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Flameworking / Lampworking Basics
With a bit of research one can find some basic information on flameworking / lampworking. Here is some of that information we have found. Please enjoy. To avoid confusion, the terms flameworking and lampworking are synonymous.
What is Flameworking / Lampworking?
'Lampworking is a type of glasswork that uses a gas fueled torch to melt rods and tubes of clear and colored glass. Once in a molten state, the glass is formed by blowing and shaping with tools and hand movements. It is also known as flameworking or torchworking, as the modern practice no longer uses oil-fueled lamps. Although the art form has been practiced since ancient Syrian (1 Century B.C., B. Dunham) times, it became widely practiced in Murano, Italy in the 14th century. In the mid 19th century lampwork technique was extended to the production of paperweights, primarily in France, where it became a popular art form, still collected today. Lampworking differs from glassblowing in that glassblowing uses a blowpipe to inflate a glass blob known as a gob or gather, thereby inflating it by blowing air into the blowpipe, whereas lampworking manipulates glass either by the use of tools, gravity, or by blowing directly into the end of a glass tube.' Wiki
What kind of glass can be used with Flameworking / Lampworking?
'Lampworking can be done with many types of glass, but the most common are soda-lime glass, sometimes called "soft glass," and borosilicate glass, often called "hard glass." Leaded glass tubing was commonly used in the manufacture of neon signs, although its use has been fading due to environmental concerns and health risks.' Wiki
What Kind of Glass Does Glass Monkey Use?
Glass Monkey Art Studio uses strictly borosilicate (Pyrex) glass. We choose to work with this type of glass because of its ability to be stress resistant. This helps our functional art glass do a better job at serving its purpose.
'Borosilicate glass has a very low thermal expansion coefficient, about one-third that of ordinary glass. This reduces material stresses caused by temperature gradients, thus making it more resistant to breaking.' Wiki
