You can make pretty neat beads from these recycled glass bottles just by following a certain method. I made these with blue glass but you can choose any color glass you like. The art of making beads with glass is actually called lampworking.
Important precautions before you start
If you are new to the lampworking method then you certainly need some tips to help you through the entire process. Here are some precautions you need to follow:
- Wear eye protection glasses or didium lenses
- Wear gloves
- Do the work in proper lighting
- Do not heat the glass at high temperature
Not only you need proper precaution but you also need to watch out for certain things while performing the heating process. You need to do the process in a very attentive manner and carefully so that nothing goes wrong. As glass is a delicate material thus you need to be very careful while making glass beads out of it. Here are the points you need to consider:
- Make sure the torch (propane plumbers torch) you use is not near the flame.
- Go for small or medium sized beads. If you go for large ones then they might break while cooling down or even worse while wearing.
- While heating make sure the flame is moderate. If you put the glass on high heat at once then it might break.
- Do forget the safety glasses.
- Always keep a fire extinguisher near you while doing this as I did the same.
To make the glass beads out of glass bottles you need to do some initial homework. Clean the glass bottles nicely to make sure no dirt comes in when the final piece is ready.
Step #1
When you make beads for the first time you should start from small beads. The beads you make should be allowed to cool down in the air. So let’s begin. Take two shards of glass and start to melt them at their tips together under heat.
Step #2
Stretch the part that starts to melt and part it on a thin glass rod.
Step #3
Cover each end of the bicycle spoke with a bead release.
Step #4
Heat the spoke as well and then wrap it on the thin glass rod you made.
Step #5
Heat the new bead formed so that it gets round and smooth then let it set for drying.
Step #6
Pull the bead off from the spoke and wash the clay off from it.
After making enough beads and cooling those down you can start to make whatever kind of jewelry items you want with those glass beads.