How to Make Glass Paper Weights
Creating glass paperweights is an old art form with countless possibilities for creative design. Colors are added to the inside of the glass weight by adding bits of broken colored glass called frit. Before attempting to make a glass paperweight, you should be in excellent health and be able to withstand high temperatures. Use awareness and caution so you don't burn yourself with the molten glass. Few forms of art, though, surpass the beauty of these paperweights, which will be treasured by their recipients for many generations. The following is a basic guide to creating your own unique glass paperweights.
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Things You'll Need
- Frit (broken bits of colored glass)
- Pie tins
- Glory hole
- Crucible
- Rod
- Hot plate
- Wet paper towels
- Long tube socks
- Jack
- Block
- Butter knife
- Kiln
Instructions
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1
Separate the frit by color into separate pie tins. Heat up the glory hole so that it reaches 2,000 to 3,000 degrees F. A glory hole is a high-temperature furnace with a door that opens to the front. Turn on the crucible so the glass inside will be in molten form.
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2
Heat the rod in glory hole. Quickly put the heated tip into the glory hole to pick up some glass. Spin the rod quickly to break off the stream of glass attached to the rod.
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3
Dip the rod with the molten glass into the different colored frit to create your design. Set the rod with the frit on top of a hot plate to keep the frit from shattering. Stick the rod back into the glory hole to melt the frit into the glass.
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4
Remove the rod from the glory hole and constantly spin it on top of wet paper towels to get a round shape. Put the rod back into the crucible for the final time to gather more glass.
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5
Remove the rod from the heat. Use a tool called a jack to form the rim where you will break the paperweight off and have a flat base.
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6
Go back into the glory hole with your rod and come out again. Take the rod to a bench and use a wooden tool shaped like a spoon called a block to shape the ball of glass at the end of the rod. Keep wetting the block so it won't stick to the glass. Go back and forth several times from the glory hole to the bench, each time shaping the paperweight with the block.
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7
Allow the glass to cool slightly. Use a butter knife to score the mark made originally by the jack. Place the paperweight into a kiln where the weight will separate along the scored line to form your paperweight.
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Tips & Warnings
Stay hydrated by drinking lots of cool, but not cold, water while you work.
It is a must to wear socks or long gloves over your hands and up to your elbows to protect your arms from the heat.
