So let’s say you want to become a glassblower. But where to begin? It can seem overwhelming at first. I remember when I first decided I wanted to become a glassblower, I waited about a year before I finally decided to do it.

The simplest and cheapest way to get started is to find a studio near you.

The Journey of a Glassblower

How Can I Find a Glassblowing Studio?

Well, as a wise man once said, stop asking silly questions and just google it! Click the highlighted link and simply type “glassblowing studios near me”. Once you’ve taken an intro class, most studios will allow you to rent time there which will give you time to practice the skills you’ve learned.

What’s Next?

Little known secret: studios don’t make much money renting torch time. After a while, they’ll start to prod you to get out and do your own thing. Even if they don’t, you will eventually want to get your own studio started so that you can have you set up just the way you want it.
 

How Do I Start My Own Glassblowing Studio?

 The cheapest way to do this is to set up in either your own garage or shed, or someone who’s willing to let you use the space. I started out in my mom’s garage actually! It was literally chock full of crap, so she was happy to let me use the space in exchange for clearing out all the junk she’d been storing for other people over the years.

It was a lot of work, but in the end she got a garage she could actually use, and I got some space for my torch.

What Tools Do I Need to Start a Glassblowing Studio?

So I’d check out mountain glass, that’s where I buy all my equipment. Not only do they offer almost anything you could need to blow glass, they also offer friendly customer support. They even sell starter kits that contain almost everything you need to get started.

If you know for sure glassblowing is something you’d want to do long-term, I’d recommend the GTT Phantom Beginner Kit. The GTT Phantom is one of the most sought after torches in glassblowing, and is the one I use myself. If you’d like to get started at a slightly lower price, the GTT Lynx is also a great starter torch.

Is There Anything Else I Need?

Safety Equipment

 You will also need a few pieces of safety equipment. Glassblowing produces a lot of harmful gases, so you’re going to need some ventilation to keep yourself from breathing all of this in. I’ll write an article on ventilation some other day, but if you check out talk glass there’s a large community of glassblowers who’d be happy to answer your questions.

Of course, you’re going to need a fire extinguisher as well.

Gases

Propane

You will also need a supply of propane and oxygen. Propane is pretty easy to get, any place that sells grilling equipment will have propane grill tanks, and even some gas stations sell them.

Oxygen

Oxygen is usually obtained from a welding store, so just do a local search of your area either through google or asking around. I do not recommend Airgas, while they are one of the biggest retailers they are also extremely expensive. You’re going to want what is called a K tank, but most welding stores will call it a 282. Whatever you call it, it's a five foot green tank, here’s a useful chart.

So good luck on your glassblowing journey!