British Manufacturing Industries: Pottery, Glass and Silicates, Furniture and Woodwork.Arnoux, Léon
History
British Manufacturing Industries: Pottery, Glass and Silicates, Furniture and Woodwork.
Arnoux, Léon
Manufacturing industries -- Great Britain
of it is much longer than that which is required for a pot of crown or
sheet; and it is a matter of considerable importance, that the
furnace-man should so manage his fires as to keep the glass in a
proper working condition, that is, he should not let it get too cold
(therefore too solid) nor too fluid. Flint glass is worked off by the
blower into wine-glasses, tumblers, decanters, and other suitable
vessels. Let us take a wine-glass as an illustration of the method of
working. A small quantity of glass is gathered on the blowpipe, which
is much smaller than that used in making sheet, and is blown into a
bulb, which may be slightly elongated or globular, the forms being
given to it by the motion which the workman imparts to his blowpipe
while he is blowing, or after he has blown, into the mass. In the case
of a wine-glass, an assistant boy gathers a small quantity of glass on
the end of a small pointel, or solid iron rod. This is placed on the
side of the globe opposite that which is in connection with the
blowpipe, which is then detached by touching the glass nearest it with
a piece of iron, wetted with cold water: this causes a crack, and a
gentle tap causes separation. The workman then moulds the opening made
by detaching the blowpipe, in order to do which, he has to apply the
glass often to the mouth of the furnace, to soften it. He then opens
out the globe into the shape of a cup with a pair of small iron tongs,
with legs uniform in shape, slightly tapering and smooth, and he uses
a peculiar kind of scissors for trimming the edges. The other parts of
the glass are moulded with the tongs, accuracy of size being obtained
by means of measuring compasses and a scale. The workman sits during
this operation in a seat with arms, laying the pontee on them, and
turning it, so as to make it move backwards and forwards with his left
hand, while with the tongs in his right he gives the glass the desired
form.
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