Glassblowing incorporates the use of various metals such as copper, nickel, and aluminum, with metals like brass and bronze being particularly useful for creating durable and intricately shaped objects. Glassblowers employ metal tools to shape the molten glass and require safety precautions due to the high heat and risks associated with handling hot glass and metal.
Shaping and Tools
- Metals: copper, nickel, silver, aluminum, brass, bronze, stainless steel
- Tools: torches, blowpipes, molds, graphite
- Techniques: blowing through a tube to shape softened glass
- Safety: Protective gear
Process and Practice
The process begins with the glassblower dipping a blowpipe into melted glass, inflating it into a bubble, and then knocking it off to cool and properly shape it. Important tools in this practice include starter kits, which typically feature a torch, glass rods, and various shaping instruments. Graphite is often used to help shape the hot glass, with molds imprinting textures onto the pieces.
Glassblowing can yield a variety of products such as vases, bottles, and even intricate artwork, depending on the level of skill and experience of the glassblower.
Borosilicate glass, known for its resistance to heat stress, is commonly utilized in glassblowing to ensure lasting durability of the pieces. Lampworking, a subset of glassblowing, is specifically used to create smaller, detailed objects like marbles and Christmas ornaments, involving the melting of glass rods and tubes with a torch.
Starter kits and classes often supply all the necessary equipment for beginners to learn the craft. Salaries for glass blowers typically start at around £16,000, but mastering this craft requires a specific skill set, including patience, a high tolerance to heat, and dexterity with blowpipes and shaping techniques.