Glassblowing is an age-old glass-shaping method that involves inflating and forming molten glass into a variety of creations such as art pieces, drinkware, and containers. This fascinating craft is also crucial in producing glassware for several industries, like the laboratory sciences. Glassblowing demands years of practice, dedication, and specialized equipment. Below is a thorough list of the tools artisans use to design the wide range of products we see on the market today. While each glassblower’s technique might vary slightly based on what they’re making, most rely on these common tools to ensure safety and accuracy.
🔥 Essential Large Equipment for Glassblowing
There are several essential pieces of large equipment found in glassblowing studios: furnaces/glory holes, annealers, benches, and yokes. They play vital roles throughout the entire glassblowing process, from the initial steps to the final product.
Due to their size and price, most small or medium-sized workshops typically have one or two of each, which are shared among artists.
1) Furnace/Glory Hole
Glass drinkware being heated in a glory hole
Most glassblowers rely on furnaces for their main source of heat. Modern furnaces are usually gas-powered and can reach temperatures of around 2,000°F. Each furnace has a glory hole—an opening where the hot glass is collected and reheated.
2) Benches
The bench is the primary workstation where a glassblower performs much of their craft. Benches are typically constructed from a combination of wood and metal, and they feature arms to support the blowpipe and glass project. They also hold the other small tools required throughout the glass-shaping process.
3) Yokes
A yoke is a stand placed in front of the furnace to support pipes as they are inserted into the glory hole. The pipe rests on the yoke, helping it remain steady and providing guidance into the furnace when collecting molten glass.
4) Annealer
An annealer gradually cools the finished glass piece so it doesn’t break. This machine creates a controlled environment where the glass can very slowly cool and harden to room temperature. Without an annealer, the glass would cool too quickly and possibly shatter. Annealers are somewhat similar to the kilns used in pottery.
🔧 Key Small Tools for Glassblowing
Because of the delicate nature of this art form, glassblowers rely on many smaller tools that serve unique purposes. Depending on the project, only a few might be needed at once. However, more intricate pieces may call for a range of these tools to achieve the desired look.
Most glassblowers become familiar with an extensive collection of tools and their applications. The more comfortable they are with various tools, the broader the variety of items they can craft, increasing their value in a studio or workshop. Below is a complete list of the most popular small tools used by glassblowers and lampworkers.
5) Blocks
A block is a wooden tool employed to shape gathers of hot glass. After a glassblower collects molten glass from the glory hole, they move to the bench to begin forming it. Blocks are soaked in water to generate a thin layer of steam upon contact with the hot glass. This helps round and even out the glass, preparing it for inflation and more detailed shaping.
6) Blowpipe
Blowpipes are used to blow air into the glass, inflating it. Utilized during the initial and middle stages of glassblowing, blowpipes are hollow metal tubes featuring a mouthpiece on one end and a gathering point for hot glass on the other.
7) Torches
Torches act like furnaces for lampworkers, but they can also be integrated into glassblowing for additional shaping. In lampworking, since the scale is smaller, torches supply the heat to soften and manipulate the glass. Technically, any torch can be used for lampworking, but professional artisans prefer torches specifically designed for working with glass because they offer more precise flames and reach the optimal heat range.
8) Jacks
Jacks consist of two metal blades attached at one end with a curved handle, resembling large tweezers. They are rotated at the bench to help shape the glass. Jacks can be used to form glass during inflation, separate glass from the blowpipe near the end of the process, and widen the opening of glass vessels.
9) Shears
Shears are designed to cut or tighten hot glass. They are available in two styles: straight and diamond. Depending on the project, glassblowers choose one style over the other to best meet their needs.
10) Paddles
Paddles are made of wood and feature a handle, used to create the base or any other flat surfaces of a glass piece. The hot glass is carefully pressed against the paddle to achieve a smooth, flat edge.
11) Molds
Molds provide preset shapes for glass creations. Usually made from brass or wood, they can also be customized for specific glassblowing projects.
12) Crimps
A crimp is a metal device similar to a pair of kitchen tongs, but with a textured interior. It’s used to form decorative patterns or textures when the glass is squeezed between its surfaces. Crimps come in various sizes, each with different designs to suit your desired look.
13) Marvers
A marver is a tabletop or surface used to shape molten glass. Crafted from steel, brass, or graphite, marvers were originally made of marble, which is how they got their name.
14) Parchoffi
A parchoffi works similarly to jacks, except it has wooden blades instead of metal. The wooden blades are more rounded, so they don’t leave marks when shaping or flaring the opening of a vessel. A parchoffi is dipped in water first to help it glide smoothly across the glass surface.
15) Punty
After the glass has been blown into shape, a punty (a small metal rod) is used to transfer the piece in the final steps of the glassblowing process. The punty is carefully attached to the base of the inflated glass piece so that the glassblower can finish working on the top of the item.
16) Pyrometer
A pyrometer is a remote-sensing thermometer that measures the temperature of furnaces and annealers. It’s extremely useful for confirming that glass is heated and cooled at the correct rates.
17) Safety Glasses
Wearing high-quality safety glasses is absolutely critical in glassblowing. The studio environment poses risks like shattered glass, sodium flares from heated glass components, UV light, and infrared light. Good safety glasses protect the wearer’s eyes from these hazards and also allow clearer visibility in bright working conditions.
18) Soffietta
If a glassblower needs to add more air to a piece after removing it from the blowpipe, they can use a soffietta. This tool has a metal tube ending in a conical nozzle. The cone is placed at the glass opening, and the artist blows through the tube to further inflate the piece.
19) Taglia
A taglia is a steel blade with a square tip, used for shaping molten glass. You can find taglias with sharp or curved edges, depending on what the glassblower needs.
20) Tweezers
Tweezers for glassblowing look like regular household tweezers, but are much larger. They’re used to move glass to the punty rod when transitioning the piece during the final stages of the process.