What do glass blowers do

The glass is taken back and forth from the marver to the glory hole, a hot chamber used to reheat the glass in order to make it malleable again. Once the main glass piece has been fused with crushed colored glass, it is taken back to the marvel where it is rolled again.

To give the glass its final shape and size, it is blown into with a blowpipe, creating a sort of bubble of glass. To carry out this process, the blowpipe holding the glass must be placed on a steel stand.

Then, the glass artist has to blow into the blowpipe while rotating it at the same time. Throughout this process, the glass needs to be continuously taken to the glory hole to be reheated because blowing it cools it very quickly. The final step is to remove the glass from the glass pipe. Many glass artisans are self-employed and work out of their own spaces, along with at least one helper and perhaps an apprentice.

Since glass making requires three furnaces; a furnace, a crucible and the annealer - space is often at a premium in small studios. Work areas include the long, flat marver surfaces, often aligned at a height that allows the worker to stand as they roll and shape the glass. Professional glass workers also work for large manufacturing firms, sometimes in a type of assembly line, performing one part of the glass creation process.

Safety is an important consideration in glass blowing workplaces, as burns from molten glass can be severe and debilitating. Attention to detail, to surroundings and the patience to follow proper procedures are needed qualities for working safely as a glass blower. Glass Blowers are also known as: Glassblower Glassmith. What is a Glass Blower? Earning income potential and demand for their work increases as their art pieces become more distinctive and elaborate. Glass blowers in the manufacturing industry may be tapped for supervisory jobs or assigned training responsibilities for new hires.

Salaries generally increase with added duties and responsibilities. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that between now and , demand for glass blowers in manufacturing will decline 6 percent, and jobs for fine artists will remain flat. Jobs in manufacturing have steadily declined due to automation and reductions in the labor force. The BLS notes that many consumers prefer to buy mass-produced items that resemble original art but cost less.

Helping students succeed has been her passion while serving in many areas of student affairs and adjunct teaching. Currently she is a dean of students at a large, public university. With experience and sometimes further training, it is possible to become a team leader, supervisor, sales representative, estimator or technical specialist. A correspondence course can be followed through Technisa.

In-service training may be provided under the supervision of an experienced glass blower. Disclaimer: Please see disclaimer. Sign in Register. Change Country. Toggle navigation.