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Thread: How to drill rear windshield glass
          
   
   

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  1. #1
    the_black_wrx is offline CHR Member Visit my Photo Gallery
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    How to drill rear windshield glass

     



    Hello,
    My name is Steve and need some help. I need to drill a 1/2 inch hole in my rear windshield glass. I am doing a coustom rear wiper. The car is 1999 Subaru Impreza 2.5 RS . Not the normal car to talk about here but I have had no luck with the kids on my Subaru fourms. Any help would be great.

    Cheers,
    Steve

  2. #2
    Henry Rifle's Avatar
    Henry Rifle is offline CHR Member Visit my Photo Gallery
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    It would be cheaper to have a glass installer drill the hole than it would be to buy the equipment necessary. And, I'm betting there's no guarantee against glass breakage.
    Jack

    Gone to Texas

  3. #3
    the_black_wrx is offline CHR Member Visit my Photo Gallery
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    i have looked there and that is for glass bottles and such

  4. #4
    mrmustang's Avatar
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    As the owner of a high production (16 cars the first week I was open, 21 the second and 10 now on the lot for the start of week #3) body shop, I'll tell you right off that you need to find a competent custom glass shop to drill the hole for you. Forget about doing it yourself unless of course you have several spare rear hatch glass panels to play with first......


    Bill S.
    Instead of being part of the problem, be part of a successful solution.

  5. #5
    the_black_wrx is offline CHR Member Visit my Photo Gallery
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    Thanks for the input. I have 2 rear glasses to play with and I was considering buying a plastic kiddie pool to submerge the glass. Now should I just use a regular drill with diamond glass bits? Also should i cut both sides to the plastic then use a razor knife to cut the plastic or should i just drill all the way through?

    Steve

  6. #6
    Cape Cod Bob is offline CHR Member Visit my Photo Gallery
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    Looks like no glass guys here. Why not visit a glass shop and see if they might give u some more input?3dSMILE:

  7. #7
    Racecar100 is offline CHR Member Visit my Photo Gallery
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    I use a carbide spade drill bit from McMaster Carr. I have drilling several glass boxes for craft work for my wife.

  8. #8
    MrMopar64's Avatar
    MrMopar64 is offline CHR Member Visit my Photo Gallery
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    As far as automotive glass you can't drill tempered glass.... it is drilled before it is tempered.... you could drill safety glass ( "lamanted" 2 pieces of glass with plastic in the middle) like the windshield is made of. but in todays cars the rest of the glass is tempered. when you try to drill it it will break into little squares. Old Castle glass in LA Ca. could make you one but for $$$

    Good Luck
    MM64
    "LIFE IS NOT A JOURNEY TO THE GRAVE WITH THE INTENTION OF ARRIVING SAFELY IN A PRETTY AND WELL PRESERVED BODY,

    BUT RATHER TO SKID IN BROADSIDE,
    THOROUGHLY USED UP, TOTALLY WORN OUT, AND LOUDLY PROCLAIMING:
    WOW.... WHAT A RIDE !!!"

  9. #9
    Matt167's Avatar
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    yea, rear glass is always AS1 spec which is tempered, AS2 laminated saftey glass is windshield glass. you can check the glass label/ tag on it, on the bottom
    sometimes in the middle, sometimes on the side it will say AS1 or AS2, auto manufactures have been doing this ( stamping glass information on window ) w/ window glass since as far back as 1951 that I know of, because my 1951 Chevy has every window stamped w/ glass information, and it's factory
    You don't know what you've got til it's gone

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  10. #10
    firebird77clone's Avatar
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    seems to me a grinding stone at low RPM, + the kiddie pool will give you the results you want. Give it lots of time, and very little pressure and it should do fine.
    .
    Education is expensive. Keep that in mind, and you'll never be terribly upset when a project goes awry.
    EG

  11. #11
    shine's Avatar
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    a simple chip on the edge can shatter tempered glass. you can neither cut nor drill it.

  12. #12
    Henry Rifle's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by firebird77clone
    seems to me a grinding stone at low RPM, + the kiddie pool will give you the results you want. Give it lots of time, and very little pressure and it should do fine.
    If you try that, make sure you have a third glass available . . . to take to the glass shop after you break the first two.
    Jack

    Gone to Texas

  13. #13
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    The surface on tempered glass is harder than the core and is in a state of tension. Like a balloon if you cut a hole in it, it will "pop". Even if you successfully grind a hole through tempered glass it wont last long before it pops. You cant even trim tempered glass for this reason, the tempered surface is continuous on all edges and surfaces. Custom glass is the solution unless you can move the wiper into a nearby body panel instead.
    Go ahead and tell me what you think, just don't expect me to change my mind.

  14. #14
    shine's Avatar
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    scotter is 100% right on the money. i once tried to just smooth the edge down some. got away with it....almost. few min latter it exploded with no one close.

  15. #15
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    bentwings is offline CHR Member Visit my Photo Gallery
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    Don't think you will get a hole in the tempered glass.
    We had a side window out of the suburban and smacked it with a wood baseball bat. Nothing. I got out a carbide drill bit and made the smallest scratch possible. Nothing....for about 10 minutes then it just started popping and completely crazed. We gave it a little tap and it was just a pile of tiny glass particles.

    Once you break the surface tension it's gonner.
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