The first photo is the finished product.
I tried to upload some pictures of the most fantastic pizzas in the world for Gnat but for some reason they wouldn't upload. I think they might be too big. I will try to get some sometime for you or maybe I might email you some.
Gather number 1.
I just blew the starter bubble and am letting it cool a little bit after I blocked it.
Gather number 2.
Blocking the glass to a good shape after gather #2.
Gather number 3.
Micah has just picked up a color bit out of the annealer and is preparing to heat and marver it to the size and shape we need for the "body wrap".
You can see I have the blowpipe with the piece on the "threader wheel" and Micah eases the bit up to and touches the piece. He then expertly pulls back until the thread is the proper thickness and I start turning the piece. The thread of glass then encircles the piece round and round and round… all the way to the end.
We finish the threading process and cut off the thread. Micah will take what's left of the thread on the punty and reheat and reshape and keep in the warmer for another piece while I stay busy doing what comes next.
I am now getting a really good heat in the piece so I can get a really deep optic mold imprint.
Into the optic mold and blow!
Reheat! You can see the deep optic molded ridges in the piece!
I am marving the piece and getting ready to cut the jack line in the piece with the jacks.
As you can tell I have blown out the piece some and getting ready to "drop a foot". (I don't have a picture of us dong the foot.)
We have just attached the punty to foot on the piece and are starting the transfer process.
I am now "chilling" the "jack line" with a few drops of water from the file and geting ready to break the glass at the jack line and complete the transfer from the blowpipe to the punty.
I'm keeping the piece hot while Micah is heating up the chunk of color (the bit) that we are going to apply for the lip wrap.
I'm trimming the lip of the piece, getting it nice and smooth and even for the lip wrap.
Micah has heated up the "bit" of color and has presented it to me with the correct shape and heat for me to apply as the "lip wrap" which I am doing now.
I am using the "puffer" to round out the mouth end of the piece before I open it up all the way. Here I am using the parchoffi sticks to open the mouth.
I now have the mouth opened up as far as I want to before I spin it out and this is the final reheat before I spin out the platter
Here I am "spinning out" the platter and then on the "knock-off" table and getting ready to put in the annealler.
Thirty-six minutes from start to finish. Bam!
It took me longer to upload the pictures and write out the steps than it did to make the piece. I'm tired now.
It was good to talk to Andy today in Columbus Ohio. Wish you and Brent the best while you guys are there! Look forward to buying you lunch or dinner when you get back.
Are any pharmaceutical reps reading this? If so, the first one to call me on my cell and mention this, I will blow you a bud vase. Hurry, offer applies to the first one only! tick, tick, tick, tick, tick…
