# I love making glass beads! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 9, 2014, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-love-making-glass-beads/680870 "2014-02-09T00:33:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2014, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-love-making-glass-beads/680870/1 "2014-02-09T00:33:32Z")
Once upon a time I took a class on doing lampwork beads at an SCA event. It intrigued me, but being a class setting it was hard to get much more than a taste of the process. So I decide to drop the $100 on a “starter kit” from a website to try doing it myself. That was about a month ago. I am having tons of fun and have gone hog wild on additional tools and supplies (I have dropped about another $150) Of course my girlfriend was kind enough to point out…“why do all of your hobbies have to involve fire or some other dangerous aspect” (leather working, metal casting, beads and of course SCA fighting) Apparently hand made beads are quite sought after among my friends, and I already have several people asking about ordering and one cash in hand order. I am half ready to go shopping for one of the low end pro model bench torches that are compatible with standard welding tanks and regulators and go lease a bulk tank for gas. Its basically just a hobby at this point and the last thing I want right now is to end up worrying about deadlines for bead order fulfillment. But DAMN I like this. ---
**Author:** ![Das\_Glasperlenspiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/das_glasperlenspiel/32/2944_2.png) [@Das\_Glasperlenspiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Das_Glasperlenspiel)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2014, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-love-making-glass-beads/680870/2 "2014-02-09T00:43:23Z")
Welcome to the addiction! I’ve been lampworking for about 12 years and I love it! Rule #1: hot glass looks the same as cold glass. Rule #2: if you are the first one to smell something burning, you are probably the one on fire. 104 or 96? ---
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2014, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-love-making-glass-beads/680870/3 "2014-02-09T01:02:33Z")
> [@Das\_Glasperlenspiel](#): > > Welcome to the addiction! I’ve been lampworking for about 12 years and I love it! > > Rule #1: hot glass looks the same as cold glass. > Rule #2: if you are the first one to smell something burning, you are probably the one on fire. > > 104 or 96? I assume you are referring to the glass type?..104. Hot glass does look similar, if it does not look like cold glass, its OMFGBBQ hot glass. Right now, just playing with a hothead torch and mapp pro cannisters. Ordered a small annealer/rod warmer kiln a few days ago, just dying to see how much faster things go with preheated rods. One I made today! [https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/2064879/beads/2014-02-08%2016.46.32.jpg](https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/2064879/beads/2014-02-08%2016.46.32.jpg) Some others [https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/2064879/beads/2014-01-30%2015.30.17.jpg](https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/2064879/beads/2014-01-30%2015.30.17.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![freckafree](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/freckafree/32/3050_2.png) [@freckafree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/freckafree)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2014, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-love-making-glass-beads/680870/4 "2014-02-09T01:08:04Z")
I took a lampworking class a few years ago. I was extremely pleased that I made it through the class without burning myself. I also decided this is best left to those who are good at it. I will happily buy beautiful lampwork and incorporate it into my beadweaving, which I am good at. ---
**Author:** ![flatlined](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eb9ed0/32.png) [@flatlined](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flatlined)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2014, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-love-making-glass-beads/680870/5 "2014-02-09T01:39:29Z")
ME WANTS!!! They are beautiful, and I love the streaks on the blue one. Like **freckafree** I have learned to leave these arts to those who know how to not kill themselves. If you ever get production up enough to trade them, my husband makes dark beer that people seem to love. I’m not a fan of dark beer, but the people he gives it to always finish it and ask if there is more. Bartering is good 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2014, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-love-making-glass-beads/680870/6 "2014-02-09T03:29:29Z")
> [@flatlined](#): > > ME WANTS!!! > > They are beautiful, and I love the streaks on the blue one. Thank you 😃 > [@](#): > > Like **freckafree** I have learned to leave these arts to those who know how to not kill themselves. One of the forums I have been visiting for advice has several threads along the lines of “Who here HAS NOT burned the crap out of themselves yet?” ---
**Author:** ![Qwisp](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qwisp/32/397_2.png) [@Qwisp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qwisp)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2014, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-love-making-glass-beads/680870/7 "2014-02-09T03:41:40Z")
I would love to try this,but I know I would burn the crap out of myself. I use epoxy glue a lot. I am _always_ glueing my fingers together,or in worse cases to the object I’m gluing. ---
**Author:** ![Das\_Glasperlenspiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/das_glasperlenspiel/32/2944_2.png) [@Das\_Glasperlenspiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Das_Glasperlenspiel)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2014, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-love-making-glass-beads/680870/8 "2014-02-09T04:10:32Z")
Here’s a link to some pics of mine:[image | Melissa McKelvey | Flickr](http://www.flickr.com/photos/116910101@N02/12399332085/) I work with a Mega Minor with a pair of refurbished oxygen concentrators. There are a couple of good forums - Lampwork Etc. Is the one I frequent most. ---
**Author:** ![flatlined](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eb9ed0/32.png) [@flatlined](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flatlined)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2014, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-love-making-glass-beads/680870/9 "2014-02-09T04:53:09Z")
OMG!!! WANTS so badly. ---
