tempered or not...?

[scarf_ace1981]

i'm a bit confused. i bought a non reef ready 120 and planned to drill the bottom of it but i just saw that the AGA website says the 120 has a tempered bottom.http://www.all-glass.com/services/techinfo.shtml i know several members who have RR 120s. does AGA use tempered for non- RR and non tempered for RR tanks? how can i find out if the bottom on my tank is temepered or not? good thing i saw this site before drilling the tank.

 

[Deanos]

Tank makers typically label which panes are tempered. There are RR 120s, especially ones the tank makers drill at their facility.

 

[scarf_ace1981]

right dean so should i assume since my tank is not RR that the bottom is tempered. i know what you are talking about, the little sticker that says 'tempered glass' i don't see one on the bottom but that's not to say there wasn't one there before.

i read a cool little trick about checking tempered glass. someone said if you put on a certain pair of sunglasses, you can tell if the glass is tempered or not. wonder if it was mike(marrone) that said it?

 

[lfsmarineguy]

All AGA tanks are tempered past a certain size (120 are in the range). Pretty sure even the RR tanks may be tempered as well. It's not impossible to drill tempered you just have to be really good at what you do. I can check today with the AGA rep if you want and get a 100% answer.

 

[marrone]

Jon

That wasn't me. Like Dean said usually on the tank bottom there is a either a lable or a sticker marking the glass is tempered.

If you have any doubt, that the tank is tempered, don't drill it as it will break.

Michael

 

[scarf_ace1981]

thanks that would be greatly appreciated.

so you are saying tempered glass can be drilled? i've always heard otherwise. i wouldn't attempt to drill tempered glass. too much stress.

 

[DonCisco]

if you use polarized glasses, you might be able to see the difference between tempered and regular glass.... tempered will appear to have a honeycomb structure, while regular glass will be transparent.

 

[scumonkey]

You can use a cameras polorizing lense...hold up to the glass and turn the outer lense....if you see a moire' pattern it's tempered!

 

[scarf_ace1981]

LOL now where the hell do i get polaized glasses or a polorizing lense? LOL:headache:

 

[drunktank]

jon just drill the back side and save yourself the problem, pretty much the same thing. Someone could have easily tore the tempered tag off. I believe all bottoms on large tanks are tempered, AGA just has the equipment and expertise to drill it.

 

[digitalreefer]

My stepfather is a glazier... don't attempt to drill tempered glass... bad things will happen.

 

[scumonkey]

LOL now where the hell do i get polaized glasses or a polorizing lense? LOL

camera shop for a couple of dollars...but like drunktank said....drill the back/
I think AGA drills first and tempers after?!

 

[ellebelle]

A polarizing camera lens is definitely more than "a couple of bucks" - if you're dead set on drilling the bottom and want to check using a polarized lens, I would suggest asking around to borrow someone's polarizer. I have one, but I'm a little out of your way. However, if you want to come and get it and bring it back to me, that's fine.

 

[DevIouS]

My 65 has a tempered bottom & is drilled.
Not sure if it was done at the factory or by the previous owner...:scratch:

 

[Psycho graphic]

I have done some research over the years on Tempered Glass for a couple of reasons,

1, I do glass engraving and sandblasting, usually done on show cars. It's not popular now, but in the 80's I did tons of engraving during the "Van Craze"

2, I have chopped a "65 Chevy Van 10.5" and currently have an '83 S-10 that is I chopped 4.5"

I once did a bay window on a van and it exploded a week later, upon doing research I found out altering the glass by cutting into it can cause a failure at anytime. It was boiled down to it probably exploding due to expansion as the van was parked in the sun when it happened.

When I choppoed the S-10 I now had a customer who owns a fairly large glass shop, he explained to me that things such as drilling into tempered is not done. As posted above, it is drilled then tempered.

The moral of the story, unless you know for sure it is NOT tempered, leave it alone. You could successfully drill a hole in tempered, only to have it explode later for no reason.

 

[scarf_ace1981]

yeah i'll make sure the bottom is not tempered. i was just confused since i know people who have RR 120s.

 

[ming]

I believe all large AGA tank bottoms are tempered, starting about 50 gallons. My 75 is tempered and drilled from the factory

 

[scarf_ace1981]

thank all of you for your help. i'll find out if it's tempered or not(crossing fingers)

 

[qy7400]

Everything I've read on the All-Glass and Oceanic tanks was they are all tempered. The pre-drilled are tempered after the holes are cut so your best bet is to follow drunks idea and just drill the back.