# Working tempered glass

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/working-tempered-glass/662160>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [June 28, 2013, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/working-tempered-glass/662160 "2013-06-28T22:16:27Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\
**Post date:** [June 28, 2013, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/working-tempered-glass/662160/1 "2013-06-28T22:16:27Z")

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I have an aquarium lid of tempered glass that is 1/8" too wide.  
I know it cannot be cut; can it be ground off?

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**Author:** ![jasg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@jasg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasg)\
**Post date:** [June 29, 2013, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/working-tempered-glass/662160/2 "2013-06-29T00:07:49Z")

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> [@carnivorousplant](#):
>
> I have an aquarium lid of tempered glass that is 1/8" too wide.  
> I know it cannot be cut; can it be ground off?

IIRC, the tensile stress is greatest at the edges so I suspect the result would be the same as attempts to cut or drill - lots of little pieces of glass.

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**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\
**Post date:** [June 29, 2013, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/working-tempered-glass/662160/3 "2013-06-29T00:23:07Z")

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it would be a destructive event.

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**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\
**Post date:** [June 29, 2013, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/working-tempered-glass/662160/4 "2013-06-29T00:38:17Z")

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Thank you, Gentlemen.

I’ll shim the rim of the tank so that it will sit on top instead of inside the rim.

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**Author:** ![Glazer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a88e57/32.png) [@Glazer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Glazer)\
**Post date:** [June 29, 2013, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/working-tempered-glass/662160/5 "2013-06-29T01:34:28Z")

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Yes you can. You can grind off just up to half the thickness of the glass. Use X-80 wet/dry to remove glass and X-120 to smooth out. You can work it up to X-600 if you want a furniture quality finish. Have someone spray water with a spray bottle. And don’t work one spot too long. If your belt sander has adjustable speed work at a low a speed as possible. If you go too deep or let it get too hot it’ll blow. Don’t stress it with the weight of water for a couple of days as it might still blow over it’s first few temp cycles.

If you have a router you can get diamond bits to take it off easy but you have to be much more careful of heat.