That was interesting to see how Blenko made sheet glass. We use a lot of Lamberts glass and on one trip to the factory, I made a video of the process to show clients (why the glass is sooo worth the expense!): https://youtu.be/43zouxtF_3M
There are a few comparisons I think are interesting to point out.
--The factory at Lamberts looks a bit more permanent, the equipment and tools seem more professional. This is not too surprising as sheet glass production at Lamberts is their primary business, whereas Blenko made their money mostly from blown objects.
--The sheet size at Lamberts is much larger than Blenko.
--I found the cylinder ends removal at Blenko a bit time consuming compared to the Lambert method. I wonder how Blenko did it originally in the 1920s... and why/when did they go with the electric wire method.
--and finally, the flattening process is both similar and very different. The firebox at Lamberts must be a LOT hotter than the one at Blenko. It seems to take a long time for the cylinder to reach a flattening temperature at Blenko. I wonder if anyone at Blenko ever considered increasing the temperature to make a more productive workflow??
I can't finish without noting that the music used is completely inappropriate and distracting. Oh well....Last edited on Wed Aug 5th, 2020 08:39 pm by bkessler
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