Growing older with glass

[Franklin Sankar]

What can happen to your glass as you grow older making glass objects.
Franklin

[Art Freas]

Like many things it gets smaller

I find that my hands are getting less steady and I work around my vision more. Also standing on concrete for 8 hours is tougher every year.

[Tom Fuhrman]

Had to give up furnace work and now only do torchwork and fusing. Even those can be a challenge some days as the body has worn out and so I just sit back and remember the good old days when pain was not such a factor and standing in front of the GH was exciting to watch what developed.

[Pete VanderLaan]

I stopped actively making blown ware about three years ago. The energy level just isn't there anymore. I still like melting glass to work on the color.

[Art Freas]

More surgeries as well. Not from glassblowing in my case but from firefighting, construction work, habitat for humanity work, and ice hockey. Had my elbow worked on this past spring and probably looking at carpal tunnel surgery on my right hand this coming year.

[Pete VanderLaan]

Ice down every single time you do this stuff, and don't confuse this work with exercise.

You've uses your body as a tool. Tools have distinct lifespans when used hard.
The advice on icing came from the sports therapist for the Chicago Bulls in Jordan's time. I did what he told me and got maybe ten more years. Ice, Ice, Ice. Remember that repeat inflamation is how cancer always starts.

[Nick Delmatto]

Originally Posted by Art Freas

Like many things it gets smaller

I find that my hands are getting less steady and I work around my vision more. Also standing on concrete for 8 hours is tougher every year.

I'm still doing fine at 73 but in addition to also making smaller stuff, I'm only at the furnace 3 to 4 hours a day & I've spent summers doing other stuff for years.

[Rich Samuel]

Art nailed it. Smaller work is definitely the way to go. If you're in a glass community (and I know you're not, Franklin), assisting the younger and stronger can be a pretty good deal. We all know people who've made out better financially by assisting than by selling their own work. My advice? Don't get old.

[Pete VanderLaan]

wait a minute.. "Assisting the younger and stronger can be a pretty good deal"
Have I got that right?

What about my nap?

Even further, getting old beats the alternative.

[Franklin Sankar]

I used to think the day will never come.
Franklin

[Michael Ahlefeldt-Laurvig]

Originally Posted by Rich Samuel

Art nailed it. Smaller work is definitely the way to go. If you're in a glass community (and I know you're not, Franklin), assisting the younger and stronger can be a pretty good deal. We all know people who've made out better financially by assisting than by selling their own work. My advice? Don't get old.

You got to be kidding, assisting a less experienced dude- that causes high blood pressure

[Rich Samuel]

Originally Posted by Michael Ahlefeldt-Laurvig

You got to be kidding, assisting a less experienced dude- that causes high blood pressure

That's never been a problem. Besides, in Seattle, we have plenty of dudettes wanting to learn the craft. A friend says I just like being around sweaty women. She may be right.

[Pete VanderLaan]

Originally Posted by Michael Ahlefeldt-Laurvig

You got to be kidding, assisting a less experienced dude- that causes high blood pressure

****
I'd rather give dollar bills to strangers in a grocery store parking lot.