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Fabrication

What does it take to build an Evol Empire piece besides major scientific glassblowing skills?  Jay starts with a sketch then builds a prototype out of clear glass.  The piece is tested and sometimes cut apart and rebuilt with modifications several times before the piece functions optimally.  Each part is measured and a blueprint is made.  Next the piece is given a name and a new design is created.  Easier said than done.  There are numerous steps, equipment, and procedures involved to produce a finished piece. 

01

GLASS

We start with German made Schott glass for clear pieces and to encase color.  We use color glass from the top US color glass manufacturers and custom glass tubing made by glass artists across the country.  

02

MACHINES

We use Litton lathes, the workhorse being the two HSJ-U lathes.  We also use a U lathe and a F lathe.   The lathes turns the glass which is attached to a blow hose leaving the hands free to hold torches and tools.  

03

EQUIPMENT

We use Paragon kilns to anneal the glass which is critical at every step to avoid cracks.  We have a Pistorius saw with a diamond wheel for cutting glass which is used to prep pieces prior to assembly.  Importantly, we have a High Volume O2 oxygen concentrator which takes and stores oxygen from the air.  Oxygen and propane are used in the torches that melt glass.

04

TOOLS

There are many tools for the glassblower and we use all the usual tools, but the most important here at Evol Empire are the calipers!  "Hand me some calipers and a Sharpie" is heard often.

05

Prep

Lots of prep.  Some glass comes as rods and has to be blown into tubing.  Some tubing needs to be re-sized.  We tool joints and they have to been hand ground.  Anything cut on the glass saw has to be washed and dried.

05

ASSEMBLY

After all the pieces are prepped assembly begins.  Some pieces take longer to assemble than others, but once a piece is started it gets completed and anneal in a kiln.  Lunch is eaten by the lathe on these days.

06

Quality Control

Quality control is a high priority for us.  It involves calibration (you can read about this on the calibration page), inspection with magnification, and photographs.   Each piece is photographed from multiple angles in our photo room.  Our goal is to produce beautifully clean pieces.

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