Professional/larger studios please post pics

[AlaskaBarb]

Very interesting to see various personal studio and lampworking spaces; I've also cruised through the old posts many of us contributed to on WC about three or four years ago, revisiting those studio pics.

However, I'm making a special request for pics from folks who have larger studios/classrooms, etc, with multiple torch setups.

I'd like to squeeze in two or three stations in the studio I'm remodeling (in a tiny old gambrel-roofed barn), and I'd love to get some different ideas on how others have configured their tables.

The building looks about 15x20, but I haven't measured it yet! (The inside was just stripped and sprayed with an environmentally-friendly high soy-based urethane insulation, in baby blue, on Thursday.) The building will be on pilings until next summer, when we can pour footings.

At any rate, I'm interested to see pics of various table, torch, and especially ventilation configurations.

I was sort of thinking of having one big central vent over the table, with separate flexible
ducts and hoods that terminate in front of the torches (Medusa-like), each with a manual damper, the way Lucio Bubacco has his vents done, but I'm sure there are other great ideas out there.

Specifically, I'd like to know:

- what size (CFM) fans the larger studios use, if they're running multiple hoods off of that one system, and do they have a source for make-up air? (Especially those in northern states)

I have natural gas to the studio, but so far, only 110 current, which I need to change, since I have a second kiln that needs a 220/30 amp service.
I know I will need manifolds under the table (?) to connect the torches.

I can also use propane from a tank outside. I have bottled oxy, plus a couple of generators, depending on the torches.

Thank you in advance for any and all input/help/insight --- and PICTURES!!! for multiple torch studio setups.

Hugs,
B

[GlassFirenze]

Hi Barb...

Here are a few pictuers of my set up...







But please feel free to come by the studio to see it in person... I'd be happy to discuss the journey. I'm actually in the process of upgrading my ventillation and air intake plus I'm looking at going to liquid 02 as was recommended to me by many studio owners here but the cost in getting set up is so high I avoided it... but after a week of boro classes I can see where a little extra spent now will save a lot down the road.

Again, feel free to ask any questions or stop by.

Look forward to seeing how your studio building journey goes.

Your Neighbor..
Deborah

[AlaskaBarb]

Thanks so much! I like your set up!

I've been having a hard time trying to find a big vent fan here in town -- did you order yours online, or was there one here? I haven't called Central Plumbing and Heating yet, so maybe I'll try them tomorrow. Right now, my SUV is full of ductwork and sheet metal from Home Depot.

The barn isn't very big -- I found it's more like 15x20 inside. I wanted to put the table in the middle and have storage shelving along the walls, but that may not work. Right now, I don't even have sheetrock. It's going to be really basic until next spring.

Sigh. Better than nothing! Hoping to build something bigger next year, and maybe stick the barn on the arse-end of it.

---------------
Would definitely like to come out and see your studio. Trying to finish fall planting and trying to put the yard to bed for the year, before the snow comes any further down the hill. Flattop was white, so it's just a matter of time. As soon as I'm caught up, I'll call you!

(You can always come to coffee with us at Barnes and Noble on Sunday mornings. Teri Packel from Black Elk won't be there this coming weekend, but will be next, and I usually go when she does, though there are a few other die-hard beader types that show up every week. You should come, too! Like, 10:30 to noon.

Thanks again!

Hugs,
B

[oldschooltofu]

barb,

try grainger.com for fans they carry every size imagionable.

as for your hoods, you should do it right the first time, it takes a lot more $ if you have to keep redoing things or expanding onto a current system.

i dont know your space but did you check out my new hoods in my production studio thread? i built three hoods with downspouts for under $2000 and that includes stainless steel for the bench tops but doesnt include the fan or motor.

good luck

[Ed_Slawson]

Hi Barb,
Here is a photo of one side/corner of our studio, and some descriptive text off our web site:


This is a photo of part of our Flameworking area. The hexagonal stainless table in the foreground is our main teaching area and has connection manifolds with quick connects for two torches in each position.

On the left wall are work areas, and our electroforming equipment, as well as a dedicated photography setup. A small jeweler's bench with flex-shaft machines and jeweler's tools sits to the left of the stairs. Our 'wet area' is at the top of the stairs and features diamond wet saws, grinders, a lap machine, two sinks and an area to dip, and clean mandrels. There is also a small kitchenette and bathroom off of the wet area.

The bench that is partially shown to the right of the stairs is our main flameworking bench and has 6 torch positions which include 1 GTT Phantom and 2 GTT Mirages with foot pedals. There is a medium sized annealer on it as well as a rod pre-heater and garage.

Not shown are two large annealers on rolling carts. All of our annealers have Digitry GB1 computer controllers. All of our rod pre-heaters and garages feature digital setpoint controllers. Also not shown is our sandblasting area which features a medium sized sandblasting cabinet, a cyclone separator, and a HEPA vacuum.

Our ventilation is a large dual squirrel-cage blower with variable speed motor, it is capable of changing all the air in the studio once every minute and a half. In the near future we will be installing hoods and extractor fans over the flameworking benches. The studio is heated via radiant heat in our fireproof concrete floor.

[Ed_Slawson]

Here are a couple more photos of our Studio, taken when we hosted Tink Martin and John Cramer as visiting teachers for three days in July - It was a wonderful set of classes, great teachers and wonderful students!:


This photo shows the main air intake, high on the left wall. It is 36" x 36" and has motorized louvers to open and close it. We are building a sliding shutter to go on the inside, so that we can reduce the airflow in the winter. The huge squirrel cage blowers are high on the opposite wall (not shown in photo). We are putting a variable speed 1 hp. electric motor on it before the winter sets in... as it is now, the airflow is way too much except for when we are batching on the Hotshop side.


This photo shows two of the flameworking benches, the two large roll-around "Hotmail T-3" annealers (mfg.by us) on their red carts, and on the right wall you can just barely see part of our offhand glass blowing studio. The piece of equipment behind the annealers is a Stadelman 300 Lb. Moly-D electric glass furnace.

[AlaskaBarb]

Wow, thanks everyone. I have major shop envy now!

Love those tables. Saw them on the Carlisle (?) website -- but shipping is a killer to Alaska. Last week, I found a 1100cfm fan for 570.00 on the web, but the freight was over 250.00. Didn't go for that one.

I appreciate the comment about doing it right the first time, but this is a temporary building. The real shop won't be built until next year. I'll just be limping along in the barn until then.

hugs,
b

[beadsoncypress]

Yes, they are Carlisle work benches. Maybe they would make them without the wood interior (you could add it once you get them) to save on the shipping weight. Call and talk to Frank Dougherty at Carlisle (he can do ANYTHING!)

[Janine]

I recently took a class with Andrea Guarino, in her studio. It is an amazing set-up, and the ventilation is very good and quiet! He hubby Whit came up with it and that is what we are going to put into our 2 or 3 torch studio. There are pictures on her blog:

http://andreaguarinobeads.blogspot.com/

And Whit will send you plans for the ventilation system. It is also a great price.

[Reenie]

I don't get how those ventilation systems work? (the long silver thing that is on my clothes dryer)
Does it take away air? Where does it go or what exactly does it do?
I torch in my family room. High vented ceilings. 2 windows in a corner....so I just open those up but have never felt the need for air....
I wouldn't know where to begin to set up a ventilation system
Irene

[Norskiglass]

I recently updated a few pics to look at~ http://www.lampworketc.com/forums/sh...ad.php?t=64292