Fish tank lids

I'm making glass lids for my 125 gallon.I got a glass cutter tool and I used a board to guide my cut and I cut it twice I went to snap off the piece I cut on the end of the table and the glass shatter.the glass in using is old paned glass out of sliding glass doors the glass is 72 inches x 30 inches.I need help this was the time I have ever cut glass.any ideas or input will be appreciated.

 

I have zero experience in glass cutting. If I ever wanted a tutorial on how to do something, I would check youtube

 

I Would call a local auto glass shop. most will cut the piece to size for you pretty cheap.

Glass out of a sliding glass door is probably made from some type of saftey glass that will shatter rather then break into large pieces in case some one was to walk thru the door.

 

I Would call a local auto glass shop. most will cut the piece to size for you pretty cheap.

Glass out of a sliding glass door is probably made from some type of saftey glass that will shatter rather then break into large pieces in case some one was to walk thru the door.

I would agree with Kevin.. Glass from a door will most likely be thicker than that used on tank lids... The glass lids on my tank are only 3mm thick. Which would be much easier to cut with a glass cutter.

But yes, take your glass to a professional and get them to cut it for you. Should charge much because your supplying your own glass.

Hope it works out for you =]

 

Another vote for going to a glass cutter. :thumbup: It's the one fish equipment choice I swear by. Things like that I leave to the pros.

My next tank is not being bought with a canopy--the top is being cut as the tank cycles. It'll be more than worth the 3 day wait.


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Welcome to Fishlore

I agree, go to a glass cutter professional. That is what I did for my 125g.

 

Sliding door glass is definitely tempered safety glass. Even a pro can't cut it, it will always shatter.

 

I agree with alyeskagirl's opinion

 

This a two pane sliding door I divided the panes and now each pane is 1/16 thick.buy I will look into buying glass cut

 

If you buy glass at Lowes, they will cut it to size for you for no extra cost. Check with your local home improvement or hardware store, they may do the same.

 

BTW: you said you have a glass cutter...
What tool DO you have?
Normally glass is cut with a wooden ruler and a pencil-like steel tool with a tiny rotating piece on the tip. This makes a small scrach/groove on the glass surface, a line of weakness, of sort, by pressing the 'scratching-pen' hard in the glass along the ruler. Keep the tip humid with petroleum. Don't let it slip sideways...
Then a few knocks on the underside (non-grooved) of the glass at the edge just below the groove with the stump/round end of the pencil, makes it shatter - just some centimeters, a inch or two from the edge and in. Align the groove (straight line) with the end of your work-bench or table, perhaps a millimeter outside of the table, lift the glass a little a snap/pull it down. If you pressed the groove well, the glass should break instantly along that groove.

Works with 'normal' glass. Tempered is quite another situation: as it's 'shatter-proof' it will not be cutable, at least with traditional methods.
But a glass-door will be much too thick and too heavy to use as cover glass, even when cut in small pieces.