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Glassmaking Private Hire and Tuition

We offer a range of options for those who wish to further their glassmaking skills including 1:1 and bespoke group tuition, together with studio and equipment hire. Our facilities in both the hot-shop (glassblowing area) and the kiln room (warm glass) together with cold-working equipment and a sand-blaster are available to hire. In the hot-shop we have two furnaces, each suitable for up to four people with one tutor. In the kiln room larger groups may be accommodated.

Download our Private Hire
Information Sheet:

Hot-Shop/Glassblowing Tuition & Hire

private glassblowing tuition

Bespoke Glassblowing Tuition

Our private sessions are ideal for individuals, families or small groups of up to four people who would like to experience glass for the first time; further their glassmaking skills or learn more advanced techniques.

Private Tuition Cost

Glassblowing with Tutor

1 Person – Full Day £650
2 Persons – Full Day £700
3 Persons – Full Day £750
4 Persons – Full Day £800

The ‘Nanomelt’

Our ‘Nanomelt’ glass furnace is suitable for smaller, thinner or fewer items as it holds half of the amount of glass as the Minimelt furnace. Suitable for beginners, training and prototyping, it is available for private sessions with a tutor.

Private Tuition Cost

‘Nanomelt’ – Glassblowing with Tutor

1-2 Persons – Full day £500 / Half Day £300

Max 2 persons

 

Glassblowing Bench Hire (Intermediate to Advanced Skills)

For those with glassblowing experience, we offer equipment hire without tuition although a skilled assistant must always be present. Using the versatile and cost effective portable Minimelt furnaces means that we can offer bench time at very reasonable prices.

Materials are not included but available at cost. If you require any specialist materials or tools, please contact us in advance.

Bench Hire Cost

Bench Hire with Assistant

1-4 Persons – Full day: £500 / Half Day £350

(Nanomelt smaller furnace – less glass up to 2 persons
Full Day £380 / Half Day £280)

Further Information

  • Private tuition is available on weekdays by prior arrangement.
  • Sessions includes tools and basic materials (extra materials at cost).
  • A full day runs from 10.30 to 4pm with ½ hour for lunch. Half days run from 1.30 – 4.30pm.
  • Please bring a packed lunch.
  • All prices above include VAT for individuals.

Notes: 1:1 = student : tutor ratio (1 student with 1 tutor).

Please email us for more information or to make a booking.  Email Us

Warm Glass/Kiln-Working Tuition, Equipment & Kiln Hire

Private Warm Glass Sessions

Explore a variety of warm glass techniques to pursue in small groups of up to four people with The Glass Hub team. • available on weekdays by prior arrangement

• Includes tools and basic materials (extra materials at cost).
• Full days are 10am to 4pm with ½ hour for lunch.
• Please bring a packed lunch
• Prices include VAT at 20% for individuals

Private Tuition Cost

1:1 – Full Day £350
2:1 – Full Day £375
3:1 – Full Day £450
4:1 – Full Day £575

Advanced Warm Glass Techniques with Helga Watkins-Baker

For more advanced or specialist warm glass techniques.

• Maximum 2 people
• Includes tools and basic materials (extra materials at cost).
• Full Day 10am to 4pm (½ hour lunch) / Half Day 1.30 – 4.30pm
• Please bring a packed lunch
• Prices include VAT at 20% for individuals

Private Tuition Cost

1:1 – Full Day £400 / Half Day £200
2:1 – Full Day £450 / Half Day £225

Max 2 persons

Warm Glass Equipment Hire

You can hire any of our glass kilns for fusing, slumping and casting. For details of available kilns and hire costs, see ‘Kiln Details below’.

You can also hire worktop space to create your glass work, sandblaster and cold-working tools. Please contact us to discuss your requirements.

Notes: 1:1 = student : tutor ratio (1 student with 1 tutor). All prices above include VAT.

Kiln Hire

Kiln Details

Nabertherm GF240 Glass Kiln – Four Available – Ideal for Fusing & Slumping and Open Casting
Size: 1000mm x 800mm x 400mm (internal)
Price – £50 (inc VAT) for first 24hrs (+£10 for Bullseye Thinfire if required).
£30 per 24 hrs extra after this.

