Lampworking, also called flameworking, is the craft of melting glass rods in a torch flame and shaping them into beads, pendants and small sculptures. Unlike furnace glass-blowing, which needs a large hot shop, lampworking happens at a bench with a compact torch. That makes it one of the more accessible glass crafts, and making lampwork glass beads is where most beginners start.
This guide covers the basic equipment, how a bead is made, why annealing matters, and the safety points you need to take seriously. If you are more interested in the furnace version with blowpipes and large molten gathers, our guide to glass-blowing workshops in Singapore covers those classes.
What Lampworking Involves
The process is simple to describe and takes practice to master:
- A steel rod called a mandrel, coated with a clay-like bead release, is warmed in the flame.
- The tip of a glass rod is slowly introduced to the flame until it melts into a glowing, honey-like gather.
- The molten glass is wound around the mandrel while it is turned steadily, forming a bead.
- The bead is shaped using gravity, rotation and simple tools, then decorated with dots, stripes or other colours.
- The finished bead goes into a kiln to anneal, then cools slowly before the mandrel is removed and the bead release is cleaned out of the hole.
Even a plain round bead teaches heat control, rotation and patience. Most people find their first beads lopsided, and that is normal.
Torch Setups for Beginners
The torch is the biggest decision. There are two broad types.
Single-fuel “hot head” style torches burn a fuel gas such as propane or MAPP-type gas mixed with surrounding air. They are inexpensive and simple, which is why many introductory kits use them. The flame is cooler and larger, so working is slower, and they suit soft glass.
Dual-fuel surface-mix torches combine fuel gas with oxygen, usually from an oxygen concentrator or cylinder. They give a hotter, more controllable flame and let you work faster and with a wider range of glass. They are more expensive and need correct regulators, hoses and flashback arrestors.
Here is how the two compare, alongside the option of renting time at a studio.
| Setup | Flame and control | Good for | Main considerations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single-fuel torch at home | Cooler, bushier flame, slower melting | Trying the craft, small soft-glass beads | Fuel storage, ventilation and fire safety at home |
| Dual-fuel torch at home | Hotter, precise flame | Committed hobbyists, wider glass choice | Higher cost, oxygen equipment, more safety requirements |
| Studio class or bench rental | Professional setup already installed | Beginners, flat dwellers, testing before buying | Fees and booking, travel to the studio |
Starting at a Studio vs at Home
For most people in Singapore, a class or studio bench is the sensible first step. Studios already have proper ventilation, gas installations, kilns and fire safety measures in place, and an instructor will correct your technique early. When choosing a class, check:
- Class size and how much torch time each person gets.
- Whether glass, mandrels and annealing are included.
- Whether beads are annealed for you and when you can collect them.
- Age limits and safety briefings.
- Cancellation and rescheduling terms.
Setting up at home is a bigger step. Storing and using gas cylinders in a flat raises fire safety questions, and there may be restrictions under SCDF fire safety guidance, HDB rules or your condo’s MCST by-laws. Check with those bodies before buying any torch or cylinder for home use, and consider whether your home has enough ventilation. Many hobbyists keep practising at a studio for exactly these reasons.
Glass Rods, Mandrels and Other Supplies
Choosing Glass
Lampworking glass is sold as rods in many colours. The most important number is the COE, or coefficient of expansion, which describes how much the glass expands and contracts with heat. Glass with different COE values usually cannot be mixed in one piece, because they cool at different rates and the bead can crack.
- Soft glass (a common beginner choice is COE 104) melts at lower temperatures, comes in a wide range of colours and works with single-fuel torches.
- Borosilicate glass (often called boro, around COE 33) is tougher and needs a hotter dual-fuel torch. It is popular for sculptures and heat-resistant pieces.
Stick to one COE family as a beginner, and keep rods labelled so they do not get mixed up.
Other Essentials
- Mandrels in a few diameters, which set the size of the bead hole.
- Bead release, dipped onto the mandrel and dried before use, so the bead can slide off later.
- Graphite or brass tools such as a marver (a flat paddle), tweezers and a shaping tool.
- A heat-resistant work surface and a place to rest hot rods and mandrels.
- A bead reamer to clean bead release from the hole after annealing.
Annealing: Why Beads Crack Without It
Glass shrinks as it cools. If a bead cools quickly, the outside hardens before the inside, locking in stress. A bead can look perfect and then crack hours, days or even weeks later.
Annealing fixes this by holding the bead at a specific temperature in a kiln long enough for stresses to relax, then cooling it slowly. The exact temperature and schedule depend on the type of glass, so follow the manufacturer’s guidance for your rods.
Some beginners cool beads in a fibre blanket or vermiculite to slow the cooling. This is better than nothing, but it is not true annealing. If you want beads to last, especially for jewellery that will be worn and knocked, kiln annealing is the reliable approach. Studios usually include this.
Safety Essentials You Should Not Skip
Lampworking involves open flame, gas and molten glass. Treat safety as part of the craft:
- Eye protection. Ordinary sunglasses are not enough. When working soft glass, many lampworkers wear didymium glasses, which filter the bright sodium flare from heated glass. Hotter work and borosilicate may need different shading. Ask your instructor or supplier which lenses suit the glass and torch you use.
- Ventilation. Burning fuel and heating glass, especially some coloured glass and enamels, produces fumes. Proper extraction or strong ventilation that draws fumes away from your face is essential.
- Fire safety. Keep the area clear of paper, fabric and flammable liquids. Have a suitable fire extinguisher nearby. Tie back long hair and avoid loose synthetic clothing, which can melt. Natural fibres are safer.
- Gas handling. Use proper regulators and hoses, check for leaks as instructed by the supplier, and close cylinders after use. Flashback arrestors are standard for oxy-fuel setups.
- Hot glass looks cold. Glass that has stopped glowing can still burn badly. Always assume a bead or rod end is hot.
- Glass shards. Rods can shock and pop when heated too fast. Warm them gradually. Dispose of broken glass safely, as covered in How to Dispose of Broken Glass Safely in Singapore.
Lampworking is not suitable for young children, and teenagers should only work under close supervision in a studio.
Building Skills After Your First Beads
Once you can make a reasonably round bead, try these progressions:
- Spacer beads, small and consistent, to practise control.
- Dots and stringers, thin pulled threads of glass for decoration.
- Encasing, covering a coloured core with clear glass.
- Shaped beads such as tubes, discs and simple flowers.
Keep a notebook of glass colours and how they behave. Some colours react with each other or change in the flame, and notes save you repeating mistakes. If you enjoy torch-based crafts, copper enamelling uses a similar flame and pairs well with handmade beads in jewellery.
Start in a studio, learn safety habits from day one, and anneal properly, and lampworking can become a rewarding, long-term hobby.
Further reading: Stained Glass for Beginners in Singapore