Lampwork Beads

In order to produce lampwork beads it is necessary to soften tubes or rods of different colors of glass with a hot torch, and these torches usually use propane or natural gas to fuel them. The beads are shaped by blowing into the moulten glass bead while shaping it with movements of the hand.

How To Make Lampwork Beads

Most lampwork beads are made from either soft glass commonly known as soda lime glass, or hard glass referred to as borosilicate glass. However these two types of glasses cannot be mixed together as they are not compatible.

Lampwork beads are essentially hand made and are formed into the desired shapes by the creator, by heating a glass rod. The moulten glass thread is then wound around a rod made from graphite or steel, which is smothered with a bead release.

Tips For Lampwork Beads

Now more colors will be added to the surface of the newly formed bead to form a pattern. The bead is now finished although it can be hardened in a kiln to make it stronger and harder wearing for every day use.

Soda lime is the most common glass used for making lampwork beads because it will soften at a far lower temperature than other glasses, but its drawback is that it can crack more easily. So anyone who creates lampwork beads will become used to the type of glass they work with, since each type has both good points and bad ones.

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