Learning proper practice

[JsN]

alot of times when i step up to my bench i dont really have a plan i just make what i feel like weather it being something im "good" at or something im still learning... while this is great sometimes i would like to know if theres any sort of exersize that makes you better faster, by better i mean i want to be able to rotate both hands at an even speed on a striaght axis ( no wobbles ) , so far ive felt like simply pulling points is a good start to what i want but im hoping someone else can shed some light on how to make the best of your time if your goal is to improve skills

ive also been having problems with my glass being to heavy so my forearms hurt to the point i cant work anymore so if theres any tips on that subject id apreciate it

thanks in advance for your help

[nodice]

If you're having a problem with twisting stuff, there are ways to fix it, but I dunno if you'd call them propper practice. One would be to change direction when you see the glass twist. This will make the hand which is in more control and moving faster get the glass back where it was b4, and is very usefull when the tubing in one hand is larger in diameter then the tubing in the other hand. Another is while the glass is cooling, just cradle one side and pull a little to keep it straight, but only use the other hand for spinning. That's all I can think of off hand.

[mer]

it's hard to beat pulling points for what you are talking about. i know it can be frustrating at first but soon you will have built up the necessary muscles and your brain will have picked up some muscle memory which will make things easier.

with regard to the sore forearms, this will also improve with time unless you have a pre-existing injury to your back, neck, shoulders or arms. i built little shelves for my elbows to rest on which really helps with good posture.

also try to learn to spin your glass with your non-favored hand. it's much harder for a while but in the long run spinning the tube is not a task that will require as much precision as applying fine techniques to your piece. i hear that's the italian style. i wish my teachers had forced me to start that way, it's much harder to go back and switch once you've gotten used to spinning with the good hand.

[HumanLathe]

Pulling points is the best practice IMO. pull two at once in the middle of the tube this make it more challeging for some

[HumanLathe]

I also say practice making things in replication mode. even though you might think you can get things to look the same but challenge yourself to make identical copies of you pieces. Learn complete control over the glass so you will feel absolutely confident in any situation.

[PortlandGlassBlowers]

And doing things the exact same way will also help in you're production down the line. Most shops want to know what tthey are getting. If its not consistent they will probaly find someone else that they can depend on.

[blazeoffire]

I also say practice making things in replication mode. even though you might think you can get things to look the same but challenge yourself to make identical copies of you pieces. Learn complete control over the glass so you will feel absolutely confident in any situation.

Yeah what matt said make like 20 stems that all look the same and then 20 cans that all look the same, then put 20 together . Trying to keep them all the same is way harder then you think. and when you get this down, you be like hammer ? oh yeah i can make that, blind folded (not really) ouch

[knobbs1234]

I warm up every morning by making simple pendents. That seems to help my wrist wake up. I also do exercises with 5lb. weights almost every day. I try to keep my arms, shoulders, and back strong to help prevent fatigue.

[gravdigr]

Dunno if this falls into your category but I have had problems when I need to do something while I have a piece in the flame (reach for a cork, color rod, punty etc..) I tend to stop rotating which got annoying. So what I did was take a couple blowtubes home from the shop and while relaxing watching tv I'm spinning. After a while I will not realize I'm still spinning the piece while my brain is concentrating on something else (watching mxc or whatever). I found this to be a good excercise. You could also use this excercise with a slightly longer blowtube and hold it with both hands, that may help your hands learn to rotate at the same speed.

As for forearm strength all that will fix that is muscle training. If you really want popeye forearms you can do what I have done for several years as part of my real job, hand mix cement. Done in a wheelbarrow with no1 portland, quarry dust, and a garden hoe you will have massive forearms in no time. A more practical practice would be to get a heavy bar about 2' long, a pipe wrench will work too. Hold it in your fist with your thumb at the top and the heavy end of the object pointing down. Now try to twist your forearm and wrist in both directions to try and lift the bar so it's parallel with the floor. This will work the forearms and triceps. You can also hold the bar with your fist upside down (thumb to the floor) with the bar hanging down and try to rotate it so that it's vertical This will also work the forearm and shoulder.

Another common activity that will work the back and arms is running a string trimmer. We have a 98lb girl that trims the cemetery and after a few weeks of this her arm strength increased by probably 200%

[PortlandGlassBlowers]

Or you can just work on the torch!

[ACE]

Pulling points is the best practice IMO. pull two at once in the middle of the tube this make it more challeging for some

pulling points IS really important, but another side of that is learning how to correct your ponts as well. i've been making goblets for years and i still rarely ever pull a point that is perfect enough for me to use without any adjustments....

if you don't know how to fix your points correctly JsN i'd be more than happy to give you some pointers, (hahaha 'pointers', no pun intended) just pm me :D

[HumanLathe]

Dunno if this falls into your category but I have had problems when I need to do something while I have a piece in the flame (reach for a cork, color rod, punty etc..) I tend to stop rotating which got annoying. So what I did was take a couple blowtubes home from the shop and while relaxing watching tv I'm spinning. After a while I will not realize I'm still spinning the piece while my brain is concentrating on something else (watching mxc or whatever). I found this to be a good excercise. You could also use this excercise with a slightly longer blowtube and hold it with both hands, that may help your hands learn to rotate at the same speed.

