Idaho semi-weekly world., 1893-12-01
MAKING CUT GLASS.
THE VARIOUS PROCESSES TnaoucH
WHICH FINE WARE pAsse,

ans Touches or Magic by which pnIi
sand and Lead Are Changed to Spar.
Killing cryatsis-Ths Part Tint usat
Plays In the Manufacturs Of Glass.
The glassmaker's trade, practical. even
prosaic and stolidiy scientiiic rs 1t is In
reality, seems, however, to the average OBJ
server to be an exquisite art insisted by
something very like sorcery. Take for in
stance the very first step in the process of
making glass and we have something sup-
gestive, even to the unimaginatiye, OF nee.
romancy OF alchemy akin 10
the tabled evolution OF the philosopber's
stone. In what Is known as the '.mixino
room" we have huge pile OF sand. an
other of oxide OF lead and third of teari
ash--all duil, sodden, coarse materials con.
tanning not the slightest proinisc of the
cleaning, glittering, crystal pure glass
which will presently flash In show win
oows, IN sumptuOus boudoirs and parlors
and on banquet boards.
The amount OF glass manufactured va
res ut different times, but the proportion
OF the ingredients In never changed A
trusted and careful workman weighs ont.
Tor example, COO pounds Of Berkshire sand
and thoroughly mixes with 1t 400 pounds
OF oxide Of lead and half rs much pearl
ash. To this compound he adds very small
proportions OF saltpeter, arsenic and man.
gancse, and the whole well stirred to
gether goes into one OF the great crucibles
or "pots," as they are technically called,
which hold from 800 to 5000 pounds.
In the furnace which contains eight OF
thcse pots the mass Is subjected 10 the
terrific heat Of \ roaring fire for forty
hours, and then the metal" ils it IL called,
Is rcply for the deft manipulations Of the
skilled glassblowers, who hover about the
furnace and at intervals remove small
portions Of the white. hot semililnid sub
stance upon the ends Of their long tubes or
"blowers' pipes" manipulating it in way
familiar to every Pittsburger The grace
full sweeps and agile twirlings OF the rod
are not made for the sake Of appearance.
hut for practical effect in giving the glow
ing hit OF molten glass the peculiar shape
which may be desired, dependent upon
whether it is to be n bottle, II pitcher, a
punch bowl. a wineglass. or any one of a
hundred other things
BLOWING INTO sHAPB.
He swings the tube with varying force,
blows through 1t carefully, expanding the
red hot bubble at its tip to the proper size.
rolls 1t upon n polished iron plate, reyolves
the rod while he holds tool against the
plant mass to give it form. heats it again
and repeats the process. or delicately and
rapidly touches it with two or three other
tools, perhaps being assisted by "helper"
in some of these maneuvers, and 10, the
shapeless mass has become wine decaii.
ter or n salad dish or something else of
most graceful form, and is almost ready
for the cutting room, whence it will emerge
with hundreds Of companion pieces OF
flashing. chased and beautiful ware
But first it must pass through the an
healing furnace, where, with the other ar.
ticles of the days output. it is very grau
ally cooled by being slowly drawn away
from the fire through brick arched tun-
mel about sixty feet long.
However picturesque and fascinating the
scene around the furnace. with it's strong
lights and heavy shadows, the circles OF
light carved in the darkness by the sweep
of the cleaning, ruddy tipped wands may
fe to the oniooker, it is stern, stiff labor
for the operatives. Their tools are fewer
and more primitive than those OF any other
class Of skilled artisans. They Use few
rude iron implements. stick, much like Il
narrow roofing shingle, Il heavy. uncouth
pair of iron shears and the all important
blowpipe, and with these they perform
wonders. The work must he done while
the glass is hot, and so there is intense
activity. only relieved by the occasional
waiting for the reheating Of a partly formed
object.
now THE GLASS IS CUT.
The final step in the process is the grind.
sr,fv tof, 1t,;..
formed by the glassblowers. as dec;lnters,
bottles, vases, bowls. wineglasses. goblcts
and scores of other articles of ornamental
or table ware-after undergoing the grad
ual cooling process in the glass house--are
taken to the cutting department. They
have form, but not the finish, grace of
shape nor brilliancy. aud are technically
known as BLANKS"
A hundred workmen are ready ut their
wheels to put them through the process
which will develop luster and make them
flash and CLEAN with prismatic light like
titanic diamonds. A hundred wheels
ranged in two rows down Il long room
each belted to n great central shaft. are
swiftly whirled bya great engine in the
basement below. IN this department. as
in the one already described. the tools are
OF the simplest order, and indeed there ap-
pears to he no line Of manufacture involv
ing 80 much skill and productive of so rich
and artistic effects which employs such
primitive implements as does this. The
skillfulness of the workman is almost
everything.
CARVING TIIE HARD GLASS.
The glass cutters work in three divisions
and the various articles pass through three
distinct grades Of treatment. First comes
the "roughing." that is the deep cutting
or grinding of the pattern. Of which the
principal points and lines have been first
marked upon the glass with red paint. For
this work thin iron wheel is employed.
upon which, ~ it revolves with the rapid
ity of n buzz SAW, the operator from time
to time places II little sand from the tank
in front of him. while water drips con-
stantly from an overhanging reservoir.
And now tue ware is passed from the
"smoothers'' to the "polishers." The men
in this division accomplish their work by
gentler means, and their touch IS soft and
almost caressing compared with the previ-
ous manipulations which the object has
undergone The polishers use wheel
brushes and wooden wheels of varying edge
formation to fit the different depressions,
and these are kept constantly srneared with
what looks like common yellow mud, but
IL in reality n compound of finely ground
oxide of zinc and lead, called in the trade
putty" These wheels, with their thin
coating OF peculiar polishing material
after innumerable lightniuglike revo-
Iutions, have the deep geometric lines and
the corresponding facets Of the glass rs
ali Iinr