We’re now cranking up internal combustion engines that are incomparably more powerful and efficient than those turning in cars 100 years ago. And we take it for granted each time we get into our cars in the morning to go to work. Thank the petrol gods we’re here and let’s not forget from where we started - the steam engine.
If it wasn’t for the Industrial Revolution and the “external combustion” engine, nobody would have probably thought to move the burning part inside the cylinders and create the first internal combustion engine.
Never heard about external combustion engine? Well, that’s just another name for steam engines and comes from the fact that all the burning process was taking place in a furnace, which heated up a boiler filled with water to create steam and move the pistons.
That process that’s perfectly showcased by this miniature steam engine that’s made out of glass by master glassblower Michal Zahradnik. Yeah, we know this is a bit old, but it definitely deserves to be mentioned once more for those not knowing of its existence.
The whole assembly is made out of glass, including the piston, crankshaft and counterweights. The attention to details makes this engine work with no sealants. The gap between the piston and the cylinder wall is so small that the steam condensing in water droplets is enough to seal it shut.
Considering how hard it is to make intricate shapes out of glass without the use of special equipment and how brittle the material is, you can imagine the amount of work this master craftsman put into the project.
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