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What is Lampworking?
(aka Flame working or Torch working)
Lampworking is an art form that has been around since around
the 1300’s. It came out of Italy, where glass was melted using a
lamp. Now we use bench mounted torches, which combine
oxygen and fuel (natural gas or propane) in order to create a
flame hot enough to melt glass rods.
We heat coloured or clear glass in the flame and then wind it
around a steel rod, called a mandrel. The mandrel has been
coated in a clay-like material - bead release - in order to keep
the glass from adhering permanently. Glass is shaped and
decorated in and out of the flame. We have to be careful not
to let the glass get too hot, or the shape and design is lost as
the glass droops, or become to cold, as it will crack or shatter.
A simple bead can take as little as a 5 minutes for an experienced
lampworker to make, and more intricate designs can take much
longer. The “bridge” beads John makes and the larger creatures
take approximately an hour each. Once the object is complete,
it is immediately placed in a heated kiln to anneal.
Annealing is a very important part of lampworking and essential
to long lasting beads. It removes stress in the glass and greatly
decreases chances of cracking or breaking by keeping the beads
at a specific heat and slowly bringing them down to room
temperature.
Annealed glass is quite sturdy, but being glass will still chip,
break or crack if handled too roughly.
Once cool, the bead release is removed and the bead is inspected
to make sure that it meets our standards– well made ends (not
sharp or jagged), no structural defects like undercut dots (which
will pop off), and an aesthetically pleasing look.
This is a short video of John making a border collie. The sound
is of the fan and oxygen concentrator and is loud, so you might
want to turn down or mute your sound. There is no voice over.
I plan to add some longer clips in the future.
And this is what the dog looks like, after coming out of the kiln the
next day:
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