We are told as children not to play with fire, but some people make a living from it. Fire and glass are the glass blowers tools of the trade. With a bit of talent thrown into the mix, glass blowers have successfully carved a place for their crafts in millions of households worldwide.
A glass blowing tool is any piece of equipment or hardware used to make glass blown products or art. In case you’re wondering, they exist in the hundreds. These tools range in complexity, too, from the simplistic glass blower’s bench and shears to advanced power tools like the Glory Hole and the lathe. You’re going to have to put up quite an investment if you’re looking at a long-term career in glass blowing.
Tools Inventory
Here are some sample glass blowing tools:
Torch: this is not a light torch! Most glass blowing studios have at least one of these. Torches expel flame from an opening, like a hose sprinkler. It is perfect for precision heating, when only a small portion of the piece needs to be reheated for molding purposes.
Sabot: a sabot is a type of beam with prongs in one end shaped like a cup. This is used to hold the base of a glass bottle while finishing touches are applied.
Mold: the mold is where most of the glass blowing takes place. These are made from plaster, metal, wood or clay material, and have a hollow interior in the shape of what the glass blower intends the finished glass product to look like. Molten glass, in its liquid form, is poured into the mold and cooled. When the glass hardens, the piece is then taken out and the glass blower applies finishing touches.
Other notable glass blowing tools include the Murrini cutter, gimmick, gathering ball and fire brick.