Beginning Lampwork Glass Beads 101-Basic Bead Shapes

This course is designed for the beginner lampworker who want to learn the basics of making glass beads using Soda Lime glass. The techniques, tips and processes are relevant to students working on a surface mix torch with oxygen and propane, or for students working on torches attached to MAPP gas canisters.

After a short introduction, the instructor will review the class prerequisites. Students should already have their studio set-up with their torches safely installed on a workbench. They should also have good ventilation, a fire extinguisher and proper eyewear. The students will also need basic knowledge of lampwork safety precautions and have some preliminary comfort with handling hot glass. I will then review the tools we will use and recommend a kiln for annealing.

Once the review of prerequisites is complete, the instructor will review the class syllabus and agenda including preparations to torch, mandrel preparation, a short statement on the type of glass used in class and a lecture on flame types. The class will then move forward into properly turning on your surface mix torch using the POOPO method. We’ll talk about puckered holes and start making beads.

The instructor will demonstrate basic donut beads and disc beads that require no tools. The second set of beads will be marvered beads including barrels, cones and bicones. The third set of beads will be mashed beads including cubes, rectangle beads and flat bases beads.

Once the beads are made, there will be a short lecture on annealing and then a demonstration on how to clean the beads once they are cooled. A short wrap-up will conclude the class.