Narrator: GLASS FAUCETS ELEVATE
INDOOR PLUMBING TO AN ART FORM.
THE GLASS IS HAND-CRAFTED IN
A RANGE OF SHAPES AND PATTERNS
FOR VISUAL EFFECT.
METAL COMPONENTS
ARE FUSED INTO THE GLASS
TO DELIVER ONE OF
THE NECESSITIES OF MODERN LIFE,
RUNNING WATER.
GLASS FAUCETS ARE ABOUT
BOTH FORM AND FUNCTION.
GLASS FAUCETS HAVE
A DELICATE BEAUTY,
BUT THEY'RE STRONGER
THAN THEY LOOK.
THE GLASS IS VERY THICK,
ALLOWING THE FAUCETS
TO HOLD UP TO HEAVY USE.
MAKING A GLASS FAUCET STARTS
WITH CHUNKS OF CLEAR GLASS.
A GLASS WORKER LOADS THE GLASS
INTO AN OVEN
AT 2,190 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT.
ANOTHER WORKER SELECTS BLACK
AND WHITE BILLETS OF GLASS
TO ADD STRIPES AND PATTERNS
TO THE CLEAR GLASS.
HE PREHEATS THEM SO THE GLASS
WON'T SHOCK AND FRACTURE
WHEN EXPOSED
TO HIGHER TEMPERATURES.
WITH A METAL ROD,
HE GATHERS A CLUMP
OF THE CLEAR GLASS
FROM THE MAIN OVEN.
WITH THE CHUNK OF GLASS,
HE PICKS UP THE PREHEATED
WHITE CYLINDER,
SIMULTANEOUSLY EXPOSING BOTH
TO THE FLAMES.
THIS PROCESS MAKES THE GLASS
FLEXIBLE.
USING A CURVED WOOD TOOL,
THE GLASS WORKER GATHERS
THE CLEAR GLASS AT THE BASE
AND WRAPS IT AROUND
THE WHITE BILLET,
ENCAPSULATING IT.
HE ATTACHES THE OTHER END OF
THE GLASS TO A SECOND METAL ROD.
THIS ALLOWS THE GLASS TO STRETCH
AS HE PULLS IT ACROSS THE ROOM.
THE GLASS IS NOW
OVER 35 FEET LONG
AND PENCIL-THIN.
IT STARTS TO COOL
AND SOLIDIFY IMMEDIATELY
AS IT'S SET DOWN.
THE GLASS WORKERS TAP THE GLASS
AGAINST A PIECE OF METAL
TO BREAK IT INTO
8-INCH PIECES CALLED CANES.
THEY SHAPE ANOTHER PIECE
OF CLEAR GLASS
BY ROLLING IT ON A METAL TABLE
CALLED A MARVER.
THE GLASS WORKER BLOWS THROUGH
THE METAL ROD,
CAUSING THE GLASS ON THE END
TO BUBBLE.
IT WILL EVENTUALLY BECOME
THE FAUCET AND TWO HANDLES.
HE ADDS A LAYER OF BLACK
MOLTEN GLASS TO THE BUBBLE.
ANOTHER GLASS TECHNICIAN
ARRANGES THE STRIPED CANES
ON A GROOVED IRON PLATE
AND HEATS THEM WITH A TORCH.
MEANWHILE, A GLASS WORKER ROLLS
THE HOT GLASS BUBBLE
ONTO THE CANES,
WHICH STICK TOGETHER.
THEN IT'S BACK INTO THE FURNACE,
AND THE WHITE-STRIPED CANES
MELT INTO THE BLACK BUBBLE.
NEXT, THE CRAFTSMAN
ROLLS THE GLASS
ACROSS THE MARVER REPEATEDLY.
HE PINCHES THE CANES AT THE TOP,
CLOSING THEM AROUND THE BUBBLE.
THE GLASS IS REHEATED
TO KEEP IT PLIABLE
AS THE CRAFTSMAN
CONTINUES TO FORM IT.
THE CRAFTSMAN
TRANSFORMS THE BUBBLE
INTO A HOLLOW GLASS TUBE
THEN ELONGATING THE TUBE
TO ITS DESIRED LENGTH.
USING A PINCER-LIKE TOOL,
HE FORMS THE END
INTO A ROUND HANDLE SHAPE
WHILE ANOTHER GLASS WORKER
APPLIES HEAT TO THE GLASS
WITH A TORCH.
THIS KEEPS THE GLASS PLIABLE.
HE THEN CREATES A HOLE
FOR A PIECE OF METAL HARDWARE.
THEN HE APPLIES MOLTEN GLASS
TO THE METAL HARDWARE
AND INSERTS THE HARDWARE
INTO THE ROUND FAUCET HANDLE.
THIS CUTS THE HANDLE FREE
FROM THE REST OF THE GLASS.
USING A FORMING TOOL,
THE CRAFTSMAN REFINES
THE SHAPE OF THE GLASS.
NEXT, HE PREHEATS A METAL MOLD.
THIS STOPS THE HOT GLASS TUBE
FROM FRACTURING
AS HE BENDS IT AROUND THE MOLD
TO SHAPE IT INTO THE FAUCET.
ONCE THE FAUCET HAS TAKEN SHAPE,
IT'S READY TO GO
INTO THE ANNEALING OVEN.
♪♪
THE GLASS IS PLACED IN THE OVEN
AT A LOW TEMPERATURE
AND THEN COOLED.
THIS PROCESS REMOVES STRESSES
AND STRENGTHENS THE GLASS.
MEANWHILE,
USING HIGH-PRESSURE WATER
THAT CONTAINS
FRAGMENTS OF GARNET,
A CRAFTSMAN CUTS
STEEL TRIM RINGS
AND A DISPLAY PLATE
FOR THE SHOWROOM.
NEXT, THE CRAFTSMAN INSTALLS
THE GLASS FAUCET
ON THE DISPLAY PLATE
BY THREADING A NUT
TO THE FAUCET VALVE.
HE INSTALLS THE TRIM RINGS
AT THE BASE OF THE HANDLES
AND ASSEMBLES THEM
TO THE DISPLAY PLATE
USING THE HARDWARE
THAT'S BEEN FUSED
TO THE INSIDE OF THE GLASS.
THE CRAFTSMAN USES A RAG
TO CLEAN THE FAUCET
OF ANY FINGERPRINTS AND SMUDGES.
FINALLY, CONSTRUCTION
IS COMPLETE.
THIS UNIQUE GLASS FAUCET
IS READY TO MAKE A STATEMENT.