As for forearm strength all that will fix that is muscle training. If you really want popeye forearms you can do what I have done for several years as part of my real job, hand mix cement. Done in a wheelbarrow with no1 portland, quarry dust, and a garden hoe you will have massive forearms in no time. A more practical practice would be to get a heavy bar about 2' long, a pipe wrench will work too. Hold it in your fist with your thumb at the top and the heavy end of the object pointing down. Now try to twist your forearm and wrist in both directions to try and lift the bar so it's parallel with the floor. This will work the forearms and triceps. You can also hold the bar with your fist upside down (thumb to the floor) with the bar hanging down and try to rotate it so that it's vertical This will also work the forearm and shoulder.

Another common activity that will work the back and arms is running a string trimmer. We have a 98lb girl that trims the cemetery and after a few weeks of this her arm strength increased by probably 200%

Stop all that heavy lifting and pull a half case of 50x5 into workable points, that will make you feel like olive oil all over again. Muscle training is one thing but stamina is a whole different monster. I find if you learn to spin in any style meaning holding punty or blow tube underhand or over hand, switching back and forth seamlessly will use different muscles than just spinning over hand or just spinning under hand. If you watch me work I am constantly spinning differently through the process of making the piece. This will also save your wrists from the dreaded carpal tunnel syndrome. I developed this style of glass blowing for myself after almost ending my career due to very bad carpal tunnel. Im sure that plenty of people do the same thing I do atleast I hope they do .... My Doctor basically told me I needed to change what I was doing throughout my process or I wasn't going to be able to use my hands very well later in life. so I went from just rolling the glass back in forth{ which I hope all of you do already } to going under arm changing to over hand to spinning with 2 fingers to spinning with 3-4 continuously changing so that I wasn't making repetitive motions. i hope this may help any of you with sore for arms and or wrists fingers etc.

[HumanLathe]

pulling points IS really important, but another side of that is learning how to correct your ponts as well. i've been making goblets for years and i still rarely ever pull a point that is perfect enough for me to use without any adjustments....

if you don't know how to fix your points correctly JsN i'd be more than happy to give you some pointers, (hahaha 'pointers', no pun intended) just pm me :D

pull them right the first time and you won't have to fix them :D

[brettodie]

pull a dual point with 25 heavy wall. blow a bubble, reshape that bubble back into a point do so ten times in a row with the same point. mickelsen showed me that 7-8 yrs ago and it was a great tech for learning control. its takes practice to be able to do it ten times with the same point. teachs you alot about how the heat base effects what your doing. sore forearms just means you need to work more and increase your strength. a body building series focused on your arms and shoulders and upper back will help alot. it will also protect you against long term problems associated with repeative use jobs.good luck and enjoy. peace brett

[Swampy]

To increase muscle strength try;

cutting off a foot of broomstick, tie a two-pound weight at the end of a piece of string, long enough so that when you stretch your arms out the weight is just off the floor.

Tie the other end to the centre of the stick. The object of the exercise is to 'wind up' the weight by rotating the stick. and, begin. Do not fold your arms or you will grow tits.


You may well laugh, but another little-known tech tip is to alternate hands whilst masturbating. Yourself, or a partner.

[broken glass]

UST glass has 50 X 9, it will be a much nicer workout than the 50 X 5, but I think that attaching a blowtube is a little harder to do than pull points, but you have to know how to pull point to attach blow tube., =straighnting your tube pull. and or ></? @ !
_ . .

[nodice]

..You may well laugh, but another little-known tech tip is to alternate hands whilst masturbating. Yourself, or a partner.

everyone's copying me!

[CripSkillz]

Gotta switch hands usually cant get it done on one arm alone!

[ShttrdSpctrm]

PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE imo

[misled youth]

i agree with matt on all of this. dont use weight's n such as there is no practice as good as the right practice.
my arms dont get tired unless i been at it for atleast 10 hours. or unless i am going big like 2' vases n such. oh yeah and a 5" marble can get them burning too.

Matt you should seek acupuncture for carpal tunnel, no joke man the shit works!!

[gypsea]

hey matt, have you recouperated well from your surgery now?

did you generate enough money from the various fundraisers to get the lathe to help you out with the strain on your post surgical glass blowing muscles?

hope you are back to feeling good again!

[newmexicomagma]

i think its just a matter of pulling a hundred points then u have the muscle memory im teaching a friend who had huge arms compared to my skinny ass but since he is just beginning he even has trouble with 25 as i did. its all about muscle memory and pushing yourself when your hand starts to cramp up just fight through it. no pain no gain, when it hurts it means u r creating new muscle and memory muscle at that.

[onion]

hold up, time out. UST has 50x9 ?!?!
that sounds like some sexy tube to me
(sorry about the thread jack)

[broken glass]

yeah UST has SCHOT 50 X 9!!! Rohr glas

[JsN]

wow thanks guys