millerkid519]

I cut all my braces for my sump with a wet tile saw and blade... be careful and you can do it

 

[Red_Man]

I cut all my braces for my sump with a wet tile saw and blade... be careful and you can do it

Lucky SOB. Both times I tried I was cutting 1/4" glass and the saw only cut like an inch into the panel and "Tshhh.'

 

[boldtogether]

Can you not just clearance the stand to fit the tanks? Am I missing something here? Literally a 1/32" on both sides could be done with sandpaper.....
"Trimming" glass to fit is asking for trouble if you don't have access to the right equipment.

 

[boldtogether]

Ok, ok, I get it...I'm an idiot.
You are making baffles....gotcha.
If you go the grind method, get a dimond grinding wheel for you dremel and do 1/32" on each end instead of trying to go down a full 1/16" on one side....
Or, don't listen to the idiot.
o_0

 

[millerkid519]

1/4 is hard but can be done I and sandwiched the glass between cardboard and clamped a guide to the glass to make sure my cut stayed dead straight. Main thing is to keep your setup as ridged as possible and keep the vibration off of the glass from the saw. Taping the bottom of the saw so the metal is not touching the glass would be a good idea aswell

 

[Red_Man]

Ok, ok, I get it...I'm an idiot.
You are making baffles....gotcha.
If you go the grind method, get a dimond grinding wheel for you dremel and do 1/32" on each end instead of trying to go down a full 1/16" on one side....
Or, don't listen to the idiot.
o_0

It's all good!

I got it done with whatever the pink grinding stone is in the Dremel assortment.
!!!Notes!!! Anyone who sees this in the future. If you grind the edges of glass with a Dremel you MUST do it outside of the living space, wear a breathing mask, safety glasses, gloves, and long sleeves. Randomly the glass will release tiny chunks that have enough speed (I was running my Dremel at the 15,000 RPM setting) to puncture your skin, spear your eye, etc etc. The mask is needed because you are basically creating fiber glass as you slowly trim away the oops. Patience is key. Friction creates heat, uneven heat causes glass to break. I didn't use any water cooling at all. Just slow and steady. Don't get obsessive. Staying in one spot longer than a few seconds heats the glass. Good luck!