Beginning Lampwork Glass Beads 101-Basic Bead Shapes

Name: Beginning Lampwork Glass Beads 101-Basic Bead Shapes
Rating: 4.8 (24 reviews)

This is where it begins

Created byAnna Maria Schoenenberger

Last updated 8/2022

English

English [Auto],

What you'll learn

The student will learn how to make lampwork glass beads.
This is a class for beginners and we will learn preparation, safety techniques, and how to make some basic bead shapes.

Course content

1 section • 13 lectures • 1h 27m total length

Introduction1:53
Maria Schoneman Berger introduces beginning lampwork glass beads, sharing her years of studio practice, teaching and selling beads on Etsy and eBay, while outlining safety risks and a liability waiver.
2.0 Class Prerequisites and Syllabus5:59
Learn prerequisites and safety for lampworking with surface mix or canister torches, assemble equipment, and follow a complete syllabus from torch prep to bead shaping and cleaning.
3.0 Prepare to Torch5:50
Put on 100 percent cotton clothing and covered shoes, tie back hair, apply sunscreen, and prep a neat workstation with colors readily on the rod rack, hot glass facing away.
4.0 Mandrel Preparation16:11
Prep mandrels by cleaning with soapy water and roughing with sandpaper to ensure adhesion; mix bead release to pancake batter consistency, dip mandrels, inspect for smooth coating, and air dry.
5.0 Glass3:16
Explore soda-lime glass, or soft glass, with its low melting point. Use the 104 coefficient of expansion, avoid mixing with 90 or 96, and note opaque, transparent, opaline varieties.
6.0 Flame Types7:12
Explore surface mix torches, mastering the neutral flame used most, and the oxidizing flame with sharper cones and a hiss, in the two-inch working area above the candles.
7.0 POOPO5:32
Learn how Pupo guides turning on and off a lampwork torch with propane and oxygen, including flame control and line-bleed considerations.
8.0 Puckered Holes, Donuts and Discs8:03
Learn to create puckered holes, donuts, and discs in lampwork bead making by heating glass gradually, heating the mandrel, and rotating to form smooth, round edges.
9.0 Marvered Beads: Barrels, Cones and Bicones12:54
Master marvered beads by shaping barrels, cones, and bicones on a hot mandrel with a graphite marver. Create hearts and other shapes by adding glass and sculpting with heat.
10.0 Mashed Beads: Cubes, Rectangles and Flat Bases9:03
Learn to create mashed beads with monster and mini mashers to form cubes, rectangles, and flat bases, adjusting diameter with a set screw and cleaning tool marks.
11.0 Annealing5:10
Anneal glass beads in a kiln to prevent thermal shock and cracking by cooling slowly, forming a strong molecular lattice.
12.0 Cleaning Beads5:25
Soak beads to soften bead release, rinse and slide them off the mandrel, then clean the holes with a cordless Dremel drum and diamond bit for fast, safe results.
13.0 Wrap-Up1:05
Practice the basics to build a solid foundation for lampwork glass beads, making the journey more enjoyable, and look forward to monthly classes on new topics.

Requirements

The student should have a work area already prepared.
Fireproof workstation with their torch already set up and good ventilation.
All artists creating this bead should have basic knowledge of lampwork safety precautions. Torch safety, glass handling skills, proper ventilation and using proper eyewear are all requirements needed to safely make this bead. All the materials, supplies and tools are available through lampwork glass suppliers and distributors. I also highly recommend using a kiln to properly anneal your bead after it is complete to ensure durability and strength.

Description

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.

Who this course is for:

Beginning lampwork glass bead artists.