Uranium Glass

[RetroSmith]

Greetings & Salutations!

While perusing various ebay auctions, I happened across the wonders of Uranium Glass, sometime called Vaseline glass, radioactive glass that fluoresces under black light.  A quick search to wikipedia shows that it has origins in the 19th century but I've not heard mention of it in this forum.  Does anyone have experience with it?  My research shows its not wise to drill or grind it as the dust could cause health problems.  Otherwise it is reported to be safe for display purposes.

In case you've never seen it before:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

More information here : http://www.vaselineglass.org

[heavyporker]

 I think I've seen one of my instructors work with it once, but I haven't had the chance to work directly with it. It really isn't wise to cut/drill into it without appropriate equipment (visor, dust mask, and some kind of dust or fume hood to suck the dust away from you and away from everything else in the room).

 May I point out that that the object you posted seems to be cut and polished, which means that it is possible to do it safely.

[lilibat]

My grandmother has quite a lot of that stuff. I never realized that it fluoresces like that. I will have to take my handheld blacklight next trip and check it out!

[RetroSmith]

You may be correct although the item in question was manufactured between 1850 - 1860.  Lacking the necessary equipment, I'll take your word as further confirmation that it should be admired and not cut.

[Captain Briody]

I used to make jewelry out of this stuff by encasing bits of it in resin. Good for parties and the like. Loads of fun just to show people and watch the go "Oooooh!"

[afmech]

Another thing is that the time period they made this in they did not have the protective equipment of modern times... they also did not have all the modern knowledge of what it will do to ones health by breath the dust and they also did not have the safety rules that exist today as well... so most likley who ever made it way back when had no clue of the risks involved with cutting and polishing this nice piece of glass work... and even if they did i am sure that the people that they worked for did not care about what the dust would do to the workers health...

[Jake of All Trades]

Another thing is that the time period they made this in they did not have the protective equipment of modern times... they also did not have all the modern knowledge of what it will do to ones health by breath the dust and they also did not have the safety rules that exist today as well... so most likley who ever made it way back when had no clue of the risks involved with cutting and polishing this nice piece of glass work... and even if they did i am sure that the people that they worked for did not care about what the dust would do to the workers health...

Protective equipment?!?  As recent as the 1930s, folks were taking radium and the like as vitamins!

[sidecar_jon]

Another thing is that the time period they made this in they did not have the protective equipment of modern times... they also did not have all the modern knowledge of what it will do to ones health by breath the dust and they also did not have the safety rules that exist today as well... so most likley who ever made it way back when had no clue of the risks involved with cutting and polishing this nice piece of glass work... and even if they did i am sure that the people that they worked for did not care about what the dust would do to the workers health...

Protective equipment?!?  As recent as the 1930s, folks were taking radium and the like as vitamins!

Indeed spoil from the Cornish (st Ives) pitchblende mines were sold as "Radium manure" to farmers, the radio active water from the bore holes was sold as "life giving spa water" and eventually the built a big car park using the rocks....it dont quite glow in the dark!

[afmech]

In my above statement i was not saying they had a lack of protective equipment...

interesting Artical about women workers know as the " Radium Girls"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radium_Girls

another intresting one about the 1888 london matchgirls
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London_matchgirls_strike_of_1888

[Zwack]

The amount of uranium in that glass is probably fairly small and so it's not likely to be extremely radioactive...

But Uranium is a heavy metal so I wouldn't eat or drink out of anything made from the stuff, and anything that might cause dust would have me avoiding doing it.

Having said that I've worked with natural and depleted Uranium before and taking sensible precautions it's not that dangerous... (I was a Health Physicist, wore a film badge, and was monitoring radiation levels, the Uranium was one of the least active sources around).

Z.

[MonsieurBaggyTrousers]

My great-grandfather's house was full of uranium glass, and he lived to be 112 before succumbing to pneumonia.

His house was actually really awesome. It had a doorbell that you cranked, and crystal chandeliers, and it was really just a phantasmagoria of oriental carpets and heavy mahogany paneling... But in the past 2 or 3 years they tore it down and replaced it with a stupid-ass townhouse. That kind of thing really gets to me...

Right, uh, where were we?

