Glassblowing

Table of Contents

Dedication

Preface

Acknowledgments

Part I - Introduction

• The Material - Glass
  • History - Volcanic, Impactites, Tektites, Fulgurites
  • Composition - soft glasses & hard glasses
  • Sources
• The Equipment
  • Propane Cylinders
  • Oxygen Cylinders
  • Torch
  • Tips
  • Torch Stand
  • Regulators
  • Hose
  • Eye Glasses
  • Vermiculite
  • Graphite Plate
• The Tools
  • Knife
  • Tweezers
  • Paddle
  • Reamer
  • Lighters - striker, piezoelectricity, butane, electronic
  • Mashing Pliers
  • Claw Holder
  • Side Calipers
  • Lathe and Cutoff Saw
  • Bench Rollers

Part II - Preparation

• Set-Up
• Operating the Equipment - Hazards and Safety
  • Oxygen and Propane Cylinders
  • Regulators
  • Gauges
  • Lighters for the Torch
• How to Operate the Torch
  • Touch Valves
  • Flaming the Torch
  • Flame Shape
• How to Hold and Turn the Glass
  • Left Hand
  • Right Hand
• Part II Test Questions

Part III - Fundamental Procedures

• Cutting
  • Scratch and Break
  • Thumb Squeeze and Turn Method
  • How water Helps Glass Break
  • Flame Cutting Method
• Gathering
  • Gathering at the End of a Rod
  • Gathering in the Middle
  • A Delicate Touch
• Fusing
  • Side Seal
  • Acute Angles
  • Fusing Solid Rod
• Bending
• Drawing
• Tooling
  • Disc Formers
  • Leaf Formers
• Annealing
• Polariscope
• Expansion Test

Part IV - Lessons

One thru Ten

• ONE - Button, Flower, Punty, Mushroom, Cracking Off
• TWO - Bending Fine Rod, Teardrop Earrings, Bridging, Worm
• THREE - Wiping on, Wiping off, Fold Over and Wipe, Spruce Trees, Skier
• FOUR - The Attachment Seal (light and heavy), Turtle, Beagle, Cat
• FIVE - Devitrification, Bird on a Stick, Angel Fish, Coil Construction
• SIX - Penguin, Neck Bend (Swan), Solid Swan, Roadrunner
• SEVEN - Running Stich, Starting The Stich
• EIGHT - Running Stich - Shaping the Fabric, The Starburst, Lace Turtle, Changing the Angle of the Upstroke, Lace Base Swan, Problems and Remedies
• NINE - Loop stich, Problems and Remedies, The Candle, Two Rows of Loops on a Rod, the Cross
• TEN - Multiple Rows/Tiers, Piano Bench, Loop stich Bases

Part V - Worksheets

• To Expand Your Repertoire - 24 Items for Practice and Fun (ex: Pelican, Comical Cow, Giraffe, Sea Horse, Ballerina, Storke, Alligator, Dolphin, Siesta, etc.)

Part VI - Larger Sculptures

• Intro to Larger Sculpturing
• Some Sculptors and Their Art
  • Hans Godo Frabel
  • Bob and Warren Hooper
  • Steve Gruba
  • Warner Whitfield
  • Lewis C. Wilson
  • George Heiney
  • Ron Murphy
  • J. Scott Hartshorn
  • Victor Meyer
  • Rob Culbertson
  • Shawn Tsai
• The Glass Harmonica

Part VII - Blowing Glass Tubing

• Drawing
• Blowing
• Gathering
• Cutting
• Fusing
• Bending
• Tooling - Flaring
• Blown Glass Exercises

Part VIII - Decorating Glass Surfaces

• 15 Ways to Decorate Glass
  • Painting - laquer based, water based and oil based
  • Lusters
  • Ultrasonic Engraving
  • Flashing
  • Chemical Etching
  • Overlay
  • Sandblasting
  • Glue Chipping
  • Cut Glass
  • Glass Engraving
  • Decals
  • Vitreous Paints
  • Silvering

Part IX - To Market Suppliers

Part X - Glossary
Bibliography
Index