However, this time-travel artifact still has some shortcomings. The glass contains a large amount of fine gas and numbness. Although it does not affect its use, it seriously affects its appearance. 【Read the latest chapter】(千&zai^中文gt;
In fact, truly colorless and transparent glass products did not exist in any time and space in the 17th century. Color casts and bubbles were common phenomena in early glass products. Even modern glass products are not absolutely free of bubbles, but the number is very small and difficult to detect. For those who are used to the crystal clear glassware of modern times, the raw materials in front of them are still a bit rough.
So the next step was to remove the bubbles. Removing bubbles is called "clarification" in the glass industry. Some people vaguely remember that clarification requires adding a clarification agent. But no one knows exactly what the clarifier is.
In addition, remember that stirring is also a process for removing bubbles, and the two may be used in combination.
People vaguely remember that arsenic seems to be a clarifying agent. This highly toxic drug is difficult to obtain in any time and space. Fortunately, Guo Yi had already purchased all the arsenic in Guangzhou City in accordance with the requirements of the agricultural department. Wu Nanhai originally planned to use it for soaking seeds.
The so-called arsenic clarification is to add arsenic to the glass liquid. When the arsenic enters the glass liquid, steam is generated due to the high temperature. These steams exist in the form of large bubbles in the glass slurry. The large bubbles will gradually form during the stirring of the glass slurry. Absorbs small bubbles scattered around and eventually takes them away.
This method is indeed feasible. Arsenic is added to the hot glass liquid and sublimates into highly toxic vapor. The pollution during the process is really terrible. The glass research team received several masks and gas masks and started the first test.
After the molten glass melted, the glaziers first threw some ground saltpeter into it for decolorization. Then he began to stir the glass slurry continuously. The pot had a lid, and the stirring steel rod could only pass through the hole in the lid. It was very laborious, and soon he was exhausted and sweating profusely. Every hour after stirring, add some arsenic while continuing to stir.
The final glass obtained was quite clear, but the consumption of raw materials was so shocking that almost a kilogram of arsenic was used.
Kilograms of arsenic, not even five or six kilograms of arsenic in any drug store in Guangzhou. To produce at this efficiency, they would have to establish an arsenic industry to support the large-scale production of the glass industry.
However, this method is extremely uneconomical.
After the group worked hard to make suggestions, someone came up with a clarification method that was seen in novels in the past: the forced boiling method of water bubbles and wood. Use steel to force the blister wood into the molten glass. Let it boil and take away the bubbles.
This so-called water-soaked wood is easier to find than arsenic. There are a lot of rotten logs on the shore of Bopu. Hurry and find some. Use the steel to poke and press hard into the liquid glass.
According to those present, the situation at that time was like setting off fireworks. The red-hot liquid glass suddenly exploded. Squirted everywhere. Fortunately, everyone at the venue was wearing asbestos protective clothing worn by steel workers. Otherwise someone would have to go to the hospital.
The person who made this suggestion was criticized by everyone for half an hour. Of course, he was very aggrieved. This was not made up by him. However, the production process cannot be imitated by simply describing it. Since there is no detailed information on how this process operates, we can only temporarily stop and continue testing.
After going through this for several times. Finally, someone found a glass manufacturing manual from the Dixing e-book in the "Big Library" and asked about the process of removing bubbles: it is indeed possible to first add arsenic, a clarifying agent. In fact, table salt can also be used and then combined and stirred.
Stirring is not just about stirring with a steel hand. A stirrer is placed in the glass pot, which is a hollow cylinder made of refractory clay, and a steel drill with a hook is used to move it in the glass liquid. As long as the stirring time is long enough, not only will most of the bubbles disappear, but all streaks and stones in the glass liquid will eventually disappear, and the glass liquid will become completely symmetrical and transparent. Early optical glass was made using this method. Of course, it is not a problem to make commercial-grade glassware.
Sure enough, after taking out the pot again according to this operation method, the bubbles in the glass liquid almost completely disappeared. The viscosity of the entire glass liquid has also been reduced, and the glass liquid has become very even and flows smoothly. This kind of glass can even be used to make materials for less demanding optical instruments such as glasses.
