How Do You Make Boro Beads?
The durability of borosilicate beads, or boro beads, earns them a lot of attention from crafters. Borosilicate beads are not as likely to chip or break as regular, or “soft,” glass. You can manipulate borosilicate glass with a glass lamp kit, the same as you would ordinary glass. However, you will find that borosilicate is the more expensive option. Still, it offers a lot of variety when it comes to color combinations and the end results are long lasting. Choose the color combination you wish to use to make your bead. Select these colors from a number of differently colored borosilicate glass rods. Although you can find ordinary glass rods in most craft stores, you may have to special order borosilicate ones. Select a steel mandrel to build your bead around. The thickness of the mandrel will be equal to the size of your bead’s hole. Dip the length of the mandrel in bead release. This will keep your bead from sticking to the steel. Don a pair of goggles. Make sure you can see clearly th
