A veteran blower told me my punty was too thick and it clicked

I was working on a set of small tumblers at the studio, trying to get the stems nice and even. An older guy who's been blowing for like 30 years watched me for a minute and then just said, 'Kid, your punty is a log. You're fighting the heat.' I was using a punty that was almost as thick as my thumb! He explained that a thinner punty, maybe pencil-width, holds less heat mass so it cools the piece less when you attach it. This lets you work the piece hotter and longer at the glory hole without shocking it. I switched to pulling my punties way thinner the next day, and wow, what a difference. My stems got way smoother because I wasn't rushing to finish before the piece cooled down. Has anyone else had a simple tool tweak make their work flow so much better?

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3 Comments

chen.casey6mo ago

Yeah, that thickness thing is a total game changer. I used to crack so many pieces at the transfer because my punty was basically a heat sink. Going thinner lets the piece itself hold the temp way better, so you're not fighting the clock.

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anderson.david6mo ago

Wait, you were using a thick punty on purpose?

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cooper.phoenix6mo ago

But how thin are we talking here? Like, are you just barely getting a seal on it, or is there a sweet spot where it's still strong enough to hold the weight?

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