How Do You Heat Glass When Making Beads?
The creation of glass beads and small glass ornaments using a flame has been practiced for centuries. At one time it was called lampworking, for the oil lamps that were used to heat the glass. But now you’ll find most refer to it as flameworking or torchworking because of the more powerful and effective gas torches that are available. Essentially it involves using a flame to heat certain types of glass to the point where they are malleable, then winding them around a “mandrel” or heat resistant rod to make colorful glass beads and other glass decoratives. In order to make a bead, a lampworker must create a “footprint,” which colored glass applied to the mandrel, over which colored or clear glass is layered to make up the bead. Here is guide on how to heat the initial piece of glass and create the “footprint.” Begin by igniting your torch and taking up your mandrel and the glass rod of your preferred color in either hand. Hold the tip of the glass rod in the center of the torches flame
