What's the minimum needed?

[OSD]

For setting up a home studio I mean, when cost is VERY MUCH an issue.

Okay that's the short version. Here's the long one. 8-[ I've been moping around a fair bit lately feeling like I'm never going to be any good at this because I just don't get enough practice. Right now I rent torch time at a place in the city - and I'm going to be lucky if I get there once a week consistantly in the future. I think this is a long-term hobby for me, in fact I think I'll be good enough to sell my stuff someday, but my husband doesn't want to sink money we don't have into setting me up for yet another hobby when historically I lose interest after a while. And he can't be blamed for that, because I usually do. Not to mention that money and space are tight. I've been thinking that I'll set myself up at home when/if I know this is For Real - in a couple of years, if my stuff starts selling, when I've had a BAD burn and want to continue, that sort of thing.

So I've been feeling sorry for myself, and desperately envious of the people who get to torch regularly, and even posted a whine in the Family room today. And then it struck me - I've been thinking that I have to plan on "doing it right" when I set up at home. I've work on minors so far, so I had written off the idea of trying a hothead. I was thinking kiln, permanent studio space, etc etc etc. I've been wrong!

What I'm looking for now is a bare bones basic minimalist setup. I don't need a kiln - I can rent kiln time at the studio I go to. I can get a hothead - so what if it won't be as nice as a fuel/oxy torch? It'll be a torch!

We have a room in the basement with a window and carpetting and a table I can use but not completely ruin, or an unheated but insulated garage.

Help?

[e. mort]

Go with the insulated garage. It is easy to get a parabolic heater or other type that can keep you warm as you torch.

Eric

[Dale M.]

Well to setup Fuel/Oxygen torch you are talking somewhere between $400. & $500...

Torch $169 (minor)
Oxy & Fuel Regulators $140
Hose $25
Oxygen and Propane (initial setup) $100+.

Plus glass and tools and Didymium glasses.... Lets say another $75-$100...

Or you can get a "starter set" with HH and most everything you need (except kiln) for around $125....

A decent kiln of going to be anywhere between $400 and $700..

So with a track record of failed hobbies, I think A HH and beginners kit may be best way to go...

Garage is best place for studio for beginning, basement will require more extensive ventilation for safety than garage space. And you guessed it, quality and well designed ventilation systems costs money....

Dale

[OSD]

Update - I've been offered a second hand HH in the Games room. Love these forums!

Okay, so the garage is easiest. It'll be cold though - I'm going to have to look at heaters and possibly (probably?) not working out there year 'round. That's okay (for now).

I have the glass and glasses and some basic tools already.

I had assumed ventilation would be the same for both places. I'll go search for info on that but if you have any recommendations I'll appreciate it.

Thanks!

[Nejoum]

I have a HH ...I have a table on wheels and roll it outside on the front porch. I hook up to a 20# propane tank and away I go. Its shaded and I have no problem seeing.
The garage is the best.
A heater, and a fan with the garage door open at least 1/2 way should work till you want to expand.
Good Luck with your plans.
Diana

[parisgal]

Happy torching!!

(I'd got all ready to jump in and say $35 for a HH and another for a starter kit of glass, but it seems like you've got those covered. You do probably want to get a fiber blanket, unless you already have one.)

[adovbs]

Try to reuse things you already have - like a little dipper crockpot and vermiculite for cooling bigger beads, rice or sand or kitty litter and cans or clay pots to hold mandrels, extra tiles or pieces of metal for work surface...old pliers or dental type tools for picks and rakes and pinchers, metal sculpture tools for molding glass.... you might be surprised what you can reuse and co-opt for glass.

[LoriBird]

I'm the same way..notorious for starting something..sinking $ into it then mastering it then loosing interest and quitting. I started lampworking barebones...HH etc...but I quickly learned that this art is always challenging, so it's kept my interest...SO, I invested in a bobcat and the whole shibang and have been lampworking for 3yrs. Plus, this equiptment holds it's value..so if you do loose interest...you're not going to be out of a ton of money.
GOOD luck and Go for it!!!
xoxox
Lori

[lunamoonshadow]

Big $ saving tip---get LOOOOONG hoses (& maybe a regulator--I've heard/read varying opinions on this, personally thinking of adding one this spring when I go back to torching) & a bulk tank of propane/mapp (I'm using propane, it's working fine) & save a ton of cash over those silly one pound tanks--plus you'll be able to torch for hours. Do NOT bring your bulk tank in the house/garage though. You need hoses long enough to keep your tank outside!

I use a rolly-cart i got for $30 @ wally-world, a cookie sheet for my "heat proof surface", clamps from the hardware store to secure everything, old spoons bent to sit flat on the table as "frit trays", old coffee mugs to hold my stringers (easy to lug in & out of the house--since I have to bring my entire "studio" in & out every time I torch) & a plastic picnic basket-style tote to hold my glass rods & tools. That's my entire set-up aside from a small, narrow folding chair & some of those little plastic 3 drawer thingies for desk supplies that i keep my frit jars in (I get the jars from gail @ ggglass.com). Most of my glass comes from howacoglass.com & galaxy glass on ebay ;) (odd lot corals!)

~luna
queen of "lampworking on the cheap"
still sending her "beads" out for batch annealing, not quite ready for prime-time ;)

[Sue in Maine]

Just a thought but if you've been using a minor and have never tried a hh, I do not think you will be happy with the hh. I went from a hh to a mini cc a couple of months ago and it's a wonderful world now. What a difference! I cannot imagine going back to my big brushy bushy noisy hh. I loved it when I had it but, having moved up, I don't want to go back.

Sue

[amberbryant1]

I don't know if you have a hobby lobby nearby, but if you do.... they have a flameworks kit with EVERYTHING except the fuel to start. I started on this kit, but have since moved on. If you sign up at hobby lobby's web site you will get coupons every week. About twice a month the coupon is for 40% off one item. The kit is $100 normally, so it drops the price to $60. It has mandrels, glass, work surface, marver, texture roller thingys (that's the technical term I'm sure!), clamps, torch and I think some tools. It is a quick an some what cheap way to get a bunch of starter stuff, even if you still use the hot head. I hope this helps!

[Nejoum]

The Flameworks torch isn't worth anything.
But the stuff with it is good.
Diana

[bolimasa]

Cheap tools....
....My favorite marvers..... A table knife from the thrift store... I search for ones with a wide flat blade... it gives you lots of marver length. When they get cruddy I spend a quarter for a new one. When I want more width I use a stainless steel cake server that I bought for a dollar at the family dollar store. For tab beads I lay my hot glass on a piece of graphite (a marver that lost it's handle) and flatten with a big dollar store stainless steel spatula.
My favorite raking tools are dissecting needles that I buy at the University book store for less than 50 cents... nice sharp points and when I wreck one I toss it.

The funny thing is that I don't use these cheapie tools because I don't have others (I have a nice marver and barbeque masher) but I actually like these found tools better!

[lunamoonshadow]

Oh---and when you go to get your teeth cleaned--don't forget to beg the dental hygenist for a few scrapey-cleanie picks!! I scored 4 of 'em @ my last visit!! (hey, the cleaning cost me a fortune, I might as well get free lampworking tools out of it!! & they sterilize everything :)) She went & pulled a couple of the "going to be sent back because one end was chipped/worn" ones out of the sterlizer for me!