Essential Studio Equipment
Glass blowing requires a specialized studio and should only be attempted under professional supervision.
| Equipment |
Purpose |
| Furnace |
A furnace that holds molten glass at around 2000°F. |
| Glory Hole |
A reheating chamber used to keep the glass workable. |
| Annealer |
A kiln used to slowly cool the finished piece, preventing it from cracking. |
| Blowpipe |
A hollow steel tube used to gather and inflate the glass. |
| Jacks |
A tool used to shape the glass. |
| Shears |
For cutting the glass. |
Basic Terminology
| Term |
Definition |
| Gather |
A ball of molten glass collected on the end of the blowpipe. |
| Marver |
A flat steel plate used to shape the gather. |
| Punt |
A solid steel rod used to transfer the piece from the blowpipe. |
The Basic Glass Blowing Process
| Step # |
Action |
Notes |
| 1 |
Gather molten glass from the furnace. |
- |
| 2 |
Marver the gather to shape it. |
- |
| 3 |
Blow a small bubble into the glass. |
- |
| 4 |
Reheat the glass in the glory hole. |
- |
| 5 |
Shape the glass using jacks and other tools. |
- |
| 6 |
Transfer the piece to a punty. |
This allows you to work on the top of the piece. |
| 7 |
Finish the piece and place it in the annealer. |
The annealing process can take many hours. |