sand and glassmaking

[omegaburst]

i don't know how much work it would be but i think it should be possible to make your own glass in a crucible instead of just buying it and changing its form. to this end i propose making sand a diggable resource. I also propose making it possible to fill a crucible with sand and light it to make 1 glass pane. I don't yet know the details of the crucible since I'm still firing mine but if it is near the size of a furnace or forge that's still some work its further down the road and comparable to making metal bars which can be bought from the stalls at the price of a glass pane. simply letting people make their own from sand and digging would encourage more independence from the "system" where people buy from Boston.

[loftar]

While I agree that it would be fun to be able to make glass, surely you must realize that half the point of glass costing 200 silver at the Boston stall is to make it a somewhat scarce resource, whereas the mechanic you propose would make it dead easy?

[Hans_Lemurson]

Flat clear glass is not something that can be produced simply by melting sand. You'd be lucky to get green slag-glass.

The clear-glass that we are used to is a highly refined substance with many impurities removed, and mixed with other chemicals to render the silica soluble. Getting it flat is another trick indeed. Just as we must import Sugar, so must we import high quality Glass.

That said, bottles were classically made from green/brown glass to keep their contents dark and the price low. Being able to make your own glass bottles wouldn't be too unreasonable, were it not for the King's thoroughly unjust taxation and manufacturing policies!

Were we able to convince the King of the merits of a colonial alcohol industry, then perhaps the ban on raw glass manufacturing could get lifted...

[DarkNacht]

Flat clear glass is not something that can be produced simply by melting sand. You'd be lucky to get green slag-glass.

The clear-glass that we are used to is a highly refined substance with many impurities removed, and mixed with other chemicals to render the silica soluble. Getting it flat is another trick indeed. Just as we must import Sugar, so must we import high quality Glass.

That said, bottles were classically made from green/brown glass to keep their contents dark and the price low. Being able to make your own glass bottles wouldn't be too unreasonable, were it not for the King's thoroughly unjust taxation and manufacturing policies!

Were we able to convince the King of the merits of a colonial alcohol industry, then perhaps the ban on raw glass manufacturing could get lifted...

If they did that they would probably just add a big pile of sugar to each potion recipe since the point of the glass bottles is to act as a silver sink.

[Orcling]

If they did that they would probably just add a big pile of sugar to each potion recipe since the point of the glass bottles is to act as a silver sink.

To make their sugar, the Indians would cut a slash in the maple tree and collect the sap as it dripped out. Logs were then hollowed out, and filled with the fresh sap. White-hot field stones were then added to cause the sap to boil. The Indians would process the sap through the syrup stage to end with crystallized sugar, which did not spoil when stored.

Why can we not make sugar yet?

[Rifmaster]

Not to mention, Sugar canes too.
Sugar should also be a thing that should be craftable.
About the glass though, I think glass should be possible to make in a crucible but it should have to be purified in some way that would make it a bit harder than just making clear and flat glass in a crucible.

[Orcling]

Not to mention, Sugar canes too.
Sugar should also be a thing that should be craftable.
About the glass though, I think glass should be possible to make in a crucible but it should have to be purified in some way that would make it a bit harder than just making clear and flat glass in a crucible.

Sugar canes are africa, not 'murrica. At least not this early in history.

[DarkNacht]

If they did that they would probably just add a big pile of sugar to each potion recipe since the point of the glass bottles is to act as a silver sink.

To make their sugar, the Indians would cut a slash in the maple tree and collect the sap as it dripped out. Logs were then hollowed out, and filled with the fresh sap. White-hot field stones were then added to cause the sap to boil. The Indians would process the sap through the syrup stage to end with crystallized sugar, which did not spoil when stored.

Why can we not make sugar yet?

Because, like glass, its a silver sink, even if they let us make glass and sugar they would just add other silver sinks into replace them.

[loftar]

some way that would make it a bit harder than just making clear and flat glass in a crucible.

Well, that's the real crux, isn't it? :)

[omegaburst]

there are other silver sinks like claims and crown manure a special lure as well. honestly it seems needlessly restrictive to have craftables rely solely on uncraftable and unforageable(mining crafting and woodcutting included) things. and who just keeps glass panes around to be looted in raids? I always thought the cool thing about salem was the unique mix of crafting and combat (seriously hard to beat salem in crafting anywhere on the internet already) it was never about currency 4 me and honestly it seems like a way to make u dependent on the merchants and capital town. who wont buy half the things they sell btw. i proposed this as a way to restore silver to its proper place as a boon medium. not as a mandatory resource.