Custom Architectural Glass Installations >> Hot Glass Glossary
Annealing Oven
The process of gradual cooling of the outside and the inside of
the molten glass to assure that the glass won’t cool to fast
causing cracks or breaks.
Assistant
The glassworker that works directly for the Gaffer. In some
situations, there may be several assistants depending on the size of
the project.
Blank
A molten glass object ready for the further creation of the Art
Glass piece.
Block
The
forming tool used for the shaping of the molten glass. The “Block”
is usually made of cherry wood and is “wet” while used with the hot
glass.
Blocker
The glass worker that actually “blows” the first bubble through
the blowpipe and then subsequently transfers that blow-pipe to the
Gaffer.
Blower
The glass worker that blows the air through the blowpipe (within
the mold or freehanded). Upon occasion, the gaffer might do the
blowing of the air themselves to have more control.
Blowpipe
A steel pipe with a air passage way throughout it’s entire
length. One end has the mouthpiece and the other has the larger
built up area for the molten glass to gather and blow the bubble on.
Bubbles
Gases in the molten glass while melting in the “pit” get trapped.
The hotter the molten glass along with the purity of the quality of
the glass can greatly diminish this problem. While gathering the
molten glass those bubbles will be transmitted to the actual art
piece itself. Some artists do like the bubble effect and use them
in their works by forcing a bubble. Installing bubbles may me made
with a sharp object being punctured into the molten glass or
countless other methods.
Burner
Runs the air and gas mixture control for lampworking.
Burn-mark
The residue left from the usage of a newspaper ash in the
assistance of shaping of the molten glass.
Button
A small usually clear amount of molten glass placed on the
“working end” of the art piece project to assure proper connection
of the glass to the pipe to avoid dropping damage. A button may
also be used as a part to the actual glass project to enhance a
particular art piece.
Caliper
Tongs that help create and control the molten glass piece.
Cane
A cross section of glass made by pulling and stretching molten
glass from both ends. Several color pattern and designs can be
created. Whatever design is used along with the detail will
continue to hold the precise shape, scale all the way down to an
invisible dimension.
Carving
Removing excess molten glass off of the working piece.
Casing
Placing an additional layer of glass over and existing layer of
another color.
Casting
The process of pouring molten glass into a form designed to
receive that glass. After the glass has cooled, that mold or the
removing of the sand will then reflect the filled image.
Chill-mark
Any time and instrument is used on hot glass there's a potential
for it to leave a cooled surface that refracts light differently.
Chord
These are lines of clear glass that have a slightly different
expansion coefficient enhance refract light at different rates.
Chunked
A glass piece that has been badly damaged.
Cold Working
Any work, grinding, surfacing, and drilling that is done on the
glass that has been finished after the annealing process is
completed. Working without heat.
Collar
A ring that is used to hold the cane glass into place on a working
piece.
Color
99% of the color used comes from Germany or Bulgaria. The
transparent colors are nearly all black until blown out in a piece
and come shaped like a small rolling pin. The opaque colors are most
often the same color as they started before melting.
Contemporary Glass
Artist designed glass exclusively for their own creative use.
Cord
Visible deficiencies in the glass quality product itself from
streaking to slight color haziness.
Cullet
Mixing slag, scrap or other extra glass materials into a pit to
assist in the melting process. This also reduces the quality of the
glass product itself.
Cutting
Grinding any pattern into the glass by using a consistent speed
rotating wheel coated with either cloth, diamond dust or an
abrasive.
Cut-to-Clear
Showing the under layers of the glass by cutting however many
layers needed to complete the desired effect in the glass.
Double Overlay
Coating a glass works twice.
Embossed
Raised or lowered text or design on any surface of glass.
Etching Decoration
Using acid to etch the glass. Strengthen or get an chemical
reaction or effect with the glass surface.
Finisher
The glass worker (generally the Gaffer) that puts the finishing
touches on the glass before it goes into the Annealing Oven.
Flashing
Quickly placing the working glass into the Glory Hole to reheat
the entire piece to assure that the glass will be pliable and
keeping it safe from cracking.
Fluted
The vertical lines, grooves or designs in the glass.
Founding
Heating the glass to a proper usable temperature.
Fritt - Clear or opaque color that is crushed and graded to specific sizes.
Gaffer - The senior member of the blowing team in charge of the entire production of a project
Gather
Placing molten glass on the end of the blowpipe or pipe for the
further development of that glass project.
Gathering - obtaining a layer of clear glass over a subsequent layer of glass.
Gilding
Using leaf (golf or silver), painting or effects to add interest
to the surface of the glass.
Glory Hole
The opening of the furnace used to keep the glass hot and
workable. Several different sizes may be attached to a large
furnace or you might have only one size on a small one that rotate
open and closed depending on were the glass project is at. The
cylinder is usually heated up to 2300 degrees.
