View Single Post
  #70  
Old 2007-08-23, 7:01pm
lampworker1 lampworker1 is offline
Living out Loud
 
Join Date: Aug 03, 2006
Posts: 855
Default

I so appreciate the discussion here about safety. In my first lampworking class safety was stressed, but in some of the others it was not even though the classes were taught by nationally recognized glass artist. In two of the classes the instructors opened the doors to let fresh air in after students started to complain about the quality of the air. In one class we were using a hothead and in another one we were using a minor. Most of what I have learned about safety I have learned on LE or other forums. I work in my basement and I am getting ready to seriously upgrade my ventilation system because winter in coming and what works in the summer will not suffice in the winter. I work near the furnace and gas water heater, but I keep I work two feet from an open door, and about four feet away from an open window. I also have fresh air coming in through another window in the far end of the basement. This window is like a wind tunnel because it is between two house. In the window directly in front of my torch I have a small ventilation fan that I got from Wal-Mart. In another window about four feet away from my torch I have a very powerful Hunter ventilation fan. I keep both fans running all of the time when I torch. My propane is outside and I run the hoses in throught the window. When I upgraded from my hothead to the mini cc I order longer hoses so I could put the propane outside. Someone on LE suggested keeping the propane outside. Thank goodness I did because I had a leak and had it been inside it would have been ugly. However, with winter approaching keeping all of the windows and doors open is not such a good idea. So I have been looking a Glasscrafts products and I purchased some galvanized metal. So I will either have a friend (who loves to help me build things) help me build a venting system or I will buy one when it starts to get cold.
Some of you are a bit feisty (lol) but I look at it within the framework of caring and trying to help people take care of themselves. Many of us have home studios and we do the best we can. I do take my health seriously, so even if I have to hire a ventilation specialist, that's what I have to do so that I can rest peacefull and continue to have fun.
Reply With Quote