Yokes
Also called pipe rest
Stands with rollers or bearings that support a blowpipe while it's turned in the glory hole.
What it is
A yoke is a cradle for the pipe on a stand. Steinert’s has two 1” balls each resting on smaller balls in a contoured seat, which gives it its smooth motion, on a shaft meant to be welded to a floor stand.[1] Spiral Arts’ rolling yoke has transfer roller bearings, adjustable height, and casters, with a post for adding weight for big work.[2]
How it’s used
The pipe rests and turns in the yoke while the glass is reheated.[3]
History
In a 1570 painting of the Medici glass workshop, hooks at each workstation serve as yokes for the blowpipes and punties during reheating. The author of Corning’s study of Renaissance Venetian glassworking notes that the same two-hook system was still used at every glassworking furnace on Murano until about thirty years ago.[3]
Sources
Yokes in the archive 5
| Photo | Tool | Maker | Sellers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rolling YokeA sturdy rolling yoke with adjustable height, V-groove casters, and a post for adding weight on big pieces. | Spiral Arts | 1 | |
| Tripod Yoke StandA metal tripod stand for the R.R.R. yoke roller head, or for any fitting that goes into a standard 1/2" pipe. | R.R.R. Equipment | 1 | |
| YokeA yoke with 1" stainless steel bearings on a painted steel base, sized to drop into square tubing. | Mobile Glassblowing Studios | 1 | |
| YokeA ball-bearing yoke head that rolls smoothly on a contoured seat, made to weld onto your own floor stand. | Steinert Industries | 1 | |
| Yoke Stand Roller HeadsRoller heads that fit the R.R.R. tripod yoke stand. | R.R.R. Equipment | 1 |
