Glass blowing for scientific instruments is an artisan craft and can literally be done in a shed : chapotraphouse

[+] BodyBySisyphus@hexbear.net 20 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

[deleted]

[-] Keld@hexbear.net 19 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

Being a hobby glassblower is a bit different from being capable of the specialized and delicate work it takes to make parts for scientific instruments.

You'd genuinely be surprised. I mean obviously you're not going to be making this stuff after like a week, but a lot of really impressive work is done by hobbyists.

Edit: But also im not saying that every hobbyist should be making scientific equipment, its just interesting that a traditional craft intersects with modern science, and that commodity fetishism means that a lot of us (Including myself) don't consider stuff like that

Also are people really keeping high temperature kilns in sheds?

Literally yes

[-] Omegamint@hexbear.net 13 points 2 months ago

Another reason to be sad that I couldn’t learn glass blowing back when I was doing ceramics (they’re a sister art!). Honestly I should’ve just gone to arts school, nothing would’ve gotten worse for me and instead I would’ve learned so much more

[-] happybadger@hexbear.net 12 points 2 months ago

slaps Tiffany lamp

You can fit so much science in this bad boy.

[-] agentant@hexbear.net 10 points 2 months ago

Just something to chew on.

Not the glass though. Don't chew on the glass.

[-] LeeeroooyJeeenkiiins@hexbear.net 7 points 2 months ago

We have a garage we don't use for anything maybe i should blow some glass

[-] micnd90@hexbear.net 7 points 2 months ago

Pretty sure you need a lot of specialized equipment, here are the people I'm working with

https://www.allenglass.com/

[-] Keld@hexbear.net 9 points 2 months ago

You need super specialised tools and years of practise. The intent is not to malign or denigrate a very intricate craft

[-] micnd90@hexbear.net 5 points 2 months ago

Yeah I don't think that was your intent. I fully support scientific glassblowing - it is a dying art. They say that each chemistry department used to have their own in-house glassblower, nowadays you'll be lucky if there's one in your whole state

[-] MeowZedong@lemmygrad.ml 3 points 2 months ago

They often still do in France. Part of why they exist in some areas and don't in others is just the price of new glassware vs a staff glass blower. Borosilicate glass is cheap in the US, but relatively expensive in France.

[-] infuziSporg@hexbear.net 7 points 2 months ago

I had always assumed that this sort of thing was mechanized.

[-] Keld@hexbear.net 6 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

exactly! And some of it is to be sure, but the fact that we (Very much including myself) just assume stuff is an industrial mechanised process because of our modern age and because it's intricate and then it's not is what is interesting.

[-] infuziSporg@hexbear.net 5 points 2 months ago

I feel like if a mostly self-sufficient and ecologically neutral economic unit were to be made, glass making would easily be in the top 10 most important occupations.

[-] microfiche@hexbear.net 3 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

being crucial to the world economy than most

I'm just a moron but I'm not sure why you're basing someone's worth on what they contribute monetarily.

[-] Keld@hexbear.net 15 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

Im not saying a person only has merit if they're a cog in the global economy.

Its just interesting to me that a traditional craft that mostly gets taken up as a hobby or used to make little tchotchkes is so vital and yet undervalued.

Edit: Also the fact that modern science is done with stuff made by artisans is a cool contrast.

Chapotraphouse