Chemical apparatus; Electroplating; Glass blowing and working; Glass coatings; Glass grinding and polishing; Lampwork; Mirrors
Sec. 40. The following method was shown to me by Mr. Wimshurst, but I
have not had occasion to employ it myself. It is suitable for boring
large holes through such glass as the plates of Mr. Wimshurst's
Influence machines are usually made of. A diamond is mounted as the
"pencil" of a compass, and with this a circle is drawn on the glass in
the desired position. The other leg of the compass of course rests on
a suitable washer.
To the best of my recollection the further procedure was as follows.
A piece of steel rod about one-eighth inch in diameter was ground off
flat and mounted in a vice vertically, so as to cause its plane end to
form a small horizontal anvil. The centre (approximately) of the
diamond-cut circle of the glass was laid on this anvil so as to rest
evenly upon it, and the upper surface (i.e. that containing the cut)
was then struck smartly with a hammer, completely pulverising the
glass above the anvil. The hole was gradually extended in a similar
manner right up to the diamond cut, from which, of course, the glass
broke away.
A similar method has long been known to glaziers, differing from the
preceding in that a series of diamond cuts are run across the circle
parallel to two mutually perpendicular diameters. A smart tap on the
back of the scored disc will generally cause the fragments to tumble
out. I have never tried this myself, but I have seen it done.
Large discs may easily be cut from sheet glass by drawing a circular
diamond cut, and gradually breaking away the outer parts by the aid of
additional cuts and a pair of pliers or "shanks" (see Fig. 44).
Sec. 41. Operations depending on Grinding: Ground-in Joints.
The process will be perfectly understood by reference to a simple
case. Suppose it is desired to grind the end of a tube into the neck
of a bottle. If a stoppered bottle is available, the stopper must be
taken out and measured as to its diameter at the top and bottom.
Select a bit of tube as nearly as possible of the same diameter as the
stopper at its thickest part. Draw down the glass in the blow-pipe
flame rather by allowing it to sink than by pulling it out. After a
few trials no difficulty will be experienced in making its taper
nearly equal to that of the stopper, though there will in all
probability be several ridges and inequalities. When this stage is
reached anneal the work carefully and see that the glass is not too
thin. Afterwards use emery and water, and grind the stopper into the
bottle.
There are six special directions to be note
(1 )Turn the stopper through at least one revolution in each
direction.
(2) Lift it out often so as to give the fresh emery a chance of
getting into the joint.
(3) Rotate the bottle as well as the stopper in case there is any
irregularity in the force brought to bear, which might cause one side
of the neck to be more ground than another, or would cause the tube to
set rather to one side or the other.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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