How do you 'Nuke' a bottle??

[ktbi]

I've seen many threads about nuked bottles - there is a current on on the Jars thread now. How is a bottle nuked? Is it expensive, take a long time? Thnks....Ron

 

[nostalgia]

Hello Ron,

There are a couple of ways to "nuke" bottles, I use the fast & expensive one which is going to an irradiation plant (where they irradiate spices, medical instruments, etc...). It is expensive but I get a bunch done all at once.

The cheap way is to make a "light box" (box with all sides covered with aluminum foil on the inside) and install a germicide lamp, but it is apparently pretty dangerous because if your eyes get a glimpse of the UV rays, some damage can & will occur; that's what I've read about it on this forum I think....

 

[nostalgia]

D'oh!!

 

[glass man]

Good question RON. I have wondered the same thing before. I see A LOT of common bottles done this way. Seems if it is expensive it would not pay to have them done and also seems like many won't buy bottles done this way. Course as stated alot taken at once,but still....JAMIE

 

[GuntherHess]

I use a UVB lamp assembly from one of those furnace duct air sterilizers. (hey they are pretty useless for thier intended purpose , might as well use them for something). I dont turn stuff dark purple, just give it a tint indistinguishable from lightly sun colored glass.
I mostly deal in aqua glass though so not a lot of utility for me.

 

[coboltmoon]

From about 1880 till 1914 manganese was used to make glass clear. The Germans cut off our supply and glass houses switched to selenium.
When glass with manganese is exposed to UV radiation it turns purple, glass with selenium turns straw yellow or pink. Milk glass with manganese will turn lavender.

The sun is natural UV light and will turn glass over a long time, quicker if the glass has a high concentration of manganese or selenium content. A UV light can turn the glass a very dark shade in a short time.

 

[rockbot]

Nice info. thanks. Higher elevation has greater UV exposure too. I found some medium to dark purple glass once while hunting for sheep at 12,000 ft on Mauna Kea mountain. It looked to be a case gin and a flask.

Rocky

 

[jane8851]

How do you nuke a bottle?

VERY CAREFULLY

 

[glass man]

HOW TO NUKE A BOTTLE? TAKE EM TO IRAN,THEY INTO NUKING ONLY FOR PEACEFUL MEANS AND WHAT IS A MORE PEACEFUL WAY TO USE NUKING THEN TURNING A BOTTLE ANOTHER COLOR? JAMES