Public Interest
GLASS STRAIN AND ANNEALING
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By Joe Walas, East Carolina University. Written for web publication. Discusses thermal
characteristics of glass. Procedures for pre-heating, flame annealing, and oven annealing of
scientific glassware. Excellent photographs of thermal stress in glassware as viewed through
polarized light source. Html format
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INSULATOR AND HEAT EXCHANGER FOR HIGH VOLTAGE, HIGH VACUUM CHAMBER
By William J. Wheeler, University of Wisconsin-Madison. published in FUSION, Journal of
the American Scientific Glassblowers Society, 1971. This paper describes construction details
of an 18" diameter, 10 foot-long Pyrex tube and a 21 tube heat exchanger. The 18" tube was
used to electrically insulate a microwave discharge in a 24" diameter, 12 foot-long stainless
steel chamber. The heat exchanger allowed the microwave chamber to be operated at liquid
nitrogen temperature. An internal chuck glassblowing lathe to hold sections of 18" diameter
tubing was constructed for this project. Html format.
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SEALING GLASS AMPULES UNDER VACUUM
By Joe Walas, East Carolina University. Written for web publication. Describes process for
evacuation and seal-off of glass ampoules. Drawings provided outlining the torch flame sealing
of glass ampoules with sample materials inside. Html format.
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TRASH TO TREASURE
By William J. Wheeler, Published in FUSION, Journal of the American Scientific
Glassblowers Society, 2002. Describes bottle recycling and construction of homemade single
ended glass lathe for working bottles of different sizes. Html format, 7 pages.