What is lampworking (also called flameworking)?
The term lampworking came from the use, in fifteenth century Europe, of air enhanced flame to melt glass. Through trial and error, it was discovered that by forcing a narrow stream of air into the flame from an oil lamp, sufficient heat could be generated to soften and work small pieces of glass. Lampworking, as we still know it today, had been born. Instead of an oil lamp with bellows to produce a hotter flame, today the process uses an oxygen propane torch to melt rods of glass to make lampworked glass items including beads. So how do you actually make your handmade beads? 1. A steel mandrel (we use stainless steel welding rods cut into 15 inch segments) is prepared by dipping the rod into a kiln wash bead release to prevent the molten glass from sticking to the metal. 2. An Italian glass rod (we mostly use Effetre glass from Murano near Venice) is heated over a very hot (about 1700 F) oxygen/propane torch to just the melting point. It is then carefully wound around the steel mandrel
