Glass Molecules

Craft & Design Science
Glass Molecules

Members who support psychoactive chemical information clearinghouse Erowid.org at levels of $125 or greater are rewarded with one of these lovely hand-worked borosilicate glass CPK-style molecular models, with subjects ranging from the (rather boring) 3-atom linear nitrous oxide molecule to the truly gorgeous LSD-25 molecule shown above, to lower left. This page has some nice shots of the lampwork that goes into making one of these, which is a skill I would dearly love to learn.

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18 thoughts on “Glass Molecules

  1. Guest says:

    post about street drugs on my favorite maker site?

    minus 1.

    1. Sean Michael Ragan says:

      Natural to expect this reaction, I suppose, but it makes me sigh.  This is a post about glass-bead models of molecules and how they are made.  It is not harmful for people to make and admire molecular models, no matter what molecule may be represented.  It is a behavior universally to be encouraged, both in those who abuse drugs and those who do not.      

  2. Eric Hearn says:

    Minus 1 also. Molecule of LSD

  3. Eric Hearn says:

    Minus 1 also. Molecule of LSD

  4. Les Clay says:

    I’m okay with it, as long as they don’t craft a model of the DHMO molecule, also known as hydric acid — the overconsumption of which, especially in its purest form, has lead to more deaths than any toxic effects of ingesting the chemical referenced in the above photo. Not that I condone the use of the latter. Look it up for yourself.

    I’m surprised there wasn’t more of a protest when Make allowed this — Hobby Micro Distilling — apparently advocating the production of what is arguably the most harmful psychoactive drug on Earth. Not to mention THIS shameless abomination: HOW TO – Make beer can chicken

  5. Les Clay says:

    I’m okay with it, as long as they don’t craft a model of the DHMO molecule, also known as hydric acid — the overconsumption of which, especially in its purest form, has lead to more deaths than any toxic effects of ingesting the chemical referenced in the above photo. Not that I condone the use of the latter. Look it up for yourself.

    I’m surprised there wasn’t more of a protest when Make allowed this — Hobby Micro Distilling — apparently advocating the production of what is arguably the most harmful psychoactive drug on Earth. Not to mention THIS shameless abomination: HOW TO – Make beer can chicken

  6. Ian Wilkinson says:

    gee man get over it its a glass model

  7. Mr. Mackie says:

    Beautiful, skilled work. I would however like to see a video of them being made.

  8. Mr. Mackie says:

    @Les Clay

    I’ve heard that nearly 100% of all prison inmates have admitted to use of DHMO.

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I am descended from 5,000 generations of tool-using primates. Also, I went to college and stuff. I am a long-time contributor to MAKE magazine and makezine.com. My work has also appeared in ReadyMade, c't – Magazin für Computertechnik, and The Wall Street Journal.

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