Glass beads are manufactured using a variety of techniques, but a common method, especially for decorative beads, involves lampworking. This process uses a gas torch to melt glass rods and shape the molten glass.
Here's a breakdown of the lampworking process:
- Heating the Glass: A glass rod, typically made of soft glass (also known as soda-lime glass), is heated using a gas torch. The torch produces a focused flame that quickly heats the glass to a molten state.
- Wrapping Around a Mandrel: A mandrel, which is a metal rod usually coated with a bead release agent, is held in the flame alongside the molten glass. The glass is then carefully wrapped around the mandrel. The bead release prevents the glass from sticking permanently to the mandrel.
- Shaping the Bead: As the glass is wrapped, the beadmaker uses tools and techniques to shape the bead. This might involve rotating the mandrel, applying pressure, or using specialized shaping tools.
- Adding Decoration: Once the base bead is formed, other colors of glass can be added to the surface to create patterns, designs, and embellishments. These can range from simple dots and stripes to complex floral patterns or intricate layering.
- Annealing: After the bead is shaped and decorated, it's essential to anneal it. Annealing is a process where the glass bead is slowly cooled in a kiln. This relieves internal stresses within the glass, making it more durable and less prone to cracking.
- Releasing from Mandrel: Once cooled after annealing, the bead is removed from the mandrel. Because the mandrel was coated with a bead release, the bead can be easily slid off.
- Cleaning: The finished bead may need some final cleaning to remove any remaining bead release residue.
In addition to lampworking, other methods for manufacturing glass beads include:
- Machine Pressed Beads: Molten glass is forced into a mold and shaped. These are often mass-produced.
- Drawn Beads: A long, hollow tube of glass is pulled (drawn) from a molten source, and then chopped into bead-sized pieces.
- Wound Beads: This is similar to lampworking but often involves more automation. Molten glass is wound around a rotating mandrel.
The specific method used depends on the desired size, shape, complexity, and quantity of the beads being manufactured.
