I had the opportunity to take a scientific glassblowing course as an undergraduate. It was one of my favorite college experiences, period. The focus and precision, combined with the fact that I was working with my hands, meant hours could fly by without me noticing. (Even when I burned myself all the time.)
And the instructor (who had been making custom lab equipment for the university's chemistry department for around 25 years) displayed such a high level of skill in his work it was mesmerizing. Outside the lab was a display case with some of the most complex glassware he'd made in his time there. I can't find a photo online but many of the pieces were like looking at the most complicated car engine you can imagine... but all out of glass.
For our final project we made Hero's engines[1], and had something like six weeks to do it. Whenever we had a question about any part of it, the instructor would make the entire project from scratch in maybe three minutes right in front of us, and every part of it was perfect every single time.
Sometimes I wonder if that should've been my career.
And the instructor (who had been making custom lab equipment for the university's chemistry department for around 25 years) displayed such a high level of skill in his work it was mesmerizing. Outside the lab was a display case with some of the most complex glassware he'd made in his time there. I can't find a photo online but many of the pieces were like looking at the most complicated car engine you can imagine... but all out of glass.
For our final project we made Hero's engines[1], and had something like six weeks to do it. Whenever we had a question about any part of it, the instructor would make the entire project from scratch in maybe three minutes right in front of us, and every part of it was perfect every single time.
Sometimes I wonder if that should've been my career.
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aeolipile