How to Remove the Tube in Glassblowing

Glassblowing is the process of gathering hot liquid glass onto a tube or blowpipe and blowing air into the glass blob to expand it. The air you blow in forms a type of elastic skin on the inside, which matches the cooling air on the outside made by taking the glass out of the furnace. Once the piece is finished, you have to take the tube off.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Reheat the glass piece in the furnace to make the glass pliable. First, transfer the glass piece off the tube onto a thinner solid rod called a puntil (pronounced "punty").

2. Gather a small glob of hot glass called puntee (pronounced the same as puntil) onto the end of the puntil and press that to the end of your glass piece. The puntee will hold it in place.

3. Break the glass piece off the blowpipe tube. This leaves an opening that will be the top of your jar or vase or whatever you are creating. Reheat the piece and shape the opening as you want it.

4. Let the piece cool a bit. Hold it with tongs and twist the puntil off. The piece needs to go through an annealing process now where the piece is cooled really slowly; otherwise it will shatter.

5. Place it in an oven at about 1000 degrees Fahrenheit, which will slowly be lowered to room temperature over at least 8 to 10 hours.