Oh yeah, cool glasses. I just wouldn't drink out of them.

[Rowan of Rin]

My great-grandfather's house was full of uranium glass, and he lived to be 112 before succumbing to pneumonia.

His house was actually really awesome. It had a doorbell that you cranked, and crystal chandeliers, and it was really just a phantasmagoria of oriental carpets and heavy mahogany paneling... But in the past 2 or 3 years they tore it down and replaced it with a stupid-ass townhouse. That kind of thing really gets to me...

Right, uh, where were we?

Oh yeah, cool glasses. I just wouldn't drink out of them.

+20 for using the word phantasmagoria, Lewis Carrol rocks. Hard.

I too have been keeping my eye on uranium glass, and wondering how I would incorporate it into a project, without having to cut it etc..

[Mithril]

Uranium marbles could be used effectively...as a fuel source perhaps?
http://www.unitednuclear.com/marbles.htm

[Captain Briody]

Uranium marbles could be used effectively...as a fuel source perhaps?
http://www.unitednuclear.com/marbles.htm

Put these in a clear plastic tube with a blacklight at the base and I think you've got a Patented Nonexhaustive Aetherically-driven Fuel Cylinder. Rather finicky, I'm told, prone to exploding at the slightest mishandling or when exposed to the color fuschia.

[akumabito]

That glass looks a bit... cheesy under the blackligt. Like somethig you'd buy in a Halloween store or something..

[Herr Döktor]

Uranium marbles could be used effectively...as a fuel source perhaps?
http://www.unitednuclear.com/marbles.htm

That's really NEAT! Wonder if they ship overseas? 

[Atterton]

I´m sure there must be other safer materials which can do this.

[Dr.Anton Wigglesworth]

most if not all uranium glass was moulded not cut and then fire polished .

here's a link to the process by a company that still makes vasiline  and uranium glassware  there are other companys that also still make it including Summit art glass, Fenton glass, and Boyd's




 http://www.mosserglass.com/html/process.htm

[Sir Nikolas Vendigroth]

Well, flourite flouresces, if it's the right kind of flourite, but this glass isn't really dangerous unless inhaled or ingested in particulate form.

[Herr Döktor]

So, best not to swallow the marbles, then?

[Sir Nikolas Vendigroth]

So, best not to swallow the marbles, then?

Not a bright idea at the best of times, but i'd wager that United Nuclear wouldn't sell horribly radioactive stuff in such a harmless guise.

In short; I don't expect the posession of objects made of uranium glass to be of any concern.
If you want radiation, however, go lick a rock in cornwall.

[Herr Döktor]

So, best not to swallow the marbles, then?

Not a bright idea at the best of times, but i'd wager that United Nuclear wouldn't sell horribly radioactive stuff in such a harmless guise.

In short; I don't expect the posession of objects made of uranium glass to be of any concern.
If you want radiation, however, go lick a rock in cornwall.

I'm reliably informed that both Cornwall and Edinburgh have a higher background radiation reading than both Nagasaki and Hiroshima...

[Sir Nikolas Vendigroth]

So, best not to swallow the marbles, then?

Not a bright idea at the best of times, but i'd wager that United Nuclear wouldn't sell horribly radioactive stuff in such a harmless guise.

In short; I don't expect the posession of objects made of uranium glass to be of any concern.
If you want radiation, however, go lick a rock in cornwall.

I'm reliably informed that both Cornwall and Edinburgh have a higher background radiation reading than both Nagasaki and Hiroshima...

That's 'cos the cities in japan were bombed once, and the bombs detonated relatively high in the air, thus, the amount of radiation, and radioactive particles that reached the ground was comparatively small.

Cornwall and Edinburgh, however, are (geologically) nastily radioactive. THe rocks there are igneous intrusions, and are PACKED (again, geologically speaking) with decaying radioactive materials. The radioactive materials also produce Radon gas, which is why if you live in any of those places, get and maintain a radon detector!

On the other hand, building your house on top of a batholith pretty much guarantees its future stability.

[Herr Döktor]

Swings and roundabouts!

[heavyporker]

 Ahhh! Mold and fire-polish! Yes, that would do nicely as well. Much, much safer, all right.