Blown Glass

The Process Behind Making Glass

Glass has been used for hundreds of years in millions of different items and it is an amazing material that is often taken for granted. We use it in our cars, buildings, light bulbs and wine glasses, but few people know exactly how glass transforms from raw materials into the functional molded end products. Here are the stages of glass production.

1.) Sand is well known to be the main ingredient in glass, although other materials are needed. Not any old sand will do and most often Silica is used, in combination with certain amounts of soda ash and also limestone. The quantities of the ingredients effects the qualities of the glass, and other materials can be added to change the colour of the glass or alter its strength etc. For example, a glass blower might add a small amount of red dye to the mix to make pink champagne glasses.

2.) Around 1700oC is the temperature that the mixture is heated to. At such a high temperature all the elements become liquid and all flow together into one mix. Very large furnaces are needed to generate the heat to melt glass. Although there are now electric furnaces, most glass blowers still prefer to use coals. In its molted form, glass can be manipulated very easily and can be blown or moulded into pretty much any shape desired. The skills involved in manual glass making takes years to learn and are often passed on through generations.

3.) Once the glass has been shaped it is left to cool down. This is a very important step as the rate at which the glass cools has a large influence on the refractive index of the glass and the density of the glass. For example, whisky glasses are often cooled slowly as this makes them less susceptible to scratches, although the refractive index is slightly lower than other types of glass

How it’s made – Blown Glass

Bodum Pavina Double-Wall Thermo Glasses, Set of 2 These glasses are lightweight because they are made of borosilicate glass – a strong heat resistant glass used to make scientific lab glass. It is much stronger than regular glass so it doesn’t need to be as thick to be just as durable. With double wall construction, coffee, tea and other drinks stay hot longer. When drinking cold drinks, the dual layer construction works in the opposite direction…

Primula Flowering Tea Set with 40-Ounce Pot, Clear $29.40 Amaze your guests with this beautiful glass teapot with twelve different jasmine green tea flowers. This pot gorgeously displays flowering teas in full bloom and the set has a sleek but classic design. The teapot comes with an infuser, for use with loose teas, and a lid to keep tea hot while brewing. The set is made completely of hand blown borosilicate glass making it safe for use in the microwav…

Fred and Friends Unzipped-Bag-Shaped Hand-Blown Glass Bowl $15.76 Add a hint of playful flair to any setting with help from this eye-catching bowl. A fun way to display candies, mixed nuts, chocolates, and other by-the-handful treats, the unique vessel–cleverly shaped like an unzipped disposable plastic bag–makes an unexpected and appealing contemporary accent at home or at the office. The petite bowl also serves as an organized way to store and display everyd…

Operation Pipeworks: Inside the Counterculture Glass World $14.99 Take a trip behind the scenes of counterculture glass blowing with this awesome documentary that explains glass pipes in all their glory. If you ever wondered how your glass pipe, bong or spoon was made, this DVD will show you all the flames, smoke, and melty glass that made it happen. Guaranteed to be the dopest, mind-bending look at the glass pipe blowing industry, the DVD is set to a bangin…

a not so still life $24.95 Special Preview Edition DVD.A Not So Still Life peers into the kaleidoscopic mind of Ginny Ruffner, an artist as beloved for her magnanimous spirit as for her evolving “visual thought experiments.” Director Karen Stanton explores the full span of Ginny’s fascinating journey, from her childhood in South Carolina to her emergence as a world-renowned artist. Meet the luminaries in her orbit, includin…

Chihuly in the Hotshop (PBS) $14.99 CHIHULY IN THE HOT SHOP – DVD Movie…

Mexican Vanilla in Hand-Blown Glass Bottle $21.50 FDA approved for sale in USA…

Green Devil Absinthe Glass and Absinthe Spoon Barware Set Get this great new Absinthe glass and spoon gift set. Designed exclusively for Green Devil absinthe, only a limited number manufactured. Each box comes with two glasses and two spoons boxed as a great gift set Each glass is hand blown my master craftsmen. This is a six-ounce glass with a one-ounce reservoir. Its sure to become a collectors item….

Two Dozen Premium Long Stem Pink Intuition Roses with Cylinder Hand Blown Glass Vase $79.94 The Pink Intuition is a bi-colored rose splashed with artistic streaks of light and hot pink. The artistic air surrounding this rose seems thicker than most others. Send this unique rose to a friend or loved one as the most sincere expression of gratitude and appreciation. Display it in a room and it will not just be a beautiful vase of roses but it will bloom into a magnificent piece of art! Make…

K&W NanoTechnology Permanent Head Gasket & Block Repair, 32 fl. oz. (401232) $14.99 K&W NanoTechnology Permanent Head Gasket & Block Repair uses nanoparticles that are one millionth the size of a millimeter. These particles fill in the crevices that other products can’t, making a stronger, more solid bond that’s permanently hardened to the surface area.Features and Benefits:A permanent repair – Does not rely on cooling system pressure to maintain sealRepairs head gaskets, cracked…