I Just Can't Get Enough....Boro Beads

Well, I can admit that I have a serious boro (borsilicate glass, aka Pyrex) addiction going here!

I go to bed thinking about it, and wake up thinking about it...planning my next torch session.
Sunday was busy with all things Easter, and we had 21 people over for turkey, ham, and lasagna...and during supper what was I thinking of? ....you guessed it, boro, and the next beads I wanted to make.

Here are some pretty boro beads from Saturday's torching session....they are available in my Etsy shop.

Going To The Dark Side

Just before Christmas I decided to upgrade my lampworking torch to give me more heat and power. I bought a Nortel midrange torch with a minor torch mounted above it. I tell you the first time I fired up the big torch I almost singed the back wall of my glass studio, LOL.

I bought some borosilicate glass, aka "Pyrex", and decided to practice. Well, as anyone who uses "boro" can tell you, it's a whole different beast than Italian "soft" glass, or soda glass.

It's much stiffer, uses WAY more heat, takes more time at the torch and in the kiln...
...but you can sculpt with it because it can get cool without cracking, just like your Pyrex casserole dish (from refrigerator to oven).

Here are some of my beads that are made with borosilicate glass...they have a real "ethereal" quality to them, and the colours in natural light are just amazing!

I've been listing these boro bead pairs in my Etsy shop, and they have been selling very well!