Two years ago, the research team solved the two major technical difficulties of glass decolorization and clarification. Encouraged by the success, the team members agreed not to take a break during the New Year to continue to research the manufacturing of glassware and contribute to the early realization of the Ming Dynasty in glassware production. .
When Wen Desi walked into the steaming glass factory shed, he found that most people were squatting listlessly outside the shed fanning themselves. The glass furnace was still emitting overwhelming heat. The temperature in the shed was as high as thirty-seven or eight degrees. hot. I was sweating profusely after a while. A large basket on the floor was filled with broken glass pieces. There were strange-shaped glassware everywhere on the floor and on the operating table. Some of them could barely be seen as cups or bottles.
Ji Situi told him listlessly that the trial production of glassware was completely unsuccessful and no one had the ability to blow out a suitable shape. These amateur glassmakers have been practicing their glassblowing skills since early in the morning. I searched through all the information and couldn't find anyone teaching people how to blow glass. The only clue was a documentary about handmade glass production. The workers on TV were blowing and getting what they asked for, but they were completely clueless. Not to mention utensils such as glasses, glass bowls, bottles, etc., not even a few things similar to utensils have been made. From early morning on the first day of the new year to now, I have already packed several baskets of broken things.
"Mr. Wen, this is not easy to handle." Ji Sidui's forehead was covered with sweat. There was a blazing fire here, and the inability to produce qualified glassware made the leader of the chemical engineering team very anxious.
"Don't be anxious. The Planning Commission still has a lot of glassware in stock, which can last for a period of time." Wen Desi was more anxious than he was, but he still pretended to be calm and comforted him.
"It depends on how hard it is to shoulder the burden." Ji Wusheng said in Shanghainese, "It's our turn and we can't handle it."
"There's no other way. Just keep trying. Practice makes perfect." Wen Desi didn't have anything else to say. He was also very new to this industry.
A group of people were sighing when Li Mei came outside. As soon as she entered the door, she greeted everyone with a big smile and gave them New Year greetings. She also gave everyone many small baskets made of bamboo leaves.
Pretending to be betel nut. Wen Desi knew that since the Women's Welfare Association had organized its own supply of goods, it had been selling this stuff to the public all day long, which made the mouth turn red when chewed.
In fact, Li Mei's intention goes beyond that. She is very well-informed. News of the trial production of glass by the industry department reached her ears very early. For Li Mei, who is considering increasing the variety of business operations of the welfare society every day, this is nothing less than a stimulant glass! As long as it can be shipped in batches, it will be great! Then she kept thinking about going to the glass factory to see if she could build a relationship with the factory director. The custom of New Year greetings on the first day of the Lunar New Year gave her a good opportunity.
"Why do all the New Year's Eve guys look like this and that?" Li Mei soon felt that the atmosphere was strange.
"Can it be better?" Ji Wusheng said angrily, "After a long time of hard work, a pile of rubbish came out." Then he said that he couldn't make anything now because he didn't have the skills to blow glass.
Li Mei clapped her hands after hearing this: "Oh, you guys are really good. You talk about working together all day long, ask me about this!"
"What?!" Everyone's eyes suddenly widened. Wen Desi was also surprised. There was no mention in Li Mei's file that she had worked as a glass worker. The Ming family did have a single-plank technology that was unprecedented in time travel, but it had nothing to do with glass.
"You know how to blow glass? That's great, hurry up and help demonstrate." Ji Wusheng's energy immediately came to him, and he almost went to pull the old lady directly.
"I don't know how to blow glass." Li Mei still looked calm and calm, "But when I was the manager of a material trading company, I knew a lot about all kinds of glass products I had."
She pointed to the strange-shaped glassware and said: "Let's talk about cups and the like. Generally, there are two types: blown and one type."
Tok Si cried out: "Molding! Why did I forget it!"
"That's wrong. Mr. Wen, have you remembered it too?" Li Mei said with a smile on her face, "Since we can't make a blowing machine, we can use a molding machine. In fact, when it comes to glasses, molding can make much more than blowing. .”
"Okay, let's give it a try now!" Ji Sidui thought that this idea opened up a new situation. Molding requires the use of molds. Designing and manufacturing molds is a piece of cake for the mechanical department, let alone such a simple thing.
