Blowing Hose

Specifications

Length

0.6 – 1.2 m

Bore

6 – 10 mm

Material

Food-grade silicone or natural rubber; silicone tolerates heat

Fittings

A swivel at the pipe end, a mouthpiece at the other

Working temperature

Silicone to about 200 °C; rubber much less

Weight

Negligible

Cleaning

Washable; must be dry before use

Technical parameters

Silicone vs rubber

Silicone costs more, lasts far longer, and does not taste of rubber

Swivel

A ball-bearing swivel is the difference between free rotation and drag

Mouthpiece

A fitted tip beats putting your mouth on a bare hose

Storage

Coiled loosely; a kinked hose is a blocked hose

Cost band

Low

Overview

A blowing hose lets you inflate a piece without keeping your face against a pipe that is rotating and hot. One end fits the mouthpiece swivel, the other has a mouthpiece. The hose lets you stand back from the piece, turn your body naturally, and keep blowing while both hands are free to work the glass. It is a small accessory that changes how much control you have over a wall.

Where it fits in the process

Blowing Hose is used in blow. The stage decides how hot the glass has to be when the tool touches it, which in turn decides how much of the work it can do in one pass.

Safe use

• Never blow through a hose with a hot or wet mouthpiece. Steam and glass dust do not belong in your lungs.
• A hose that has been in contact with glass dust must be washed and dried before use.
• Do not use a hose as a handle to steady a piece. It will pull off the swivel.
• Check the hose for cracks before each session. A split hose fails at the moment of maximum pressure.

How it is used

1. Keep a spare hose. They fail at the joint and they fail without warning.
2. Blow with a steady, low pressure for a slow inflation you can control. Sharp bursts make lumpy walls.
3. Keep the swivel clean and dry so it turns freely.
4. Wash and dry the hose after every session. Glass dust and saliva are a bad combination.
5. A hose lets you stand to the side of the piece, which keeps your face out of the radiant heat.

Compatible glass types

Matching the tool to the glass family matters less than matching the glass to itself — see the COE compatibility calculator before combining two glasses.