How to Melt Cubic Zirconium to a Glass Bead

The art of creating glass beads and small glass ornaments using a flame has been practiced for centuries. At one time, it was called lampworking, for the oil lamps that were used to heat the glass. Now it's mostly referred to as flameworking or torchworking, because of the more powerful and effective gas torches that are available. Essentially, it involves using a flame to heat certain types of glass to the point where they are malleable and winding them around a "mandrel," or heat-resistant rod, to make colorful glass beads and other decoratives. After a lampworker has shaped, sized, fritted and decorated the bead to her satisfaction, she can melt a cubic zirconium into the bead for a very special final touch. Here's how to do it.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Mandrel with decorated bead attached
• 2mm cubic zirconium
• Clear glass rod
• Dentistry pick
• Dentistry paddle
• Tweezers

1. Begin by igniting your torch and taking up your mandrel. Heat the bead slowly, as you won’t be able to turn it during this procedure. Keep it near the edge of the flame until the bead begins to become tacky in the area where you want to place your cubic zirconium.

2. Use your dentistry pick to poke a small depression into the bead where your cubic zirconium will go.

3. Pick up the cubic zirconium with your tweezers and place it into the depression you’ve made. It will fall out of the hole if you tip the bead, so try to keep it upright. Use your tweezers to make sure the cubic zirconium is fitted correctly and facing in the desired direction.

4. Keep the bead warm by leaving it near the torch flame, but not in it. Heat the end of your glass rod in the flame until it begins to drip.

5. Place the drop directly over the cubic zirconium and set the glass rod aside.

6. Heat the bead more to make the drop a little more liquid-like.

7. Take the bead out of the flame and use your dentistry paddle to flatten the drop of glass flush with the surrounding bead. You may have to reheat the glass several times to get it the way you want it. With this done, simply turn off the torch and let the bead cool.

Tips & Warnings

• Soda lime glass is more common and cheaper to work with, but because of its lower melting point and higher viscosity, it is less forgiving than borosilicate glass.
• When working with heated glass and torches, you should always wear smoked goggles. They will shield your eyes from the glare of the glassworking torch and protect you in case sudden fractures develop in the glass and the bead explodes. Never mix borosilicate glass and soda lime glass. Their far different rates of thermal expansion and contraction will make them explode if they are heated or cooled together.
• Leaded glass, as found in stained glass windows, can be worked with. But it is absolutely imperative to be in an open and well-ventilated area and use gloves to avoid the danger of lead poisoning.

Resources

• Video instructions for melting cubic zirconium