How to Make Spun Glass Pendants

Spun glass pendants are each unique items, crafted individually from glass rods which are heated by a propane/oxygen torch. They can be made by hobbyists with a workshop, a few tools and the patience to create the pendant and then anneal it in a kiln for several hours.

Difficulty: Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Glass rods, clear and colored
• Propane/oxygen torch and igniter
• Welding glasses
• Workbench and vice
• Masher
• Ringer
• Kiln

1. Gather your tools and supplies into a workplace. You will need both clear and colored rods.

2. Heat a clear and colored rod, then apply the colored rod to the clear to form a stripe of color.

3. Heat the ends of both rods, then pull and twist them to make a long, thin cane of the clear and color stripes.

4. Create a ball of clear and colored glass combined, then add clear glass on top of the color to seal the color inside the pendant so it won't become too thin as you continue to work.

5. Attach a clear rod to the end of the pendant, creating a cold seal that will allow you to hold the pendant as you work it.

6. Apply the cane to the outer edge of the pendant, spinning the pendant in the torch's flame to get the cane to stick to all sides of the pendant.

7. Use the masher to force the pendant, which is a ball of heated glass on a rod, into a flatter shape.

8. Attach a bail to the free end of the pendant. Use the ringer to force a hole in the bail through which you will thread the chain or leather strip for wearing.

9. Holding the pendant in the masher, heat the rod to break the cold seal and detach your pendant. A sharp blow to the seal will detach the pendant, but it then must be heated, along with the rod, which you will use to remove excess glass from the seal location.

10. Place the pendant in a kiln heated to 1,050 degrees Fahrenheit. The pendant will heat up in an even manner, allowing the molecules of glass to arrange themselves for maximum strength.

11. Allow the kiln to cool down until the pendant is at room temperature. This will take several hours.

Tips & Warnings

• Always use safety precautions when making spun glass, including working in a well-ventilated area and wearing welding glasses to protect your eyesight.
• You can heat glass rods in the torch's flame while holding the ends in your bare hands, but be very careful to keep your fingers from getting burned while you move the rods in and out of the flame.

Resources

• Watch a video series explaining how to make spun glass pendants