[i]

THE METHODS OF GLASS BLOWING

AND OF

WORKING SILICA

[ii]

BY THE SAME AUTHOR

With 25 Illustrations. Crown 8vo, 2s.

A Practical Introduction to Chemistry. Intended to
give a practical acquaintance with the Elementary Facts
and Principles of Chemistry.

LONGMANS, GREEN, AND CO.
LONDON, NEW YORK, BOMBAY, CALCUTTA, AND MADRAS.

[iii]

The Methods of Glass Blowing

AND OF

Working Silica in the Oxy-Gas Flame

FOR THE USE OF CHEMICAL AND PHYSICAL
STUDENTS

BY

W. A. SHENSTONE, F.R.S.

FORMERLY LECTURER ON CHEMISTRY IN CLIFTON COLLEGE

NINTH IMPRESSION

LONGMANS, GREEN, AND CO.
39 PATERNOSTER ROW, LONDON
FOURTH AVENUE & 30TH STREET, NEW YORK
BOMBAY, CALCUTTA, AND MADRAS
1916

[v]

PREFACE

This book consists of a reprint of the third edition ofmy Methods of Glass-blowing, together with a newchapter in which I have described the comparativelynew art of working vitreous silica.

The individual operations of glass-blowing are muchless difficult than is usually supposed, and considerablesuccess in the performance of most of them may beattained by any one who is endowed with averagepowers of manipulation and who is moderately persistent.Constructing finished apparatus is often moredifficult, as it may involve the performance of severaloperations under disadvantageous conditions, and maydemand a little ingenuity on the part of the operator.But I think the suggestions in Chapter IV. willmake this comparatively easy also to those who havemastered the operations described in Chapter III.

The working of vitreous silica, though more tedious[vi]and expensive than glass-blowing, is not really moredifficult, and as it seems certain that this new materialwill soon play a useful part in chemical and physicalresearch, I believe the addition now made to the earlierbook will add considerably to its value.

As glass is much less expensive to work with thansilica, the beginner will find it best to spend a fewdays working with the common gas blow-pipe andglass before he attempts to manipulate the new andmore refractory material. Therefore, in writing thenew chapter, I have assumed that the reader isalready more or less familiar with the rest of thebook, and have given only such instructions andadvice as will be required by one who is already ableto carry out simple work at the blow-pipe.

W. A. SHENSTONE.

Clifton College,
Dec. 1901.

[vii]

CONTENTS