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Everything You Need to Know about Glass Blowing

November 22, 2023

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In our daily life, we come across different types of glassware. From beautiful crockery and decor pieces to stunning lighting, innumerable products are made of Glass. But have you ever thought about the manufacturing process of Glass: How is this glassware made? How is color added to the Glass? How is it molded into beautiful shapes? All this is made possible through a technique called Glass Blowing.

Glass blowing is a centuries-old art form that transforms molten glass into exquisite creations. The art of glass blowing is a specialized skill that uses your creativity, imagination, and precision skills to create intricate and stunning glass designs.

What is glass blowing?

Glass blowing is a glass making technique in which molten Glass is blown into a bubble using a blowpipe. Glass is gathered around the blowpipe and is then blown and cooled down. This provides the Glass with the shape you want.

A person involved in glass-blowing art is called a glass smith or a glassblower.

The most commonly used type of Glass for glass-blowing is borosilicate glass.

What is the history of glass blowing?

The history of glass blowing can be traced back to the first century when a Syrian artisan in Jerusalem found a way to shape Glass. He used a blowpipe — the glass blowing equipment — to inflate Glass and make it into a bubble.

A few decades later, glassmakers started using mold to give shape to Glass. Gradually, the Romans started using the glass-blowing technique and produced beautiful bottles, jars, and vases made of Glass. The Egyptians and Arabs perfected the Roman technique of glass-making. The evolution of glass blowing techniques continued throughout the centuries. In the Middle Ages, glass blowers in the Islamic world made significant advancements in glass production, introducing new tools and refining the process. This knowledge eventually made its way to Europe during the Renaissance, leading to further developments and innovations in the art form.

Soon, the trade with the Middle East brought the glass-blowing technique to Venice, where the famous Venetian glass-making technique emerged. Gradually, the technique spread to the rest of Europe and evolved into the present-day glass-blowing technique.

The Glass Blower’s Studio

To understand the art of glass blowing, it is essential to explore the glass blower’s studio and the tools they utilize. The heart of the studio is the furnace, a high-temperature chamber that houses the molten glass.

The furnace is constructed with refractory materials capable of withstanding extreme heat. It operates at temperatures exceeding 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit (1,100 degrees Celsius) and is fueled by a combination of natural gas or propane and oxygen. This intense heat is necessary to melt the raw materials, usually silica sand, soda ash, and lime, into a molten state that can be manipulated by the glass blower.

Adjacent to the furnace is the glory hole, which serves as a secondary heating chamber. The glory hole allows the glass blower to reheat the glass piece as they work on it, preventing it from cooling too quickly and becoming unworkable. It is essential to maintain the glass at a specific temperature range to ensure its malleability.

The primary tool used by a glass blower is the blowpipe, a long metal tube with a hollow center. The blowpipe is dipped into the molten glass inside the furnace, gathering a small amount of the molten material at the end. The glass blower then uses their breath and skillful manipulation to shape the glass on the end of the blowpipe.

In addition to the blowpipe, glass blowers utilize various other tools to shape, mold, and decorate the glass. These tools include jacks, shears, blocks, paddles, and tweezers, among others. Each tool serves a specific purpose and allows the glass blower to create different effects and textures in the glass.

What are the procedures involved in Glass-blowing?

1. Melting of glass

First, the Glass should be melted so that you can shape it. For this, molten Glass is placed in a furnace. The furnace should be heated to 2000 degrees Fahrenheit for the Glass to melt.

Make sure that you wear heat-resistant gloves while carrying out this procedure. The primary purpose of melting the Glass is to make it malleable for the next stage.

2. Gathering the glass

Once the Glass is melted, one end of a blowpipe is inserted into the furnace for gathering Glass. Ensure the pipe is straight so you can effectively gather the Glass. Now roll the pipe gently inside the furnace so that the molten Glass gets attached to the blowpipe.

3. Rolling the glass

The Glass attached to the rolling pin is then rolled on a steel table called a marver. This helps provide an even and cylindrical shape to the Glass.

Once done, the Glass is heated in a glory hole, a hot chamber used to reheat the Glass. Reheating the Glass ensures it does not become stiff and is easy to blow.

4. Adding color to the glass

There are different ways of adding color to the Glass. Powder, bar, and crushed color glasses typically add color to art glasses.

In adding color, the Glass is first dipped in the color medium. Since the main Glass is very hot, the crushed colored Glass or the powder immediately fuses with the main Glass.

Once done, the main colored Glass is taken to the marvel for it to be rolled again and then to the glory hole for heating.

5. Place the glass on a stand

The blowpipe with the glass on is placed on a steel stand. This makes it easy to blow air into the pipe.

You can also hold the pipe and blow air. But it is easier to manage if you have a stand.

6. Blowing the glass

You can now blow from one end of the pipe while rotating it. This helps the air to spread evenly throughout the Glass. Continue doing this until the Glass gets its final shape. Ideally, it would be best if you blew for only 10-15 seconds so the Glass does not cool down.

In between the blowing, the Glass should be taken to the glory hole for reheating. This is because blowing the Glass will cool it down. The Glass should be processed at a very high temperature for the desired result.

7. Removing the glass

Once the Glass gets its final shape, it is time to remove it from the glass pipe. For this, steel tweezers called jack is used to cut the bottom of the blown Glass. This helps loosen the blown Glass from the blowpipe.

Now, using a wooden block, you should hit the pipe. The blown Glass will come out from the cut area. Ensure you catch the blown Glass wearing a pair of heat-resistant gloves.

8. Cooling the glass

The final step is to get the Glass cooled. For this, the blown Glass is taken to an annealing oven, which is kept at 960 degrees Fahrenheit. It is then slowly cooled down for several hours to room temperature.

Slow cooling primarily aims to prevent cracks and breaks in the Glass. Once the Glass is completely cooled down, inspect it carefully for any sharp edges. Sharp edges, if any, should be ground to make it smooth.

What are the different types of glass blowing?

Glass-blowing techniques are mainly of two types.

● Free blowing

Free blowing is the method mentioned above in which glass is gathered around a blowpipe. Air is then blown into the pipe to provide shape to molten glass.

● Mold blowing

In the technique of mold blowing, hot glass is blown into a mold made of clay or metal. This method is used for making decorative vessels with intricate designs.

What are the tips to follow for glass blowing glasses?

Here are some tips to follow while undertaking the procedure.

Always wear heat-resistant gloves while working on glass blowing. Similarly, you should wear sneakers with socks to protect your feet. By no chance should you wear plastic footwear or those made of flammable substances.
Wear a cotton cloth while working on glass. Stay away from synthetic clothes like nylon.
You should be aware of the studio’s emergency exits and fire safety equipment to help for a safe evacuation when needed.
You should have a clear idea about the temperature of the molten glass and when to remove it from the furnace for shaping.
You should give only a hard whack while removing the blown glass from the roll pin. Hitting the pipe more than once will cause cracks in the glass.
Cooling down the finished glass should be very slowly, preferably over 14 hours. This ensures the durability and stability of the finished product.
It is always best to have a helping hand while undertaking glass blowing rather than doing it all alone.

Conclusion

Glass blowing is a fascinating and intricate art form that blends tradition with modernity. From its ancient origin centuries ago to its modern times, the glass-blowing technique has evolved significantly.

The application of glass-blowing can be seen in all facets of life. From blowing decorative glasses that beautify your homes to making intricate pieces needed for laboratories, the application of glass-blowing goes far and wide.