Blown Glass

[iagainsti518]

I'd like to learn how to make blown glass stuff .. like pendants, pipes, decorations, etc..  Anyone post some directions, tools, tips, and such? would be so fantastic!

[iagainsti518]

I'd like to learn how to make blown glass stuff .. like pendants, pipes, decorations, etc..  Anyone post some directions, tools, tips, and such? would be so fantastic!

[Idigmusic]

I beleive that you need to buy a kit to do it & starting can be a wee bit expensive, but I could be wrong, that's just what I've heard.

[perilously_divine]

good question but u posted it in the wrong place! this is for completed projects as the title says. there is one for just questions

[PinkMafia]

my friends are glass blowers. You need a torch, kiln, table, glasses to protect your eyes. It takes oxygen too. I'm not sure on technique but it costs some money to set up a studio. There are some places who give lessons. You should check the yellow pages.

[KatDr5]

I hate to tell you this, but you would have to take a class to learn to blow glass safely and affectively.  It would be impossible for you to learn this on your own because it is extremely dangerous if you do not know what you are doing and even if you do you will always need at least one partner to help you.  It is also expensive if you dont take a class because at the very least to do small projects you would need to buy a glory hole, heat resistant gloves, tongs, an annealing kiln etc. (a.k.a. it would set you back thousands of dollars). Basically if you want to commit yourself to learning how to blow glass, take a class at an art academy or college. You would have access to all the right equipment and guidence and would have a much more enjoyable experience I assure you!! If not, and you would still like to work with glass as a medium, you could teach yourself to do lampwork which is kind of like glass blowing in miniature where you melt glass rods with a blowtorch.  I have seen many books on this artform so they are out there. Best of luck!!

[fishheads]

Damn.
I always wanted to learn myself.
But apperently not then eh?

[Inna]

There is a glass blowing studio in Invermere, BC (Canada)
I don't know the name of it though

[Melladh]

When you know what you're doing you don't need help, but it takes quite a while to get there. There are some glass studios around my parents summerhouse, and in my favourite one, the owner will let you watch him blow glass at certain hours. He does it alone.
But the biggest problem of all is still safety, if you could get far enough to get the equipment... I don't know very much about this really, but there should be courses avalible, shouldn't there? Here I know there's courses for like $200 - $300, about ten hours all and all. (Mind you - these things are incredibly expensive in sweden - most hobby and craft things are)

[Gierma]

also you should think about, Glas blowers apparently die quite young, I was  told when I visited a glas blowing centre. They traditionaly died young and still do, due to the impact on the body of the work. Apparenlty blowing melting hot glass is not the healthies way to make a living...

something with poison in the glass, and especialy the colours used...

I would love to learn how to do as well, but i think it's more a proffesion then a hobby...but I know there are like 3 week holiday summer courses in different places...

[lilfishyinbigblu]

glass blowers did tradionaly die young, and this was mainly the case because there was lead in the glass, to make it melt easer, and there was lead in many of the colours as well. today there is very little lead used in the glass because of this. i know many old glass blowers, dieing young isnt realy a huge problem anymore.