615 3Rd Ave East • Meadow Lake, Sasketchewan • Canada S9X 1H8 • Phone: 306.236.6213 • Fax: 306.236.1023 • E-mail: sandra@sandraquiring.com
All rights reserved • Copyright 2006 © Sandra Quiring • Web Design by Lazy Gator Designs • Painting by artist Lyn Soutworth (www.lynsouthworth.com)
The process...
Lampwork beads are one-of-a-kind pieces of art.
Lampwork is the ancient technique of using a very hot flame to melt a glass rod on a stainless steel rod (mandrel) to form a bead. Glass rods comes in many types and colors, so there are many choices as far as what to use. Each glass has has its own coefficient of expansion, so determining which type to use depends on what will work best for the situation (i.e., type of torch, size of project). I use an oxygen/propane torch, which burns hotter than a propane torch like you see at a hardware store.
To make a glass bead, the mandrel is first coated with a bead-release agent, which keeps the glass from sticking to the rod. The end of the glass rod is kept in the flame until a red molten ball of glass forms on the end. This ball is "wound" around the mandrel to the desired size. Little glass rods (called stringers and canes) are used to decorate the bead.
Once the bead is made it is placed in a preheated kiln (940-970°F) where it is left to anneal. Annealing is the process of slowly reducing the temperature of the hot glass. The annealing process makes glass beads very strong and durable. When a bead is taken out of the kiln it is still on the stainless steel mandrel. Before removal, the cooled bead is then soaked in water to soften the bead release agent. Once the bead is removed from the mandrel the holes are cleaned and filed with a Dremel diamond file. They are then ready to become gorgeous jewelry to bring years of happiness.
Photos of lampwork bead being made:
