Sliding Glass Door Thickness

[JohnLillywhite23]

I'm about to build 6 4x2 enclosures for all my beardies out of melamine.

Pricing everything out got me really excited, until I saw the glass cost...I can get glass sheets from my local hardware store for $16 a piece, but they are only 3/32 thick. I'm worried if I do that, the gap between the panes will to be too much. Looking at the price of proper 1/4in glass, I'd be looking at spending $80+ a sheet of 15in x 20in, and I would need 2 of those per enclosure.

Is the 3/32 glass pane thick enough? If not, how would you recommend I get the glass at a decent cost? I'd be looking at $960 in just glass for all the enclosures.

*Edit
Just had an idea...Couldn't I buy a used aquarium that has 1/8 or 1/4 thick glass, and take it apart, and use that glass? A 55 gallon is 48x21. I need 2x 15"x20" panes, so out of one 55 gallon aquarium, I'd get 2 sets of doors.

 

[xp29]

I'm about to build 6 4x2 enclosures for all my beardies out of melamine.

Pricing everything out got me really excited, until I saw the glass cost...I can get glass sheets from my local hardware store for $16 a piece, but they are only 3/32 thick. I'm worried if I do that, the gap between the panes will to be too much. Looking at the price of proper 1/4in glass, I'd be looking at spending $80+ a sheet of 15in x 20in, and I would need 2 of those per enclosure.

Is the 3/32 glass pane thick enough? If not, how would you recommend I get the glass at a decent cost? I'd be looking at $960 in just glass for all the enclosures.

*Edit
Just had an idea...Couldn't I buy a used aquarium that has 1/8 or 1/4 thick glass, and take it apart, and use that glass? A 55 gallon is 48x21. I need 2x 15"x20" panes, so out of one 55 gallon aquarium, I'd get 2 sets of doors.

I just cut a 120 gallon apart a few weeks ago. I broke as much as I salvaged. I used a hobby knife to cut the silicone and it broke doing that. That being said yes you can go that route. If you router the tracks yourself you can cut them to accommodate what ever thickness you have.
If you have to cut the glass it's going to leave razor edges. What I did was use a little orbital sander with like 800 grit and lightly sanded and beveled the edges away. If you do that be sure to wear a mask or better yet a respirator. You do not want microscopic glass particles getting into your lungs.

 

[JohnLillywhite23]

I just cut a 120 gallon apart a few weeks ago. I broke as much as I salvaged. I used a hobby knife to cut the silicone and it broke doing that. That being said yes you can go that route. If you router the tracks yourself you can cut them to accommodate what ever thickness you have.
If you have to cut the glass it's going to leave razor edges. What I did was use a little orbital sander with like 800 grit and lightly sanded and beveled the edges away. If you do that be sure to wear a mask or better yet a respirator. You do not want microscopic glass particles getting into your lungs.

I have a bunch of old aquariums (10 and 20 gallon) that I’ll practice on before I get a 55 gallon for the doors.

Thank you!!

 

[xp29]

I have a bunch of old aquariums (10 and 20 gallon) that I’ll practice on before I get a 55 gallon for the doors.

Thank you!!

Your welcome.
If you use a hobby knife be extremely careful. I was cutting a rear windshield out of a suv a year or so ago. The hobby knife I grabbed (new) had the blade loaded backwards and I didn't notice. It split the plastic and folded up like a pocket knife on my finger. It cut my finger to the bone and sheared it forward. Very nasty cut. The mechanics wear gloves from any local parts store is a good idea if you are going to use that type knife.

 

[JohnLillywhite23]

Your welcome.
If you use a hobby knife be extremely careful. I was cutting a rear windshield out of a suv a year or so ago. The hobby knife I grabbed (new) had the blade loaded backwards and I didn't notice. It split the plastic and folded up like a pocket knife on my finger. It cut my finger to the bone and sheared it forward. Very nasty cut. The mechanics wear gloves from any local parts store is a good idea if you are going to use that type knife.

Thank you for the advice! MechanicsWear are the only gloves I trust haha.

 

[xp29]

Thank you for the advice! MechanicsWear are the only gloves I trust haha.

Me to!

 

[Claudiusx]

I have always used the sheet glass from the hardware stores. But I also have always made my own tracks so I make them to fit the glass I use.

-Brandon

 

[JohnLillywhite23]

I have always used the sheet glass from the hardware stores. But I also have always made my own tracks so I make them to fit the glass I use.

-Brandon

Interesting. The only glass my local hardware store stocks is .094 thickness. I can get thicker panes, but as said, it’s very expensive. Do you use the thin sheets??

 

[Claudiusx]

Yup the thin sheets.

-Brandon

 

[JohnLillywhite23]

Yup the thin sheets.

-Brandon

Interesting. May give that a shot first, before I dump extra money and time into buying an aquarium, taking it apart, cutting the glass to size, etc.