Glass Furnace

Sandwich, MA

The main constituent of glass is fused quartz also known as silica which is also the main ingredient of    sand.  Sandwich, MA wasn't chosen as a location for glass making due to the abundant source sand, but instead for the abundant supply of wood which originally fueled glass furnaces like this one.  The melting point of glass varies depending upon what else is added.  This furnace operates at a temperature well above 2000℉, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  They turn it off once a year for cleaning and maintenance and it takes 3 weeks to cool.  In the furnace there is usually about 50 pounds of molten glass kept in a large ceramic bowl ready for glass blowing demonstrations and for the creation of glass artworks for sale at the museum shop.