Glass Blowers, Molders, Benders, and Finishers

Typical tasks

From O*NET 31.0. Core tasks first. Few of these tasks have a benchmark today.

• Heat glass to pliable stage, using gas flames or ovens and rotating glass to heat it uniformly.
• Shape, bend, or join sections of glass, using paddles, pressing and flattening hand tools, or cork.
• Blow tubing into specified shapes to prevent glass from collapsing, using compressed air or own breath, or blow and rotate gathers in molds or on boards to obtain final shapes.
• Cut lengths of tubing to specified sizes, using files or cutting wheels.
• Inspect, weigh, and measure products to verify conformance to specifications, using instruments such as micrometers, calipers, magnifiers, or rulers.
• Develop sketches of glass products into blueprint specifications, applying knowledge of glass technology and glass blowing.
• Record manufacturing information, such as quantities, sizes, or types of goods produced.
• Determine types and quantities of glass required to fabricate products.
• Design and create glass objects, using blowpipes and artisans' hand tools and equipment.
• Operate and maintain finishing machines to grind, drill, sand, bevel, decorate, wash, or polish glass or glass products.
• Operate electric kilns that heat and mold glass sheets to the shape and curve of metal jigs.
• Place electrodes in tube ends and heat them with glass burners to fuse them into place.