Blowing glass is the art of creating sculptures by manipulating molten glass. It dates back to 300 BC and originates in the Middle East. Since then, blown glass products have become indispensable in everyday life as well as in scientific innovation and this has become one of the major forms of art. There are two types of glass blowing: lamp-blown beads, made with a blowtorch and imprint, which involves the use of a reed.
Steps
Method 1 of 2: Blow the glass to the impression
Step 1. Collect the liquid glass
With a long steel tube or torch, collect the glass from the furnace (the furnace where the melted glass is kept). The temperature of the glass inside the furnace should be around 1370 °.
An analogy as simple as it is accurate is turning the apple in caramel. Think of the torch as the apple and the furnace as the pot of caramel. As you turn the apple slowly, collecting the glass requires a continuous rotation of the torch in the furnace, for a uniform and smooth yield
Step 2. Use a Marver table
Once the glass is stable, move it to a steel table called Marver, and start shaping it. Start by rolling it on the table. It is important to make sure your cylinder is symmetrical. Once you have this shape, keep turning the torch to prevent the glass from sliding.
- The Marver table will absorb most of the heat from the molten glass because the surface of the materials touches as you rotate.
- If the sides of the glass become too much thin, cool them by turning them in turn.
- If the bottom is too much often, put the glass back into the reheating furnace (the one you need to heat to keep the glass malleable) and concentrate the heat on the bottom. Constantly turn the glass as you heat it.
Step 3. Stage
Blow into the tube then cover with your thumb. The trapped air will expand through the hot tube forming a bubble. This first form of glass is called 'parison'.
Once you have a uniform bubble, you can go back to the Marver table or collect more glass. Remember to always rotate as you move from table to furnace and oven
Step 4. Add
Collect more glass around the bubble. The number of collections you make depends on how big you want the piece to be - the bigger it is the more glass you need.
If you wanted some color, it's a good time to put it in the cold rod
Step 5. Shape a bullet
When you have finished stockpiling, moisten a newspaper and help with this to turn the parison into a bullet. Then reheat it in the oven. Remember to always keep turning the torch!
Step 6. Define your shape
Rotate the glass on the Marver table while a helper blows air through the tube into the glass.
- If you want the bubble to "move", place the glass on the Marver table sideways and not on the bottom. With the cooler sides, the bubble will move to the bottom when you blow.
- If you want the bubble to disappear from the glass so that the sides expand, lay the glass on the Marver table with the bottom and not the sides. By cooling the bottom, the bubble will cause the sides to expand when you blow.
Step 7. Cutting
Once your piece of glass is formed, you will cut it that is, you will create lines in the neck, using large pliers. The neck should be equal to or smaller in diameter than the torch. Keep rotating of course!
Step 8. Open the glass and finish the job
You will need to transfer the glass to another tool called a pontoon. This is one of the most complicated steps in blowing. A secret, however, makes it easier. Find something small (a lime, for example) and dip it into the water. Carefully score a line around the neck. This weakens the glass and causes it to crack. It will be easy to separate it from the torch now.
Step 9. Cut the margin
Heat glass in the reheating oven and cut the edge with shears.
Step 10. Cool down
Place your thumb on the photo in which you blow then dip the glass into a bucket of water, always keeping it plugged to prevent the water from clogging the barrel and ruining the job.
Step 11. Take your work off the tube
Use a wooden spatula and tap on the tube, the glass should come off the bottom.
Step 12. To cool it completely, temper it
Bring it carefully into the temperer (an oven that cools to a controlled temperature) and leave it there overnight.
Method 2 of 2: Lampwork pearls
Step 1. Use it for small items
Lampwork beads is a process of manipulating loose glass on a small torch shape. It is used to make beads for example or other small things like paperweights. This part refers to the processing of a bead.
Step 2. Turn on the flame
You can use oxygen and propane if you have them.
Step 3. Slowly heat the mandrel with the blowtorch
Try to find a stainless steel mandrel with a ceramic cover. The cover will prevent the loose glass from sticking to the mandrel when you want to take it off.
Step 4. Quickly pass the glass over the tip of the fire to feed it
If you don't do this, instead of melting, it could suffer some kind of shock and crumble. Hold it for about 30 seconds.
Step 5. Start by holding the glass close to the heart of the flame
Hold it until a nice orange ball develops.
Continue to rotate the glass so that it retains the rounded shape
Step 6. Attach the fused tip of the glass to the mandrel
- Place the glass on the spindle and start spinning it away from your body. Perform this movement until you have completely covered the surface of the spindle.
- Use the blowtorch to separate the glass rod from the mandrel. It is easier to cut the glass off when the spindle is also hot.
Step 7. Insert the mandrel with the glass bubble into the flame, turning it to prevent the glass from sliding off
If you want, add a color to the bubble. You can do this by following steps # 4 to # 7, all while rotating the spindle occasionally exposing it to the flame. This technique is not for beginners because it requires agility and the simultaneous use of the hands
Step 8. Remove the mandrel from the flame and shape if necessary with a graphite spatula
Use the spatula to:
- Define the edges
- Create squares
- Try to even out the edges of the curve.
Step 9. The spindle needs to cool down a bit before being moved into the temperer by turning it
Advice
- Remember to quickly run the entire piece through the furnace or reheating furnace as you work to prevent cracking.
- Wet your hands before shaping the glass. You will avoid burns and heat discomfort.
- Likewise, find someone to help you transfer the glass from the torch to the bridge to prevent cracking or breaking.
- Blowing glass is an interactive process; the steps vary from shape to shape. The ones shown here represent general techniques. Search online for demonstrations of different ways of blowing particular shapes and styles. Check out online demonstrations for an example.
- Check that your glass is as symmetrical and smooth as possible.
- You can create colored glass by rolling the whole in the colored powder. You can also pre-heat small pieces of colored glass and attach them to the hot torch.
Warnings
- Never lift the end of the barrel with the glass above eye level; melted glass could drip onto you and into your eyes.
- Blowing glass is a … hot activity, which takes place at over 1500 degrees! Use extreme caution. Don't try this at home. Find someone to teach you, especially if you're just starting out.
