Tool
Jacks squeeze inward to build a neck and define a shoulder.
Controls
Presets
Output
The glass stays translucent with internal refraction, and glows faintly while it is hot.
Important
Simulation results are estimates for learning only. Actual glass behaviour depends on your materials, your equipment and your technique. Follow the manufacturer's instructions and take hands-on instruction before working with hot glass.
How it works
Shaping hot glass is a conversation between the tool and the form. Jacks squeeze inward and build a neck. Pliers bite and pull a section outward. A paddle presses a face flat. Shears cut. Centrifugal force, applied by spinning the piece, throws the wall outward and opens the form.
The simulator applies each of those as a different deformation kernel to the mesh. What makes it useful is that the readouts update as you work, so you can see the trade you are making: neck a form and the height goes up while the capacity goes down. Undo and redo are there because in the real shop you cannot undo a squeeze, and it is worth understanding how quickly a form can be lost.
Controls
- Tool
- Jacks, pliers, paddle, shears or centrifugal
- Tool size
- How wide an area each stroke affects
- Stroke strength
- How much geometry moves per drag
- Temperature
- Higher temperature means more deformation per stroke
What you get out
- Height (mm)
- Maximum diameter (mm)
- Capacity estimate (ml)
- Suggested anneal curve
These simulations are a teaching aid. They do not make anyone competent to operate a furnace, glory hole or kiln. Real work requires eye protection, heat-resistant gloves, working extraction, a carbon monoxide alarm and hands-on instruction.