How to Flare a Glass Tube

Small vases are commonly made by flaring glass tubes.

Working with glass is called lampworking. This is a hobby that can be enjoyed in a large studio or a well-ventilated area of the home. Lampworking involves melting glass and forming it into new shapes. Glass beads, vases, paperweights and other craft items are formed from melted glass. The glass can be shaped with tools, blown or simply "slumped," melted over a form in a kiln. Glass comes in rods, sheets or tubes and is available in many colors.

Things You'll Need

• Lampworking safety goggles
• Heat-resistant gloves
• Hot head torch with fuel bottle
• Lighter (optional)
• Locking tube clamp
• Glass tube
• Flare

Instructions

1. Put on the safety glasses and the heat-resistant gloves. Make sure that you are working in a well-ventilated space free of flammable objects.

2. Light the torch. Some models have an automatic start; others need an external ignition source.

3. Pick up the tube with the locking tube clamp. Make sure the clamp is firmly locked around the neck of the tube.

4. Hold the lip of the tube in the flame. Only heat the portion of the tube to be shaped. Watch the tube carefully. When the lip starts to slump or bend, pull the tube from the flame.

5. Immediately push the flare into the lip of the tube. A lampwork flare is a carbide or graphite triangle attached to a heat-resistant handle. Rotate the flare to expand the lip all the way around. Work quickly before the glass cools and hardens too much to be shaped. If the glass cools before the tube has the desired shape, replace the tube in the flame and re-melt.

6. Allow the tube to cool completely before handling.

Tips & Warnings

• It is easier to spread the tube evenly than to shrink it, so flare the mouth of the tube slowly. It may take some practice to get the proper amount of pressure for your tube and tools.

• Be careful using fire and flame indoors. Be sure to work far from any flammable surface in a well ventilated area.

• Use safety goggles designed for lampworking. Glass can and does explode. Simple plastic lenses will not stop molten glass shards. Additionally, lampworking safety glasses are tinted to protect the eyes from the bright light of the torch.

References

• Torch of Life: Terminology
• Wet Canvas: An Introduction to the Lampworkers Studio
• Sundance Glass: Specialized Tools for Flameworkers