BLOWN GLASS TERMS:
To understand the glass blowing process, there are a number of terms that you must understand.
BLOW PIPE: A blow pipe is a hollow tube ranging from two to six feet long. It is wider on the end on which the gather is than on the blowing end. It is used to take the gather or molten glass from a pot.
GAFFER: The gaffer is the team leader and the master blower. He does the most skilled and intricate work and supervises the actions of other team members until the object is completed and sent to the lehr for annealing. GATHER: A blob of molten glass attached to the end of a blowpipe, pontil or gathering iron before it is formed into an object. GATHERER: The assistant to the gaffer and a member of the chair of the team whose job is to collect the gob of molten glass and take it to the presser or blower. |