flash burn

[murf]

I know there must be a thread on this but, I've been at the torch alot and notice my face is frying. My eyes are doing fine, but my cheek bones feel like boot leather. I think its from the reflection glare of my glasses and the torch flare? I stand at the torch and that area is really getting fryed. I will be getting a bigger torch here shortly and wonder is there a monting shield that can be purchased that attaches to the torch or the marver on the torch.
thanks

[Peach Blossom Beads]

You're probably leaning to far forward. Try to remember to stay back. If you are leaning too far forward, you're also breathing the bad stuff that you're trying to vent out.

The other thing is that most beadmakers wear sunscreen and/or moisturizer while they torch. Some people actually get sunburn. Try a moisturizer with a high spf.

There is a shield you can get - try Mike at Auralens. He's fantastic.

[Norskiglass]

If you are 6inches from your work ~lean back a bit....and sunscreen is good stuff too

[murf]

I tend to stand at the torch, maybe the bench is to high? my phantom arrives today I hope, and no doubt will be melting the logos off my tee shirts.
thanks all, im greased in sun block and ready to go.

[kbinkster]

What torch are you running now? Some torches tend to take on a lot of heat from the flame and radiate it back onto the user. So, you can get burned like you described from the body of torch itself overheating. You shouldn't have that problem with the Phantom.

Another cause is the heat radiating from large gathers of glass. You will see people running the giant torches (like the Cobra or the Viper) while wearing the aluminized suits. The suits are not to protect you from the heat of the torch (heck, those things run so cold, you can grab the barrel while they're running full blast), but from the heat radiating off of the huge gathers of glass or large pieces being made on it.

[Cosmo]

What angle is the torch set at? I work on a CC (which some people claim will burn you just looking at it) and I can work 6-8 hours making large pieces (using the large flame) and won't get the kind of burns you are talking about. But, my torch is angled away from me. Some people - Suellen Fowler comes to mind - work with their torch pointing more upwards and I can see in a situation like that you could get burns from the flame.

[Emily]

I tried to do some reading up on sunscreens and couldn't find much that was helpful. Mostly they're designed to block UV rays, and my understanding is that what we're getting from the torches is infrared -- plain old heat. From what I could find, there are mineral sunscreens (titanium, zinc, can't recall if there are others) that are effective at blocking IR (to some extent -- obviously not total heat protection). I think someone recommended some brands of mineral sunscreen in an LE thread a while back. I happened to find a brand of sunscreen in the drugstore that has zinc oxide in it, which should at least be some help. I haven't gotten burned when I've worn the sunscreen, but I usually don't when I'm working on my own torch unless I'm doing boro on tanked oxy and really pushing it.

Don't listen too much to people who say "I never get burned -- don't know why you do." I'll take a wild guess that there's some Irish in the "murf" bloodline (call me Kreskin). Those of us whose ancestors genetically adapted to live in fog have difficulty with life-threatening situations like exposure to daylight (but we're way ahead of those swarthy southern types when it comes to ability to absorb vitamin D).

[Three Muses Glass]

Neutrogena has a newish UVB/UVA in 55spf called Helioplex. Here's another one with 65spf that says something about infrared.
http://skincarerx.com/total-block.html
Emily, I think we have the same ancestors.

[murf]

sorry, a up date. the angle of my torch is and always has been well away from me. the burns peeled off and wow thankfully no scaring, but man bad news. I got two blast shields for both my torches and they seem to be working great. I actually stand to the side of the torch and have now been torching for nearly a week and no problems? Here I was just getting in to this new hobby and feared, I have to call it quits. I think all is well, still no idea why I suffered such burns from a Lynx that’s angle was parallel to my work bench?
Murf

[Norskiglass]

Originally Posted by Emily

I tried to do some reading up on sunscreens and couldn't find much that was helpful. Mostly they're designed to block UV rays, and my understanding is that what we're getting from the torches is infrared -- plain old heat. From what I could find, there are mineral sunscreens (titanium, zinc, can't recall if there are others) that are effective at blocking IR (to some extent -- obviously not total heat protection). I think someone recommended some brands of mineral sunscreen in an LE thread a while back. I happened to find a brand of sunscreen in the drugstore that has zinc oxide in it, which should at least be some help. I haven't gotten burned when I've worn the sunscreen, but I usually don't when I'm working on my own torch unless I'm doing boro on tanked oxy and really pushing it.

Don't listen too much to people who say "I never get burned -- don't know why you do." I'll take a wild guess that there's some Irish in the "murf" bloodline (call me Kreskin). Those of us whose ancestors genetically adapted to live in fog have difficulty with life-threatening situations like exposure to daylight (but we're way ahead of those swarthy southern types when it comes to ability to absorb vitamin D).

I think you may have it there.......I'm Swedish/Norwegian and have no problems in the sun or exposure to heat (beyond sweat) on try and take care of my skin.

I have used sunblock and it does help on my face when working on a large flame. The flash burns I have received are on my arms (above Kevlar sleeves) and they look blood red and streaky and usually dissapear after a few hours. I found that those flash burns appeared heavily during the production of these chandelier shades that are 7'x10" ....the flash burns had been a result of the continuous blowing/shaping/flaring of the vessel.

[SillyOlButt]

the blast shield is well worth it sonny