Thomas Wertalik

Tom Wertalik is the only scientific glassblower employed by the Commonwealth of Virginia. He was working for a glass company in New Jersey when he saw an advertisement for the position in a trade journal.

How did you happen to make glass blowing your career?

Fourteen years ago I got a summer job. I found I had a knack for it and one thing led to another. As I worked there in the summer, they gave me small projects and I learned there was a lot of hand-eye coordination involved and I just picked up the skills. It was a small company and I worked with a guy who had a tremendous amount of experience who was getting ready to retire. He had no problem teaching me.

Everything I make [here at Tech] is hand made. I basically piece things together as I go. What I make is specialty glass. On a regular basis, I make things I never made before. Most of the time I work from plans of some sort; most of them are sketches. It's my job to duplicate what's on paper, customize it.

How much is trial and error?

Almost none of it. You just know how to do it. Once you become an expert, you know how far you can go. I know my limits.

Unlike the stereotype of the glassblower using a long tube to blow out shaped glass, Tom Wertalik works with a tiny piece of plastic hose. He explains the process:

I basically work with glass tubing. When you heat glass it collapses. I'm always actually blowing air. As you melt [the glass in] you're puffing it out, basically to keep it from collapsing. With everything you're making tiny puffs.

Who are your customers?

The chemistry department. Before, I never met the end user of products that I produced. Here, I work directly with the end user. It's a convenience in a way, but also a necessity. Quick turnaround is critical to the teaching and research process. What I do saves money and time rather than having to special order something and then wait for it to get here, only to find out it's not workable.

A lot of what I do is consult on designs. ‘Is this possible,' someone might ask. Someone's idea on paper might not be workable, but it's a start. That's the most interesting thing I've picked up here, working directly with the people who will be using what I produce.