Jinx wrote:
>> You could ofcource simply punch a hole with a carbon-rod after
>> heating with a regular blowtorch...I used to do it like this when I
>> needed a hole for some tubing
>
> Yes, that was a thought I had, except I imagined a smooth steel
> rod. I figured the cold metal would "fix" the circular hole shape, or
> I guess any blunt shape. You could be right about the area around
> the hole not being flat. If the glass was heated enough to make it
> sag onto a surface, that would get it reasonably flat again


Hi Jinx, how you doing man?

I know you are able to do crazy things, this is one of them.
If you are planning to do it in some quantity, think big and nasty.

Why don't you just melt the glass and pour it into a pinned molding?
Try to contact people who produce handmade glass jars by blowing melted
glass.
They could give you ideas, or better, they could produce it for you.

In time and with a star temperature under the arm, you could produce a nice
glass molding system, you can not only produce the glass with the holes you
need, but also with different shapes and details, texture, lettering, etc.
Mixing color classes (beer bottles) is easy and very, very cheap to get
them (your fridge). It could be a pleasant job... :))  Drinking beer and
getting rid of the evidence... hic!  Just bottles please.

Sometimes we just forget the basic foundry process.  Many years ago I went
to a a glass foundry company, temperature is high, but not impossible to
do, even at home.  Recently I saw some specs how to build a home very high
temperature oven, used some concrete (for temp isolation), butane tank and
something like that. The guy was melting aluminum or zamak, for a molding
process, I am not sure.

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