"Wait a minute, we need to finalize the specifications first." Wen Desi said, "Since we are using molds, we must determine the appearance, specifications, and dimensions. This will facilitate future standardized manufacturing, otherwise it will cause waste."
Everyone looked at each other in confusion. We have seen many glass cups and bottles. Who knows what their specifications are? It was Xiao Bailang who thought about it: Go to the planning committee's warehouse and take out all kinds of glassware. Wouldn't it be better to do on-site surveying and mapping?
At that moment, Wen Desi quickly called Ma Qianzhu and asked to temporarily borrow a batch of glassware. The glassware research team here was divided into two groups. One group was composed of Ji Wusheng, Xiao Bailang and other metallurgical machinery personnel. After receiving the samples, they immediately started mapping and mold making. On the other hand, chemical workers led by Ji Situi continued to smelt glass frit to prepare sufficient raw materials for subsequent large-scale production. Now that the division of labor has been decided, everyone takes action.
Wen Desi himself also worked on molds. Since he had nothing to do during the Chinese New Year holiday, he just followed the mechanical part and provided some professional advice on mold manufacturing.
Xiao Bailang looked at the various glasses, glass bowls, glass vases, wine bottles, water bottles, and various tea and coffee sets borrowed from the Planning Committee, not knowing which one to draw first.
"Let's get an octagonal glass." Wen Desi thought it was hard to say what the demand was for the market in the 17th century. Let’s get the simple stuff first.
"Okay!" Designing a mold for this kind of thing is not difficult for Xiao Bailang, who has a background in mechanics.
I looked at the octagonal cup carefully, measured the dimensions, and drew a simple three-dimensional diagram in my notebook with a pencil. I picked up a ruler and pencil and designed the mold drawing on the spot.
"Mr. Wen, what do you think of this mold?"
Wen Desi looked at the picture below. The mold for this cup and bowl is very simple. It is a two-part combination design with matching clamps. There is no problem.
"That's it. We don't need any good materials. Let Ji Wusheng cast it with pig iron."
The first day of the new year in 1629 passed like this.
The next day, Ji Sidui sent several pairs of pig iron molds that he had made overnight to the glass factory. Since we already roughly knew the physical properties of the glass liquid through glass blowing yesterday, after discussions and several trial productions, we determined the process flow: first apply a layer of charcoal powder mixed with tung oil inside the mold to prevent the glass from The liquid adheres to the inside of the mold. Ji Sixue then dipped a blowpipe into a ball of viscous glass slurry and came out. While blowing air into the blowpipe, he rounded the taken out glass frit on a clean iron rolling plate, and then began to lift the blowpipe and glass bubble upward. Blow air in the opposite direction to prevent the glass frit from concentrating on the bottom of the glass bubble. When the volume of the glass bubble reaches a certain size, put down the blowpipe, use > pliers to stretch the glass bubble to the length of the cast iron mold, put the glass bubble into the cast iron mold, and let the glass bubble sink to the bottom of the mold. At this time, the The person steps on the wooden plywood to close the mold, and while continuing to blow air, the glass bubble in the mold is rotated by continuously rotating the blowpipe. After a while, pour cold water over the glass bubble. After opening the cast iron mold, a beautiful octagonal glass appeared in front of everyone, and everyone heaved a sigh of relief.
Then he made round glasses, glass bowls, Western-style goblets, and even glass wine bottles - this is what Guo Yi has been requesting for a long time.
The finished glassware is placed in an annealing kiln for annealing treatment. They are then sent to the machine shop, where the blowpipe openings are cut off with a high-wheel saw and polished by young men from the apprentice team of the mechanical department.
The entire glass research team couldn't put it down for the first batch of molded vessels. After receiving the good news, the Executive Committee ordered that one piece of each type of glassware be extracted and sent to the Planning Commission as an "important historical relic" for permanent preservation.
Ji Situi continued his efforts and simply followed Guo Yi's request in the telegram and asked Xiao Bailang to design a set of molds based on the appearance of the flat bottle Red Star Erguotou and manufactured three hundred wine bottles in one go. This kind of small object has a simple shape and uses very few materials. It is just right for everyone to practice. (To be continued, if you want to know what happened after the funeral, please log in to 6*, there are more chapters, support authorship, and support genuine reading!)
