Dale Snyder Lampwork Bead artist.
Each bead is created using a 2000 degree propane-oxygen torch to melt rods of colored glass. The melted glass is wrapped onto a stainless steel mandrel then manipulated by precisely adding new glass and using tools to create intricate patterns in the molten bead.
When finished and cleaned, the beads are fully annealed in our kiln. This is a process of bringing the glass up to 940 degrees over a period of hours. This allows the glass molecules to properly align and to give you the strongest glass available.
The fantastic colors are from using a soft glass (soda-lime). When working with soft glass, you have only one chance to get it right. The bead must be completed the first time and cannot be cooled and added to later.
