The Wonders of Glass Blowing

Some people use the glass blowing technique to form glass. This technique makes use of the molten glass being inflated into a bubble; thus its name, glass blowing. The equipments to be used include a blowpipe or blow tube. This original process for forming glass was utilized a long time ago in the middle part of 1 B.C. This technique makes use of one of glass' properties-it can be inflated. Inflation in this case refers to the ability of molten glass to be filled and pumped with air. The chemical property of glass also adds to this ability. Molted glass is made of random atomic particles that are held together by relatively sturdy chemical bonds. Glass can be viscous enough that it can be inflated. As it cools down, the substance which is glass hardens. In the process of completing the finished product, the molten glass is increased in strength due to a change in the make-up of glass.

In the modern world, glassblowing requires three furnaces. First of them is a furnace which is simply called "the furnace". It contains a crucible or small amount of molten glass. The second furnace is termed the "glory hole". This furnace functions to reheat pieces of glass in between processes. The last furnace is identified as the "annealer" or "lehr". This furnace is used to gradually cool the glass-a process that finishes in as little as a few hours to some days. The length of the cooling process depends on the size of the glass pieces. This gradual cooling will prevent the cracking of glass because of extreme changes in temperature conditions. These three furnaces are combined into a single one, each with a cooler chamber after each.

In the process involved in glass blowing, people who worked with furnaces had to bear the extreme heat to make the most wonderful pieces of glass with only their breath and some very simple equipment. These days, more complex equipments are present including standard specialized tools for the hands and tools for making the glass product. Blowpipes are essential for glassblowing. In addition, a marver is used to produce a cooler coating on top of the glass making it possible to mold. Many types of glass shapes are possible through the use of glassblowing. Some tools called tweezers are utilized by glass artists to create designs on the glass. This allows virtually endless types and appearances of glass. Flat areas in the glass may also be created through the use of a custom paddle composed of wood or graphite by the person designing the glass. When molding the glass into all sorts of shapes, glassblowing artists employ the use of tools like the jack. There are many more accessories in the glassblowing process, for example the "punty" and the shears.

The process of glassblowing has been around for thousands of years now. Some historians even date the practice back to 200 BC. During its infancy, glassblowing and the molding of the glass was actually done with a central apparatus made of mud or even dung. The glass manufactured long ago was usually used to store liquids. Today, glass manufacturers create pieces for all sorts of uses including decorations. Glass blowing has even reached the realm of hobbyists.