Glossary of Terms

Annealing

• This is the process of using heat to to release the pressure and strain placed on the glass during the forming and shaping process.

Blow Hose

• A neoprene or silicone hose attached to a swivel on one end, and a mouthpiece on the other. This is used to allow the glassblower to blow into the glass tube while he works the glass over a flame.

Casing

• The practice of layering one color of glass tubing over another, usually clear over color.

Didymium

• A type of glass lens with a specialized violet hue to filter out harmful rays of light emitted by glass when heated to the extreme temperatures required to melt and shape the glass.

Fuming

• A technique used by many talented glassblowers, fuming is the act of heating metals such as gold or silver to vaporize and release fumes while in the flame. When a glass piece is held slightly behind the metals, the fumes settle onto the cooler glass surface and create beautiful colors.

Graphite

• Carbon in a near-natural crystalline form. This is commonly shaped into tools used for glassblowing, due to carbons natural heat-resistant and anti-stick properties.

Hard Glass

• This is a common moniker for Borosilicate Glass, commonly used in glassblowing– especially for functional art, such as dab rigs and pipes.

Kiln

• This is basically a super-heated oven. Often reaching temperatures of up to 1,500 degrees Fahrenheit, these ovens are used to gently cool glass over time after it has been formed over a flame. The prolonged, gradual cooling process keeps fragile glass from cracking due to quick temperature drops.

Lathe

• A tool that some glassblowers consider essential, a lathe spins glass tubing at a consistent rate, and keeps the glass perfectly aligned. Using a lathe also frees up the artists hands while spinning.

Melting Point

• The temperature at which glass starts to transform from a solid to a liquid, allowing an artist to form and shape the glass.

Oxidizing

• An atmosphere at contains high amounts of oxygen and low amounts of un-combusted gases can affect colored glass, especially colors that contain metallic fumes or oxides.

Punti

• A glass rod connected to the piece being worked to provide a handle while the piece is being made. This piece provides extra stability, and is broken off towards the end of the forming process.

Reamer

• A graphite tool used by the glassblower for forming holes and other shapes while forming the piece.

Sodium Flare

• A bright flame or “flash” resulting from the reaction between the oxygen-rich flame from the torch, and sodium on the surface of the glass tubing.

Thermal Shock

• The strain created from cooling or heating a piece of worked glass too quickly, usually resulting in a crack or break.

Vermiculite

• A material used to insulate heat and prevent worked glass from cooling too quickly. This material is normally used in between flame working and the kiln.

Wig Wag

• A technique of blowing glass where the artists slowly twists line-worked tubing in one direction with one hand, and the opposite direction with the other. This tube is then condensed, and blown back out to reveal the design created.