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2014, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-love-making-glass-beads/680870/10 "2014-02-09T17:20:36Z")
> [@Das\_Glasperlenspiel](#): > > Here’s a link to some pics of mine:[image | Melissa McKelvey | Flickr](http://www.flickr.com/photos/116910101@N02/12399332085/) > > I work with a Mega Minor with a pair of refurbished oxygen concentrators. There are a couple of good forums - Lampwork Etc. Is the one I frequent most. love the wire embedding work…thats awesome ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2014, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-love-making-glass-beads/680870/11 "2014-02-11T03:53:21Z")
Man, if either of you get me for Secret Santa this year, your work in done. Those are lovely! ---
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2014, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-love-making-glass-beads/680870/12 "2014-03-05T17:51:46Z")
few more recent creations [https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/2064879/beads/2014-03-05%2009.50.01.jpg](https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/2064879/beads/2014-03-05%2009.50.01.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2014, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-love-making-glass-beads/680870/13 "2014-03-05T20:47:17Z")
> [@Das\_Glasperlenspiel](#): > > Here’s a link to some pics of mine:[image | Melissa McKelvey | Flickr](http://www.flickr.com/photos/116910101@N02/12399332085/) > > I work with a Mega Minor with a pair of refurbished oxygen concentrators. There are a couple of good forums - Lampwork Etc. Is the one I frequent most. OMG the Jupiter one. That is stunning! ---
**Author:** ![Eureka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/74df32/32.png) [@Eureka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eureka)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2014, 11:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-love-making-glass-beads/680870/14 "2014-03-07T11:20:32Z")
> [@Das\_Glasperlenspiel](#): > > Here’s a link to some pics of mine:[image | Melissa McKelvey | Flickr](http://www.flickr.com/photos/116910101@N02/12399332085/) > > I work with a Mega Minor with a pair of refurbished oxygen concentrators. There are a couple of good forums - Lampwork Etc. Is the one I frequent most. These are seriously cool. But-- how big are they? ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2014, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-love-making-glass-beads/680870/15 "2014-03-07T12:26:05Z")
Huh. I know someone who makes glass pipes (for use with tobacco only). Same process? ---
**Author:** ![Das\_Glasperlenspiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/das_glasperlenspiel/32/2944_2.png) [@Das\_Glasperlenspiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Das_Glasperlenspiel)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2014, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-love-making-glass-beads/680870/16 "2014-03-08T01:07:42Z")
[quote=“kayaker, post:15, topic:680870”] Huh. I know someone who makes glass pipes (for use with tobacco only). Same process? [/QUOTE Sort of - the “boro boys” are usually freestyling with borosilicate (pyrex) glass tubing on the torch rather than working with glass rods and a mandrel like I do for beads. Boro is much tougher but will withstand high heat. They usually look upon glass beadmakers as mere dilettantes:D. > [@Eureka](#): > > These are seriously cool. But-- how big are they? Most of the focal beads I make are about the size of a dollar coin. Much larger than that and its hard to maintain an even heat base. I make sets of smaller beads -usually about the size of a chickpea - but sets are a pain. Consistency in size is hard to maintain and I usually make about 24 or so to pick out a matched set. > [@TruCelt](#): > > OMG the Jupiter one. That is stunning! Thank you! > [@drachillix](#): > > few more recent creations > > [https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/2064879/beads/2014-03-05%2009.50.01.jpg](https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/2064879/beads/2014-03-05%2009.50.01.jpg) Like the colours and shape - is the set going to be a necklace or a bracelet? ---
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2014, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-love-making-glass-beads/680870/17 "2014-03-08T02:39:45Z")
> [@Das\_Glasperlenspiel](#): > > Like the colours and shape - is the set going to be a necklace or a bracelet? Nope, just me playing with different color combinations, swirl patterns and different kinds of frit. I am going to order myself a proper torch this weekend, I ordered 25lb bulk tanks for gas today. unfortunately since I need to be mobile for SCA events, concentrators wont work well for me. I looked into leasing the tanks, but if I do this much, looks like a better deal to buy outright for $110 +25 for the initial fill and do 25 dollar trades for full tanks instead of $250 in little 1 pound cylinders. ---
**Author:** ![nikonikosuru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5f8ce5/32.png) [@nikonikosuru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nikonikosuru)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2014, 6:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-love-making-glass-beads/680870/18 "2014-03-08T06:12:38Z")
Those are all so pretty! Gahhh, want. I do clay beads and pendants myself but I feel like the next step I’d want to take would be up to glass. Too expensive for me right now but I can dream. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2014, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-love-making-glass-beads/680870/19 "2014-03-09T19:36:24Z")
Great work! How about a link to that starter kit or website? ---
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2014, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-love-making-glass-beads/680870/20 "2014-03-09T22:39:33Z")
> [@Rhythmdvl](#): > > Great work! > > How about a link to that starter kit or website? > **[Devardi Glass Lampworking Starter Kits from $74.99](https://devardiglass.com/starterkits.htm)** > > Devardi Glass Lampworking Starter Kits, Lowest prices on the net. Dont forget safety goggles, hot glass puts out alot of uv and you can basically sunburn your eyes. > **[Devardi Glass Flameworking, Lampworking Didymium Ace 202 and Green IR...](https://devardiglass.com/glasses.htm)** > > Devardi Glass Lampwork Didymium Ace 202, Green IR Protective Eyewear for Soft Glass and Boro [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-love-making-glass-beads/680870.md?page=2)