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workman

Lifer
Jan 5, 2018
2,794
4,230
The Faroe Islands
Obviously not the case with crown glass, but the reason why plate glass appears distorted in very old buildings, is because glass is a liquid, an extremely viscous and brittle liquid, but a liquid nonetheless.

Over the course of centuries it runs down, so the bottom of the pane is thicker than the top.
I think you're wrong. The structure of glass on a molecular level is like that of a liquid, but it doesn't run.
The explanation above of how window glass was made is true. They made a sphere of molten glass that either got pushed down and out or more frequently turned on a spinning wheel into an almost flat disc. In the centre would be a nipple like the ones shown above. The glass would be thicher towards the centre and thinner towards the edges. They cut the glass out of these discs, and they mounted it with the thick end at the base, for obvious constructional reasons.
The centrepiece is useless for window glass, but quite decorative.
 

mortonbriar

Lifer
Oct 25, 2013
2,795
6,100
New Zealand
I think you're wrong. The structure of glass on a molecular level is like that of a liquid, but it doesn't run.
The explanation above of how window glass was made is true. They made a sphere of molten glass that either got pushed down and out or more frequently turned on a spinning wheel into an almost flat disc. In the centre would be a nipple like the ones shown above. The glass would be thicher towards the centre and thinner towards the edges. They cut the glass out of these discs, and they mounted it with the thick end at the base, for obvious constructional reasons.
The centrepiece is useless for window glass, but quite decorative.
Did you have an old encyclopedia in the garage when you got locked out the other night? ha!
 

PipeIT

Lifer
Nov 14, 2020
5,120
30,400
Hawaii

mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,610
Not to be pedantic about it, but frosted glass, glass bricks, and maybe this Crown Glass, were meant to let in light but to obscure the view of the indoors to give the residents a little privacy, I think. Some architects gave people shower stalls with glass brick walls to shower in the sunshine without your neighbors' gaze.
 

mortonbriar

Lifer
Oct 25, 2013
2,795
6,100
New Zealand
Not to be pedantic about it, but frosted glass, glass bricks, and maybe this Crown Glass, were meant to let in light but to obscure the view of the indoors to give the residents a little privacy, I think. Some architects gave people shower stalls with glass brick walls to shower in the sunshine without your neighbors' gaze.
While still giving the neighbour a nipple or three to look at....everyone kicks a goal!
 
Jun 25, 2021
1,369
4,446
England
I think you're wrong. The structure of glass on a molecular level is like that of a liquid, but it doesn't run.
The explanation above of how window glass was made is true. They made a sphere of molten glass that either got pushed down and out or more frequently turned on a spinning wheel into an almost flat disc. In the centre would be a nipple like the ones shown above. The glass would be thicher towards the centre and thinner towards the edges. They cut the glass out of these discs, and they mounted it with the thick end at the base, for obvious constructional reasons.
The centrepiece is useless for window glass, but quite decorative.
Ok, the best I could come up with after a bit of research is that is not a liquid after all, but an amorphous solid, the disorganised molecules of which act as a liquid even so, because they cannot maintain a rigid structure.

Therefore I was right that glass does indeed flow downward, but wrong in saying that it is a liquid.
 

workman

Lifer
Jan 5, 2018
2,794
4,230
The Faroe Islands
Ok, the best I could come up with after a bit of research is that is not a liquid after all, but an amorphous solid, the disorganised molecules of which act as a liquid even so, because they cannot maintain a rigid structure.

Therefore I was right that glass does indeed flow downward, but wrong in saying that it is a liquid.


This article says that for glass to flow to an extent that it could be seen by the human eye it would take longer than the universe has existed.
 
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jpmcwjr

Moderator
Staff member
May 12, 2015
26,258
30,257
Carmel Valley, CA
Any crown glass made since the beginning of the widespread manufacture of float (flat) glass is decorative. Thanks to Mr. Bessemer who knew a bit about floating molten stuff!

It was the best they could do till almost two centuries ago. Though the nipple glass, as lovely as it is, was the less valuable of the glass cut from the huge bubbles of blown glass- there was some that was relatively flat and hence more valuable. Er, ah, so I surmise....