Lampwork Stuff that ISN'T Jewelry

Not everyone wears jewelry - beats the heck out of me why not - but there you have it. It's a funny old world.

So, you bought this great lampwork bead, you were going to make it into a pendant for a friend, when she says to you in casual conversation - oh, I never wear any jewelry except for this locket my grandmother made me, and I never take it off. Hmmmm.

Well - we have a bunch of stuff that you can use to make gifts that AREN'T jewelry - using lampwork beads, beads with large holes, and beads that you have made using wire coiling, polymer clay, metal clay, etc. (Just make the holes large when you make them!!)

For instance - how about this butter spreader - or canape knife - not entirely clear what distinguishes the two, actually.


Assembling this is easy. Test fit the bead - to make sure the length is ok. Most of these non-jewelry accessories come with a screw on end, but sometimes the bead you selected is a little longer. In that case, we have glue-in end caps.





If the end of the lampwork bead is not even, you can grind the end off to make it smooth if you have a lapidary grinder - glass is soft enough to grind very easily - just keep it cool with water. This really is an optional step!



Alternately , you can add a rubber ring between the bead and the end to fill any gaps. If you are going to screw the end on and not glue it, I highly recommend a rubber O ring to prevent tightening the screw from chipping the bead.





Mix up some two part epoxy and put a little on the shaft, add the bead(s), and then a little in the end hole, and put on the end cap.


Prop the item upright - so that glue doesn't ooze out the sides. A "Third Hand" is excellent for this - and many other similar operations.



Find the supplies you need here! (Link will open in a new tab or window.)

• Accessory components and O rings
• End caps and large hole spacers
• Glue

Other large hole beads

• Swarovski Elements - Large Hole (Euro Style)
• Metal Beads - Pandora/Euro Style
• Vertical Letters

(Look for beads with a 3 mm hole or better.)

We may have some of the "Third Hand"s in store - we don't ship them. They aren't hard to find - Princess Auto, and anywhere that sells soldering supplies generally has them. They are generally inexpensive - around $15. Sometimes you see them in those big flea markets with other interesting tools and gadgetry. Very useful for holding things at just the right angle while the glue dries.