Making Hollow Forms:
Blowing a Glass Hot Air Balloon
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One of the most popular items we create is a hand blown glass, one of a kind, hot air balloon. The following example shows the first part of the creation process, blowing the glass portion of our hot air balloons.
1) First glass is gathered out of the furnace and onto the end of a blowpipe.
2) The hot glass is rolled out on a stainless steel table, a “Marving Table,” cooling it slightly and pulling it off the pipe.
3) Next the glass is cooled and shaped with fruitwood blocks, shaping it to a round a uniform thickness.
4) Dana starts an airbubble in the glass by blowing air briskly into the end of the pipe.
5) All hollow forms start with a tiny embryo. An air bubble is trapped and started inside the glass.
6) The glass is chilled down before another gather is taken of hot glass. This allows the bubble to stay in form and not fall off when gathering a second time.
7) Dana takes a second gather of clear on top of the first bubble, adding to the volume of glass to make a bigger piece.
8) Next the clear glass is rolled across a pile of frit adding color to the surface of the piece.
9) The colored frit is reheated in the Glory Hole, melting it into the clear.
10) A second contrasting color is gathered on top of a base color for a bright spotted color effect.
11) Dana shapes the blob of hot glass and color before blowing out the form of a hot air balloon.
12) A water soaked fruitwood block is used to shape the surface of the glass so the form blows out evenly.
13) Air is blown into the pipe to start the expansion of the piece.
14) Air is used to chill the top of the balloon so the top doesn’t blow out too thin.
15) The piece is constantly reheated to allow the glass to expand and be manipulated.
16) As air is blown into the bulb, the jacks are used to stretch the neck of the piece to make a balloon shape.
17) Dana adds air to the piece to continually stretch the glass until it has reached its desired shape and thickness.
18) Dana uses the Jacks to make a defined break-off line in the glass preparing it for eventual removal from the blow pipe.
19) The final shaping of the piece is done and the last few puffs and stretches are made before the loop is attached.
20) A last puff of air is blown into the pipe to give the balloon a nice form.
21) In between the blowing and shaping, the glass is constantly reheated. If the glass gets too cold if will not move or manipulate.
22) A hot finger of clear is brought to the top of the balloon and added for a loop to hang the piece.
23) The finger is turned inward with a pair of tweezers to shape the loop for hanging.
24) The piece is reheated one last time to keep the glass at the right temperature before it is removed from the pipe.
25) A palette knife is dipped
into water and the cold
water is drizzled on the
break line to cool the
glass and allow it to
break off the pipe.
26) The piece is broken off
the blow pipe into an
annealing oven where it
can cool down to room
temperature at a slow
and controlled rate.