From a humble beginning as sand.

Through the fires of creativity, emerges the beauty of BOROSTONES!

The Boroworks Shop is located in a small village in Northwest Thailand called Pai, a popular destination for hikers, white water rafters, hot springs and general enjoyment of a mountain setting for visitors from all over the globe. It is a one man shop where the Artist, David O'Hanlon, a transplant from Hawaii, pursues his passion for creating pendants.  A picture of the studio is on the home page of this site.  The lampworking techniques used were learned from a master glassworker on the island of Maui and I try to maintain his legacy of quality, strength and improvisation.

Borosilicate glass is a very unique and specialized type of glass. Its composition is much different from the ‘soft’ glass that is normally used for beads, paperweights, art glass bowls, ornaments, etc. Borosilicate glass is far stronger than ‘soft’ glass and has been used for everything from stovetop cookware to nuclear waste containment. One of its most frequent uses is to make scientific glassware such as beakers and test tubes. Corning Pyrex measuring cups are a familiar example of borosilicate glass, very hard and durable, try to scratch one! You will probably need carbide steel or a diamond. Fused borosilicate glass, like diamonds, will scratch other borosilicate glass. Remember it is best to keep finished jewelry and other work from rubbing against each other.

Dichroic Material:

Dichroic glass (dichro) was first developed for NASA to be used in the space program. It has the unique ability to transmit one color while reflecting another. Actually there is a third reflected color that can be viewed by moving the light source off to an angle. Borosilicate glass provides a very good medium to bond dichroic material although the actual process is very involved and requires heat, vacuum and a controlled environment. Because of it's unique characteristics dichroic material has become very popular with glass artists all over the world for inspired art glass objects. Each artistic piece must be hand crafted and cannot be duplicated. The dramatic color changes and reflected hues as each piece is turned in the light really must be seen to be appreciated. The effects can go from deep colored and highly reflected all the way to lightly colored and sparkling. It is very enjoyable to work with.

The type of work done in The Boroworks Shop is called Lampwork or Flamework. These are ancient terms used to describe the use of a flame to melt and form glass for utilitarian and ornamental purposes and is not glass blowing. A special high temperature oxygen/propane torch is used to reach temperatures over 2200 degrees F to soften the borosilicate glass rods so that they can be shaped to make the artwork. The borosilicate pendants are made from clear and colored glass rods manipulated by intense heat, different types of flame and technique to achieve the uniquely colorful special effects of the finished piece. Often dichroic material (another specialized glass) and at times precious metals are also used to achieve additional dynamic and reflective effects.

All pieces of art are kiln/oven annealed to remove most of the stress that occurs within the glass as it is worked and fused in the flame. Annealing, in flameworking and lampworking, is heating a piece of glass until its temperature reaches a stress-relief point. The piece is then allowed to heat-soak until its temperature is even throughout and the piece can fuse together. The piece is then slowly cooled until its temperature is below a critical point, at which it can no longer generate internal stresses, and then the piece can safely be dropped to room temperature. This relieves the internal stresses, making the fused glass much more durable. Glass which has not been annealed will crack or even shatter when subjected to a relatively small temperature change or other shock. The resulting pendant is very strong and usually will not break when dropped. It is glass, however, and therefore not unbreakable.

The bails, the loop which holds the pendant to a necklace, are also made of borosilicate and not, like some pendants, a metal hoop inserted into the glass.  They are fully integrated into the pendant with high heat, using a time consuming process, and are quite strong.  They also go through the annealing process with the pendant.

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