Kilncare Hobby Fuser – One Available – Ideal for Fusing & Slumping
Size: 420mm x 420mm x 200mm (internal)
Price – £15 (inc VAT) for first 24hrs (+£2.00 for Bullseye Thinfire if required).
£10 per 24 hrs extra after this.

L&L Kiln E23s – One Available – Ideal for Casting (Circular)
Size: 600mm diameter x 460mm high (internal)
Price – £30 (inc VAT) for first 24hrs.
£20 per 24 hrs extra after this.

Cromartie Upright – One Available – Ideal for Casting
Size: 520mm wide x 680mm deep x 700mm high (internal)
Price – £40 (inc VAT) for first 24hrs.
£25 per 24 hrs extra after this.

Please email us for more information or to make a booking.  Email Us

Larger Groups and Bespoke Sessions

For Team Building, Corporate/Club Outings, Family Events and Hen/Stag Parties

We also cater for larger groups and can tailor days to suit your individual requirements. Although the hot-shop glassblowing sessions are limited to a maximum of eight persons at a time, we can organise a programme where other activities are included such as glass fusing, lampworking and sandcasting. Groups can be divided into teams to work in separate areas experiencing a variety of glassmaking techniques. This works well as a team-building activity or a club outing and for hen/stag days or larger families. This way a maximum of 16 can attend.

Glassblowing is an excellent activity to really push the limits of both individuals and groups, encouraging confidence and team building skills, while learning an ancient, over 2000 year’s old practice.  Our highly skilled staff will coordinate and manage each team of four (we can have 2 teams of 4), and each person will take turns at being the ‘master’ glassblower who makes an object of their own design and colour from the molten glass. We need at least two assistants for the ‘master’ so everyone has the opportunity at leading and assisting.

Option A

4 persons

Glassblowing. Each person will make: a bauble or a paperweight, a tumbler or a vase – OR – choose a bespoke project (bespoke projects must be discussed with us first and costs may differ).

Cost: £800 (£200 per person)

Option B

8 persons

Glassblowing. Each person will make: a bauble or a paperweight, a tumbler or a vase – OR – choose a bespoke project (bespoke projects must be discussed with us first and costs may differ).

Cost: £1440 (£180 per person)

Option C

16 persons

Glassblowing, Flameworking, Fusing & Sandcasting. Each person will make: a fused glass panel, tile or some jewellery; a glass bead; a bauble or a paperweight, and a small sandcast object.

Cost: £2000 (£125 per person)

Please email us for more information or to make a booking.  Email Us

Schools & Colleges

For Educational Activities & Demonstrations

Up to 10 in a group.

In the Hot-Shop / £150 per hour
The Glass Hub team will demonstrate making a wine glass and allow the students to ‘blow’ some glass to understand the properties of the material (technique only). They will then make small sandcast objects in hot glass, to be collected or posted from the following day. This is an interactive but demonstration-led session and we can create bespoke sessions for your particular projects e.g. ‘Roman glass’, please contact to discuss.

Kiln Working / £100 per hour
This will start with a small video presentation about glass, and how it’s made. Children will assemble coloured fusible sheet glass to make a glass tile of their own design, using inclusions and glass ‘frits’. This can also be theme-based, and tie in with the school curriculum.

For larger classes of up to 30 students, please contact us for further information. This would be demonstration-led and we would use all glassmaking areas (see Larger Groups above).

Please email us for more information or to make a booking.  Email Us

Glass Consultancy

For your projects, ideas or commissions

With over fifty years of glassmaking experience between them, KT Rothe and Helga Watkins-Baker are available to discuss your glass related projects, ideas and commissions. Please email or call us to make an enquiry outlining your requirements and we will be able to direct you to the right person and suggest any availability.

Consultation fee £30 per hour (one consultant fee, for both KT and Helga £60 per hour)

Email us info@theglasshub.co.uk for more information or to discuss your requirements. Email Us

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