Puffco Proxy Forming Tool - Griffin Glass Tools

**PROXY NOT INCLUDED**

This tool is designed for making a perfect fitting cup form for the Puffco Proxy. Forming molten glass into this graphite tool will help you create the perfect mating shape to hold the Puffco Proxy. It can also be used for plugging the opening of the cup shape so that you can blow air through the tool which will help with welding a stem to a cup form. This tool is also super helpful with checking the opening size of the cup shape when the glass is still hot.

The forming section of graphite is exactly the length of the Puffco Proxy so that you can easily check if the glass form you’ve made is deep enough to allow a good proxy fit. The glass tube supplied with the tool is 12.7 x 14″ long. The glass can be changed or modified by the end user. The glass tube handle allows us to sell this product at a lower price than if we used a metal or wood handle and also offers a number of functional benefits.

This tool is designed for making a perfect fitting cup form for the Puffco Proxy. Use this tool for forming, blowing and checking the glass opening size. The graphite used on this tool is the trusted and consistent high grade material that we use on all of our tools. If you want to put this tool in a lathe and have perfect rotation simply chuck up to the larger graphite shoulder (1.625" diameter). The forming portion of the tool is perfectly true with the provided holding section of graphite.

If you intend to use this tool by hand at the bench then you will also see extremely straight hand rotation of the tool. We made this tool with a 12.7mm heavy wall glass tube handle for a number of reasons.
1. The glass does not transfer heat.
2. The glass to graphite connection is structurally sound and straighter than wood or metal.
3. The glass tube allows for high volume air passage (which helps when blowing / puffing air in during welding steps).
4. A blow hose or plug can be added to the glass tubing depending on your process.
5. One could easily made your own handles at different lengths for different reasons.
6. The glass tube handle also allows us to sell the end product for less money over the cost and expense of wood or steel.

Some helpful pointers on forming glass with this tool:
- This tool is great for creating the final form by reducing the glass diameter onto the form; would not recommend using this tool to open the glass diameter. Jacks or a reamer would be best for opening the glass.
- Forming glass to the tool at the bench, blow a glass cylinder that will allow the full forming section of graphite to be inserted into the glass. When you have a very close size (just slightly larger diameter glass than the tool), open the glass, heat 1/2" - 1" of the glass tube, bring the two parts together and marver the glass on an L marver while the tool is inserted.
- Repeat the heat and marver step until the glass has formed around the tool; you will know you have a good form / contact when the tool does not wobble and begins to spin from the glass rotation. Finally, holding the two parts together for just a couple seconds when the glass has been formed will cause the glass to shirk (as heat is pulled rapidly from the glass as it cools) and the fit will be come slightly tighter. Do not keep the two parts together all the way into cooling stage.

Forming glass onto the tool on the lathe, chuck the tool 1.625 diameter graphite in the lathe chuck, bring a piece of tubing in that is opened to at least 1.55", keeping the tool and the glass close to each other, heat the glass to molten temperature. When ready, tighten the flame on the torch, bring the glass over the graphite form (you do not need to go all the way to the shoulder except to check for length), heat the glass, and paddle the glass onto the form. Pull the form out of the glass within a few seconds then keep an annealing flame on the glass; when the glass temperature has stabilized you can check the fit by bringing the tool back into the glass briefly.

Recommended Sizes For Making Pieces
Simax Standard 42 x 1.6
Simax Medium 44 x 2.3
Pyrex Medium - 44.4 x 2.4
Simax Heavy - 46 x 3.2