Job Description:

• 1) Makes glass beads and decorative jewelry findings, such as petals and leaves: Melts end of solid glass rod, using gas burner.

• 2) Picks up small globule of molten glass on end of metal wire and twirls wire until sphere is formed to make solid bead, or rolls globule of glass in groove of block of hard wood to form bead of correct diameter and contour.

• 3) To make solid decorative findings, flattens globule into disk with spatula, and shapes disk by twisting and elongating it with pliers, or shapes disk in specially setup embossing dies in handpress.

• 4) To make hollow glass articles, picks up globule of molten glass with blowpipe and inflates it to size of sample article by blowing into pipe or inflates globule to half-size of finished article and places it in metal mold, inflating it fully so that glass will assume shape of mold cavity.

• 5) Cools and solidifies glass article by holding it over jet of compressed air, or dips article into water to cool and solidify glass.

• 6) May shape heated rods into novelty items, such as fish, boats, and pins, and be designated Glass-Novelty Maker.