During a normal drinking session on Friday 9th December, Chad P and I were in the Newhampton Pub which has a traditional open log fire. I can't remember exactly how we got onto the debate, but it went like this: I said if you left his empty pint glass by the fire then it would shatter or crack before it melted. Chad said that it would melt.
Maybe it was because I had been drinking, or maybe I just didn't listen in chemistry and physics lessons at school - I don't know, either way I was certain that the glass would explode in some sort of manner.
It's like when you see reports on the news of arson and the windows are always cracked or broken due to the heat. Anyway, I decided to put it to the test with a second installment of experiments! Here we go...
  
         
   

To recreate the settings of an open log fire, I needed a suitable space. My house used to have open fires, but they have since been replaced by gas ones. I chose an abandoned space to the side of the house that is never visible to any outsider and which my dad never bothers about.
This was ideal as it provided good protection from the heavy winds we had on this particular day.

Obviously I did not have the materials to build a fireplace and chimney so I settled for a bit of floor.

  

The glass in question. A standard british pint glass. I know this because it has a stamp near the top saying 'pint' and a crown.

Will it explode or will it melt? I was definately intrigued now. I could have just looked up the results on the internet, but this was more fun. I had no plans for the day.

My current knowledge tells me that if something goes from a very hot temperature to a very cold one quickly, then it will fracture. In this case, the glass would crack. We'll see...
I needed some way of timing the event. I don't own a stopwatch and I hardly ever wear a watch. I found this really shitty clock lying about and used this.
 

Now this is something I do know.

To create a fire, you need three things - Heat, Fuel & Oxygen. In the firebrigade this is known as the fire triangle. How do I know that? I spent a few weeks training with them when I was younger. Anyway, If you take one of those things away, then the fire will go out. This was my fuel (I also had a few bits of wood I had found)
As you can see, I wasn't trying to create a massive bonfire or anything similar to the great fire of London - Just something that would resemble a small open fire.

Have you ever tried lighting a fire in the dead of winter armed with only a small lighter and accompanied by freezing temperatures?

P.s. - the adidas tracksuit bottoms are being worn for experimental purposes only - I haven't made it as far as being a 'chav' yet. I must admit though, I am only one letter off being one.
 
Ok - so I light a bit of A4 paper and then use that to light the fire. Good idea chad.
Thumbs up! We're cooking now!!!
 

I throw on a shredded wheat box for good measure.

I don't want to get the fire too hot - I'm trying to create the same heat as your average log fire. Unfortunately I have no way of measuring this, so I just guess.
 
I brave intense heat and a face full of smoke to try and tease the fire into action. This picture kind of reminds me of what might have been the first discovery of fire by man...
I felt that the fire was going well and decided to add the glass. I didn't want to put it into the fire - just near it.

And start the clock.....

Official time sponsored by accurist? 11:49 and 43 seconds. How long would it be before the glass exploded...
 
My patience and attention span tend to be of a very small portion so I took another photo to see if the glass had any cracks appearing - nope.
 

How long is this going to take? Come on, DO SOMETHING...

 

Ok, so it's only been 5 minutes...

I got restless and threw the big box on top of everything - I didn't care anymore.

She went up like a treat though...
 
The end of the fire. So what became of the glass? Was that a cracking sound I could hear?
 
The Results...
 

Of course it melted!!!

Typical. Chad P, I will believe everything you have to say from now on (apart from the stuff about you having pictures of my mom in the bath)

You might not be able to tell, but the glass had melted in the top half and was half as tall! I would show you a close up but when I moved it, I dropped it and it broke - whoops.
 

Time to melt? About 14 minutes. Not bad for a small fire.

Next time: I melt the shit clock and see if it still works...
 
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