Glass destruction and disposal

[Ian Pearson]

Not sure what "section" to put this, but here goes.

As a scientific glassblower I get involved in all sorts of work and at the moment working on how best to break and dispose of glass. Does anyone here recyle their old glass, be it unwanted beads( !!! ), or glass rod/tubing and if so where and how. Admitted my problem is probably not shared by many here. 2 M lengths of borosilicate tubes 250mm diameter, 6 mm wall thickness and in a radioactive enviroment. But looking at some "off the wall" and "out of the box" thinking, so what better place to ask than here!! At the moment I have looked at cutting using tungsten hacksaw, water jets, lasers, hot wire, diamond saw and wire, hot spot and my favourite, wrapping glass up in towel and hitting with hammer.

Looks like I am in for a smashing time. Meeting is at 9am today and hope to report back.

Ian

[Pat from Canvey]

Smashed up bits of boro tubing can always be used to make beads and the clear "coloured" with compatible boro. Before I bought any boro glass, I trolled the local boot sales for cheap and cheerful pyrex dishes, smashed them up and played with the pieces to see if my torch could cope. Admittedly pyrex is not compatible with all boro but it gave me a flavour of what it was like. A 10p bowl makes quite a few beads.
Why don't you try some beads yourself in your "spare" time after all your jetting around. I hate disposing of glass. Wine bottles cut down and sandblasted make great vases or mugs and the glass from bottles can be used to make cabochons or beads. Slumped bottles make great dishes too. Perhaps though if I were working with glass for a living I might not be so keen to experiment.

[Flyingcheesetoastie]

I'm actually trying to research something similar for the variety of glasses I use in the studio and disposing of the tiny bit that I can't re-use...  I know the council will collect and recycle my old float glass but probably nothing else.

You got any uranium glass floating around Ian, as I always have space for that!  Am trying to make some uranium-neon/plasma stuff, to keep the neds away!

[beadysam]

I'm actually trying to research something similar for the variety of glasses I use in the studio and disposing of the tiny bit that I can't re-use...  I know the council will collect and recycle my old float glass but probably nothing else.

You got any uranium glass floating around Ian, as I always have space for that!  Am trying to make some uranium-neon/plasma stuff, to keep the neds away!

Me too!  I love uranium glass.  I actually have a cabinet full of the stuff - glows like a b*gger under blacklight, but I've never made anything from it as I've not managed to get any rods, cullet etc...