How Do You Shape Glass Beads In Glass Bead Making?
There are two basic ways to shape glass beads. You can use gravity to move the molten glass into the shape that you want or by using a marver. A marver is a flat, heat proof surface that is usually made out of graphite, aluminum or steel. Begin by making your basic bead. You want to have the molten glass on the mandrel before you being to shape the bead. Continuously turn the mandrel. Molten glass is like thick molasses and it will move as you turn it. If you stop moving the mandrel is will follow gravity toward the floor. Rotate the mandrel evenly with the floor to get a bead that is round. Tilt the mandrel so that it is in a more vertical position and the molten glass will begin to move down the floor. This will give you a bead that is teardrop shaped. Repeat Steps 2 through 4 until the bead is the shape that you want it. Begin to shape a bead with a marver by winding a basic bead onto a mandrel. You want the glass to be molten before you being to press it to the marver. Hold your ma
