Upstairs or Downstairs for Studio

fireflicker · #1 2008-03-09, 8:12am

Hello,

I have a spare room in the upper section of my home and I'm trying to decide whether I should set my studio in this space. Any recommendations on what I should take into consideration?

Thanks,
FireFlicker

chrisdd · #2 2008-03-09, 8:31am

We'll need more info on your set up before we can answer your question. What kind of torch will you be using?

fireflicker · #3 2008-03-09, 9:15am

I have a Nortel Minor torch and hoses with regulators for propane and oxygen, but I intend on using a Oxycon rather than and oxygen tank. Currently the room is used as an office and guest room. My concern is where to position the propane tank and how it can be concealed within the room. I'm also trying to figure out what would be the best height for the work table (i.e. should it be 33" or lower or does it really matter).

pierces*designs · #4 2008-03-09, 9:19am

Quote:

Originally Posted by fireflicker

I have a Nortel Minor torch and hoses with regulators for propane and oxygen, but I intend on using a Oxycon rather than and oxygen tank. Currently the room is used as an office and guest room. My concern is where to position the propane tank and how it can be concealed within the room. I'm also trying to figure out what would be the best height for the work table (i.e. should it be 33" or lower or does it really matter).

Propane should not be in your house. You might want to contact a plumber to run a line into the house and keep that bad boy outside.

I am in the process of having NG run into my upstairs room because I really don't trust propane inside the house.

houptdavid · #5 2008-03-09, 9:39am

Propane should not be in the house! If you have a window, you could mount the propane tank outside and run a line in, that way you could reach out the window to turn the tank off and on.

Bench height depends on how you like to work... my bench is 36", sometimes I like to stand, I have a bar stool to sit on.

Up stairs, down stairs as in basement? Access, ventilation, lighting all things to consider.

fireflicker · #6 2008-03-09, 5:07pm

Thank you Debbie and David, I appreciate your feed back. And the idea of mounting the propane tank outside of my window sounds like a good solution. Any idea on what the expense would be to have a professional mount the tank and run a line on the outside of my house to connect the propane tank?

pierces*designs · #7 2008-03-11, 4:40am

I am not sure about the cost. Do you have a local welding shop? They would be the ones to ask for a reference. The guys who are going to run my NG line charge $105/hr plus materials but that is NG.

cgant · #8 2008-03-19, 12:50pm

I was thinking about doing the same thing! I recently found a studio in a commercial building and it's on the second floor. I was thinking about mounting the tank outside the window on the second floor, but then of course that would mean that I would have to actually bring the tank in the building to get it in the window.

FireFlicker- I would be interested in hearing how you mounted the tank once you get in up and running.

thanks
Christine

bgurden · #9 2008-03-23, 7:14am

propane should definitely not be in the house. routinely i check my propane connections and twice and found a small leak. once to the mega minor connection and once to the quick disconnect area. we have huge temperature fluctations in michigan and i torch in my garage. i torch there so that the propane can be outside. i could smell the rotton egg smell of the propane so i was able to find the leak. because i have a ventilation hood and the propane was outside venting i was safe. i think that would be a risk in the house. its not worth causing a fire and even more of a problem it negates your house insurance if propane is kept inside.

DesertDreamer · #10 2008-03-23, 12:22pm

My studio is in a 2nd floor spare room. I have NG plumbed in, and an oxygen generator. I have a Glasscraft hood ducted up into the attic space and out a cutout beside the attic louver. We have greenboard in the alcove space where my workbench sits, and a porcelain tile floor. It's a great setup, IMO, because I'm not relegated to the garage and I'm in the middle of whatever the rest of my family is doing. There are large windows which I can open for makeup air, and plenty of sunlight for daytime work.