How glass sheets used to be made - GIF

[Jon]

Labeled as "How glass sheets used to be made". Is this true? What about pouring molten glass onto a bed? Is this another chapter in the unusual secrecy surrounding glass manufacturing techniques?



Previously:

Pouring glass into thin glass strands - GIF and photo
Blowing glass into wood - GIF
Glass model steam engine - video
Glassblowing a dragon stem goblet - GIF, video, photo
Molding glass bottles - GIF
How to cut a glass tabletop - GIF
Expanding glass table - GIF

[Miloslav]

I know for at least the last hundred years it's made by floating molten glass on the surface of liquid tin... called 'float glass'. Perhaps someone could find a video. This is my first post. Almost all glass sheet is made by the float method now. I've never seen the one in the film before.

[PJs]

I know for at least the last hundred years it's made by floating molten glass on the surface of liquid tin... called 'float glass'. Perhaps someone could find a video. This is my first post. Almost all glass sheet is made by the float method now. I've never seen the one in the film before.

Me either. My guess is it's a special formula of glass for a specific use. The skills and techniques for glass makers is somewhat secretive. Glass started in Egypt probably (~5k yrs ago from fires in the sand). Then over a thousand years much refined in Iran and documented ~6-700bce...much being handed down by masters to apprentice up through the dark ages. Formulas, techniques, styles all came from the masters.

I had a chance to work in Eseban Prieto's place a couple of times in Oakland way back in the day with a friend who worked with him. He's in Missouri now....Magical techniques and styles by all the artisans there. Still have a set of "Rat's Ass" Glasses from there when the glass and form was developed. I just love the color and spiral beading style.

[jajoma]

This is a way to make glass window panes that pre-dates the float glass which came into use around the 1920/30s. This technique makes glass panes called "cylinder glass". Another technique is called "crown glass", which is older. For this technique the glass blower spins the molten glass ball to create a disk, which could get up to 5' in diameter. Squares/rectangles/diamonds of glass would be cut out of the disk leaving the centre, often is reused as a "Bulls-eye"in windows. As the disks taper from thick at the centre to thin towards the outside of the disk, the sheets of glass are not uniformly thick with one edge thinner than the other. Some people pulling apart old windows and seeing the different thicknesses, theorized that the glass had flowed over time, a myth. Casting and rolling glass was also used for plate glass, mirrors, glass floors/slabs. By the way where is the video sourced from?

[mbshop]

Yup, glass is not a liquid nor a solid. Any movement would take millions of years ?

[Floradawg]

Yup, glass is not a liquid nor a solid. Any movement would take millions of years ?

A very brief web search indicates it is a solid.