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Major Glass Classifications

Annealed Annealed glass is flat glass in its natural state.  It can be cut, beveled, etched, carved, slumped and fabricated in various other ways.
Tempered Annealed glass can be strengthened through a process called tempering, which can help the glass withstand the shock of severe blows
Laminated (Safety) To make annealed glass safer is to laminate it to another piece of glass.  This is typical for glass that will be hanging overhead.
Insulated An insulated glass unit consists of two or three panes of glass separated by an air space for insulation and sealed around the edges with sealants.  The unit acts as an insulator to protect window areas from excessive heat loss in winter and heat gain in summer.

 

Glass Terminology

Annealing Oven The process of gradual cooling of the outside and the inside of the molten glass to assure that the glass won't cool too fast causing cracks or breaks.
Blank A molten glass object ready for the further creation of the Art Glass piece.
Bevel Cold glass (usually clear thick plate) whose edges have been ground and polished to an angle other than 90 degree.  Transmitted light is refracted and a prism-like effect results.  Bevels are available in a variety of sizes, shapes and geometric configurations for incorporation into leaded glass work.
Block The forming tool used for the shaping of the molten glass.  The "block" is usually made of cherry wood and is "wet" while used with the hot glass.
Blocker the glass worker that "blows" the first bubble through the blowpipe and then subsequently transfers that blow-pipe to the Gaffer.
Blowpipe A steel pipe with an air passage way throughout it's entire length.
Bubbles Gases in the molten glass while melting in the "pit" get trapped.
Burner Runs the air and gas mixture control for lampworking.
Burn-mark The residue left from the usage of a newspaper ash in the assistance of shaping of the molten glass.
Button A small clear amount of molten glass placed on the "working end" of the art piece project to assure proper connection of the glass to the pipe to avoid dropping damage.
Caliper Tongs that help create and control the molten glass piece.
Cane A cross section of glass made by pulling and stretching molten glasses from both ends.
Carving Removing excess molten glass off of the working piece.
Casing Placing an additional layer of glass over an existing layer of another color.
Casting The process of pouring molten glass into a form designed to receive that glass.
Chill-mark Any time an instrument is used on hot glass, there's a potential for it to leave a cooled surface that refracts light differently.
Double strength Glass (DSB) 1/8" thickness
Dry glazing A method of securing glass in a window frame with a dry, preformed, resilient gasket, without the use of a glazing compound.
Dual action window A window in which the operating vent tilts in from the top for ventilation and swings in from the side for glass cleaning.  Each window has one handle to perform both operations. 
Dual glazed Two single lites glazed into a split sash with an airspace, not hermetically sealed, between the two single lites.
Dual sealed insulating glass A superior insulating glass unit (IGU) which greatly resists seal failure.  It is made by combining two glass lites, an air spacer, a primary seal.
Dual weather seals A pair of gaskets, running the length of a glazed system, one towards the exterior and one towards the interior, acting as twice the barrier protection of a single weather seal.
Dual window Two windows joined together, one in front of the other, to provide sound control.
Egress window A window with specific release hardware and minimum clear opening size to allow occupants to escape through the window in case of a fire.
Etching Decoration Using acid to etch the glass.  Strengthens or get a chemical reaction or effect with the glass surface.
Founding Heating the glass to a proper usable temperature.
Exterior glazed Glass glazed from the exterior of the building.
Fritt Clear or opaque color that is crushed and graded to specific sizes.
Gasket A rubber or plastic pliable material used to separate glass and aluminum or vinyl.
Glazing The process of installing glass or panels into the sash or frame of the window.
Insulating Glass Unit (IGU) Two pieces of glass spaced apart and hermetically sealed to form a unit with an air space between.  Heat transmission through this type of glass may be as low as half that without such an air space.
Interior glazed Glass glazed from the interior of the building.
Iridescence Spraying a shiny metallic finish onto hot glass.
Jack A tool shaped like huge tweezers used to manipulate hot glass. 
Jamb The vertical member of a window frame.
Lear A gigantic oven that is computer-controlled to relieve stress during the annealing process.
Lite A single or monolithic glass pane.
Marver A flat steel plate that is used for the picking up color chips or the shaping of the molten glass on the end of the blowpipe or pie with a rolling action.
Monolithic A single lite or pane of glass
Mullion An extrusion that joins windows
Murrini A cross cut piece of glass used in the creation of a larger glass work.
Oriel window A window with unequal sash.
Overlay A thin layer of clear or colored glass folded, formed, or coated over another.
Panel Either an opaque glazing material or the operating portion of a sliding glass door.
Pot A holding area for molten glass where the glass is continually kept at a designated heat for gathering.
Power The ground glass that is put into the Pot for melting the final molten glass that will be used by the hot glass workers.
Rail A horizontal sash member.
Reflective glass Glass with metallic coatings applied onto or into the glass surface to reduce solar radiant energy and visible light transmission.
Rondelle A flat blown glass that was spun hot.
Sandblasting A method used to remove layers of glass.  A cloudy dull finish will result with every layer removed. 
Satin Glass An acid matt finish or frosting.
Sawing Cutting glass with a rotating wheel with a blade usually diamond tipped.
Slumped Flat glass which has been heated in a kiln from room temperature to a temperature high enough to cause it to soften and slump (sag) into or over a mold.  The finished item takes the shape of the mold.
Textured Rolled Textures:  In rolled glasses one of the forming rolls is embossed with a texture that is imprinted on the glass as the sheet is formed.  This produces glass smooth on one side and textured on the other.  Common examples are "hammered, " "granite," and "muffle."

Natural Textures:  Any textural effect created without mechanical influence or embossed rolls.  Includes Baroque and Waterglass.

Cold Glass Textures:  This category includes glue chipping, etching, sand blasting and any other surface treatment performed on the cold glass sheet at room temperature.

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