DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF A SCIENTIFIC GLASS BLOWING WORKSHOP

what is glass blowing?

Glassblowing is a glassforming technique that involves inflating molten glass
into a bubble (or parison) with the aid of a blowpipe (or blow tube).

what is a glass blowing workshop?

The glassblowing workshop is able to: modify or repair existing installations

and components, prepare ampules and evacuate and melt ampules filled by users, melt
glass-to-glass-sealings between different glass types, metal-glass-seals, and
glass-ceramic-seals, and treat glass with diffusion coloring for UV coatings.

Making a Test Tube

Test tubes are relatively easy to make, frequently used, and give you an
opportunity to practice rotation and fire polishing skills. This exercise will
introduce you to the process of blowing into the glass, forming and shaping the
tube end.
1. Select some 10 to 18 mm OD tubing. A 16 inch length with fire polished ends is a
good piece to start with.
2. Light your torch and adjust the flame to match the tubing diameter.
3. Grasp the tubing with both hands and start rotating it.
4. Place the rotating tube in the flame at the halfway (8") point.
5. When the tube softens (something like a cooked noodle cooked al dente) and
constricts to half its original diameter, remove it from the flame, do not stop
rotating, and slowly pull the two ends about 6" apart.
6. Place the tubing back into the flame and burn it off into two equal lengths.
This exercise is known as "pulling points". Place the points on the hot glass rest
to cool. Reminder: hot glass looks just like cold glass!

Tip: Roll the glass point (after cooling) on a flat surface. If your rotation
is good the glass tube and "point" will be centered with no wobble.
7. Adjust your flame to a sharp/intense profile.
8. Place the shoulder of the glass point into the flame at an angle - rotating at
all times - and pull off the excess glass, leaving a semi-rounded bottom.
9. Attach the blowhose assembly to the glass tube.
10. Reheat the tube bottom to the working point temperature and blow (little
puffs), shaping the tube bottom.
11. Anneal. Remember, a glassblowing job is never complete until the glassware is
annealed!

Tip: This is a good time to practice the process of blowing glass. Try
different flame and blow pressure combinations to see how the glass responds.
Position the glass tube in different regions or angles of the flame. Glassblowers
will use combinations of heat, flame size and angle, gravity and pressure in
shaping glass. With experience you will learn how much or hard to blow air, when
to let gravity work for you, and even when to inhale to produce that certain look
or shape.