Getting Started, Tools Every Glass Maker Needs
The centuries-old art of glass making has evolved over time, but some features have stayed the same. The right glass-making tools mean the difference between a beautiful, handcrafted piece and a disastrous waste of time and materials.
The blowpipe is absolutely essential when handcrafting glass. A metal, hollow tube typically between four and five feet in length, the blowpipe is narrow and widens at the end. Blowpipes are commonly made out of steel or iron, but weight and length vary, depending on the type of glass project. A glass maker uses a blowpipe to turn and gather the glass around during the heating process, keeping the hot glass from dropping or slipping out of place in the oven.
A Punty Iron, or Pontil Rod, is a must for glass makers adding small details to the glass — such as patterns or handles — and to hold a glass object when the object is taken off the blowpipe. The rod is smaller than the blowpipe and similar in appearance and length, but the rod is solid instead of hollow.
The final tool every glass maker must have are jacks. Jack tools are typically look like tweezers with bladed legs. Jacks come in various sizes, shapes and materials and are used for various purposes, including to create lines, smooth edges and finish glass bottoms.