We love Fort Collins, Colorado!
Learn the techniques of glass blowing in the artist’s shop!
Please email us at info@glassrocks.us
for schedules or to arrange a visit to the hot shop!
$55 per hour
History of Glass Blowing and the Process
The glass blowing craft has been in existence for centuries. The first evidence of glasswork was found in Egyptian stone beads coated with a glass-like glaze in 1200 B.C. The invention of the blowpipe is believed to be sometime between 300 B.C. and 20 B.C., which sparked a revolutionary shift in usage that changed glass pieces from a luxury into a necessity. It also exposed the true capabilities of working with the material and made possible the production of designs previously impossible. The Egyptians were the first culture to establish a continuous stable glass industry.
The basic components of glass are sand (silica), soda, and lime. Today, this mixture is melted in an electric furnace at 2300 degrees Fahrenheit over a period of twenty-four hours and has a working temperature of 2000 degrees Fahrenheit. Soft glass is a distinct combination of these materials that remains pliable longer and can be worked at a lower temperature. This is the glass of my choice.
Different metal oxides are used to color the glass. For example, cobalt oxide makes clear glass green, and gold changes it to a light red called cranberry. To produce a piece of glass, the glassblower, called a gaffer, will gather a bit of glass out of the furnace on the end of a blowpipe. Then he or she will go to the bench to use metal tools and wooden blocks to shape and form the glass before blowing air into the piece. The piece is reheated many times while working it, using a gas-powered glory hole that burns at 2000 degrees Fahrenheit.
When the glass object is finished, it is broken off the pipe and placed in an oven that allows it to cool slowly overnight. Finally, it is taken out of the oven to be either cold worked using grinding tools or a sandblaster, or to be signed with a dremmel tool. It is then ready to be put on the market.
Art glass is a one of a kind product. Each individual piece is handmade, distinct and intrinsically unique. Glass is one of the most durable materials on the surface of the Earth. The only material that has a harder surface is diamond, which is what makes up the surface of the polishing tools.
Glass Rocks! GlassRocks.us
