This is a basic description of how lampwork beads are made. If you find it interesting, I recommend attending a couple of demonstrations and even taking a class in order to understand the technical difficulties and appreciate the finished product.
The artist coats a mandrel, a steel wire in the gauge needed to create the size hole desired, with a release agent (so the glass will not stick to the steel). When the release agent has dried, the mandrel is ready for the glass.
Holding the mandrel (in the off hand) and the glass rod (in the dominant hand) in the flame of the torch, the artist heats the glass and transfers an initial application of glass to the mandrel. This first application of glass is applied while the mandrel is turned so that is encompasses the mandrel, giving this technique the name of “wound” beads.
As the bead progresses, the artist adds more glass in other colors and patterns to develop the bead. Tweezers can be used to drag colors or introduce air bubbles. The bead can be rolled in frit to add bits of color or texture. Throughout the process the glass bead must be kept at the optimal working temperature and warmed evenly by turning the mandrel in the off hand. Turning also keeps the bead from getting lopsided.
When the lampwork bead is complete, it is placed in a warm tub of vermiculite, where it will cool slowly. When all the beads of the working session are complete, they are transferred to an annealing kiln, where they are heated and then cooled slowly to allow the glass molecules to realign themselves to prevent cracking. Without annealing, the handmade lampwork beads will be very fragile and may crack apart without even being touched.
After annealing, the lampwork glass beads are removed from the mandrels, the release agent is washed off and the beads are complete.
Sounds easy, right? And, watching someone who does it well, it looks easy. (That is the mark of the expert: he/she makes it look easy.)
Actually, that is a description of the fun part, making beads. Before and after the fun part is setting up the studio, preparing the materials needed, cleaning up and the safety requirements. If you are truly interested in what is necessary to make beads, I recommend taking a class and the book: More Than You Ever Wanted To Know About Glass Beadmaking by James Kervin, 1996 (GlassWear Studios, 1197 Sherry Way, Livermore, CA 94550-5745, telephone (925) 443-9139)
Go to the Table of Contents to see all the topics covered so far.
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