Melting Glass with a Torch

Lampwork, also referred to as flamework or torchwork is not new.  It dates back to the middle ages when the glass was heated over flames fueled by wood or oil lamps.  Modern times brought us the torch! 

Torches with the technology to properly mix propane and oxygen to produce the appropriate flame needed to melt and manipulate the glass.

 

Torch Bench

This is my torch bench in our studio.  You can see the oxygen tank in the back of the photo on the upper, right side.  In front of the tank is my kiln with a bead door for easy access. 

Now, there are two types of torchwork techniques that I am practicing:

On Mandrel:  That is to say, you wrap the molten glass around a stainless steel rod called a mandrel.  The mandrel allows you to maintain a hole in the bead while you are forming the glass.  Once the glass is cooled enough to touch, you pull the mandrel out and you are left with a hole for stringing your bead or pendant.

On Mandrel

Now, you have to wear special glasses to protect your eyes and allow you to actually see the glass (instead of the orange glob you see in this picture).

Off Mandrel:  This is a technique where you use a rod of glass (punty) to hold the piece of glass you are manipulating.  With this technique, you can work the glass in the flame, then punty another rod to the manipulated side so you can work the opposing side.   This technique is used to make marbles and pendants.  You can add and remove the punty as needed to form the glass pretty much however you want.  Since there is no hole, you need to add a loop of glass or a wire bale.  Or, you can have the piece sit or stand on its own.

Off Mandrel

This is a switchback pendant.  The loop for the pendant is shown in the flame.  The glass rod on the opposite end (top) will be removed when the loop is complete.

For me personally, I prefer to use the ‘off mandrel’ technique.  Its easier to control the glass and touch up the area once the punty is removed.  Where as with a mandrel, if the glass gets out of control, the hole being maintained by the mandrel can get distorted.  Distortion can cause the glass to become loose from the mandrel ruining your piece. 

However, practice makes perfect I suppose. 

P.S. I promise to do better at posting more frequently and consistently.  Nothing is more annoying than finding a blog……only to see the writer has abandoned it for whatever reason they can conjure up (Liz Fuller…….I’m too busy working in New York, London and visiting my house on the lake…whatever!)  I need my fix!

For more photos, you can click on my etsy site at:

www.DiRoGlassStudio.etsy.com

For a link to an exceptional blog, please visit:

www.morethanweknow.com