A handbook of laboratory glass-blowing

"A Handbook of Laboratory Glass-Blowing" by Bernard D. (Bernard Dell) Bolas is a manual that teaches the art of shaping glass for science labs in the early 1900s. Designed for chemistry and physics students, it explains how to make and fix lab glassware. The book starts by clarifying that while some glass work is easy, mastering the skills requires understanding why things are done a certain way. It points out that scientists often fail at glass-blowing not because they lack talent, but because they don't fully grasp the techniques. Readers discover the tools and methods needed to successfully work with glass and it stresses the need to know the science behind each step so they can adjust their approach as needed. Highlighting ways inventive glasswork supports scientific progress, it sets the stage for the detailed instructions in later sections.