What is Flameworking?

Flameworking (also known as Lampworking or Tourchworking) is a technique of forming different objects like accessories from rods, glass sheets and tubes. Heat created sources like oxygen and propan, directed to a torch will soften the glass or rod to manipulate them into desired shapes.

This type of glasswork that uses a torch to melt and shape glass. With this manipulation, you can create countless designs with your hand, blow and shaping tools. These glassworks considered best accessories for both home and fashion industry since they all can look similar but since they are all hand-made, they will be purely unique.

What Do You Need for Glass Blowing ?

Before crafting amazing glass products, you will need some supplies in order to create amazing things. Here are some tools that you will need;

Torch

You can choose a hot head torch or a gas/oxygen torch to start with heating.

Glass

Two common glasses used in glasswork are soda-lime glass and borosilicate. Soda-lime glass is a soft glass type (COE 104) and Borosilicate is a hard glass type (COE 33). COE stands for Coefficient of Expansion, which means how a glass react to changing heat.

Mandrels

Mandrel is a metal rod for aiding manipulation of molten glass. Mandrels are used to wrap the glass around when forming beads and similar items.

Annealing and Fusing Kiln

Kiln’s are used for bringing the entirety of the glass to the same temperature, decrease and relieve stress and cool-down the glass to room temperature.

Safety Glasses and Shields

While working with heat and glass, it’s easy to hurt yourself if you don’t use proper safety equipments. First of all, safety glasses are a must-have tool for your eye safety. You need to protect your eyes from heat and bright flashes. Also, for different material fusion like borosilicate; you need shield your eyes from UV and IR radiation. Different shield types will help you protect your eyes.

What’s Next?

You are starting an amazing journey with glass blowing and manipulating! It can be just a hobby or a start of a big company that sells amazing glass products. At Prometheus Hobby, you will find all of the required tools that you need. Start with selecting Flameworking category and select the tools you want!