Hand Blown
A glass project is handmade and was not assisted by machinery.
Iridescence
Spraying a shiny metallic finish onto hot glass.
Jack - A tool shaped like huge tweezers used to manipulate hot glass. Making a Jack line is often the line that will be used to separate the glass work from the blowpipe or pipe with the droplets of water.
Knurling
A glass band or bead wrapped around a larger project.
Lear - A gigantic oven that is computer-controlled to relieve stress during the annealing process.
Marver
A flat steel plate that’s used for the picking up color chips or
the shaping of molten glass on the end of a blowpipe or pipe with a
rolling action. A Marver can also help in the uneven cooling of the
glass for a desired effect.
Mould Blown
An open ended cylindrical designed to create effects or grooves in
the molten glass by blowing into the blowpipe while in the mould
vertically.
Murrini
A cross cut piece of glass (with a design or color pattern) used
in the creation of a larger glass works.
Necking
Reducing an end of a blown glass to form a bottle neck.
Overlay
A thin layer of clear or colored glass is folded, formed or coated
over another.
Overshot Glass
Rolled molten glass is covered with splinters covering the surface
as a final completed surface.
Parison
The first small bubble at the end of a blowpipe.
Pattern Mould
Pre-shaped patterned on the molten glass before the bubble is
blown.
Pegging
Placing a Parison (small air bubble) into a gathering pit.
Pick-up Decoration
Picking up color from a Marver before blowing the glass out.
Polishing
Buffing the glass cuts or grindings to a bright clear luster.
Pot
A holding area for molten glass where the glass is continually
kept at a designated heat for gathering.
Power
Is the ground glass that is put into the Pot for melting the final
molten glass that will be used by the hot glass workers.
Punty
Is the hot glass or gathering that is placed on the receiving
pipe for transferring the glass work that is currently connected to
the blowpipe. The technique used to change the end of the glass that
is being worked on.
Rag
Tick layers of wet newspapers folded to provide a cool safe pad
for the glassworker to shape the hot molten glass.
Ringer
the glass worker that applies the ring for glass to the larger
piece.
Rondelle
A flat blown glass that was spun hot.
Sandblasting
A method used to remove layers of glass. A cloudy dull finish
will result with every layer removed. Some artist use the
sandblasting process to remove enough glass to actually go through
the glass for different effects.
Satin Glass
A acid matt finish or frosting.
Sawing - Cutting glass with a rotating wheel with a blade usually diamond tipped.
Scavo
A process where a corrosive chemical is added to the surface of a
hot glass while cooling to give the surface a rougher matt finish.
Sculpting
Handmade free forming solid glass works designed while in molten
glass form.
Shard
Glass fragments usually colored of which would be rolled or melted
into a working piece for the additions of colors of textures is not
melted all of the way. Different colors melt at different
temperatures lending creative textures with variation.
Shears
Glassmakers scissors that are used for the cutting, trimming and
shaping of hot glass. Usually very primitive in design with heavy
gage steel.
Silesia
The main ingredient of glass used for art glass.
Silveria
Is a type of art glass with incased silver foil.
Slumped
Flat glass that is melted to take the shape of the form designed
to sink into taking the actual shape of that form.
Sodium Flare
The bright light that is given off of the reaction of oxygen rich
flame and the sodium of the glass in a kiln. Didymium glass in the
glasses to avoid serious damage to the vision of one’s eyes.
Usually, Flame-workers Lamp-workers are at the primary concern here.
Soliflore
A French term for a vase with a bulbous body and a long drawn out
neck for a single flower.
Spatter Glass
The glass with flecks of contrasting color rolled into it.
Sputtering
A metal coating process for the glasses surface.
Stretch Glass
A cracked iridescence on the surface.
Strike
The change in the color of the surface after the glass piece is
reheated with intense heat on that surface.
Stringer
Like cane but applied from a molten glob of color over the surface
of hot glass.
Teardrop
A glass shape that is usually blown from above and allows a
consistent growth of a glass blown into it.
Thermal Shock
The cause by a sudden shift of temperature hot or cold causing the
glass to break, crack or shatter.
Thermocouple
Bimetal probe that measures the kiln’s temperature.
Tongs
Glassmakers tool for picking up, transferring and applying water
to the Punty to remove
the glass piece from
the pipe of blowpipe.
Wetting Off
The separation line for
the glass work
from the blowpipe or pipe uses cold water to fracture control the
break and separation.
Wrap
A term used for the heavy outside bead of glass that is used
generally for creative style sometimes used as a contrasting color
from a vessel.
Yoke
The weight support for the glassworker while in the glory hole
while being flashed.
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