Lampworking is a type of glasswork that uses gas fueled torch to melt rods and tubes of clear and colored glass. Once in a molten state, the glass is formed by blowing and shaping with a variety of tools and hand movements. It is also known as flameworking or torchworking. Although the art form has been practiced since ancient times, it became widely practiced in Murano, Italy in the 14th century. After designing a piece, a lampworker must carefully plan how to construct it. Once ready to begin, the lampworker slowly introduces glass rod or tubing into the flame to prevent cracking from thermal shock. The glass is heated until molten, wound around a specially-coated steel mandrel, forming the base bead. The coating is an anti-fluxing bead release that will allow the bead to be easily removed from the mandrel. It can then be embellished or decorated using a variety of techniques and materials. All parts of the workpiece must be kept at similar temperatures lest they shatter. Once finished the piece must be annealed in an oven to prevent cracking or shattering. Lampworking can be done with many types of glass, but the most common are soda-lime glass, sometimes called "soft glass" - and borosilicate glass, often called "hard glass".
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