Dust?

GabiLoraine · #1 2013-03-17, 10:54pm

Hey guys, I've never really been on this section of LE except for today when I started browsing around looking for some pictures of your studios to get a little inspiration.
To be completely honest I NEVER pick up or clean my studio.... Which is horrible, I know. And today something kind of sparked up in me and I cleaned up. I picked up all of the murrini, little fly away shards, twisties, tools, shorts, glass, fiber blanket... All of it, and cleaned. The sponge was BLACK, it was absolutely disgusting.
So I'm here to ask... How do you all do it? I've seen some of your pictures and all of your glass is stored neatly by colors but out in the open, how do you deal with dust? What about frit and stuff like that? How do you store it? I am very visual so I would hope for lots of pictures. Here are some of my pictures from today's cleanup.

the glass I use usually just sits on top of my work table all messed up like this... And the rest is all categorized....

fionac · #2 2013-03-18, 1:39am

Hi Gabi, my setup is outside (carport) so I have neverending dust. I use big paintbrushes to sweep my bench before and after, vodka and a cotton hanky to wipe down my rods followed by a polish with a piece of suede and these craft stackers for all my frit murrini etc...

GabiLoraine · #3 2013-03-18, 5:49am

I thought about those stackers too but somehow I felt I wouldn't be able to find the right size, I guess I could buy a bunch though, for the purpose of neatness...
I have never ending dust too because locally instead of cutting down the <thatch>? they burn down the fields and the wind carries all of those little strings of charcoal into our homes. Even despite the moskito nets it gets inside and it's horrible. We always make sure to close the windows when this is happening but sometimes we're not home or something and that shit still gets in. Yes, these people are savages.

shawnette · #4 2013-03-18, 6:43am

I keep my frit in jars & baggies. Spice racks work great for frit storage, but most of mine is on a shelf or in a box somewhere:

(that one holds 24 jars and spins)

My glass is all over the place, but most of it is in my storage rack:

It gets dusty but I just wipe it of with a paper towel and rubbing alcohol.

julieann1674 · #5 2013-03-18, 7:30am

Hi Gabi, My setup is in the garage, so I also do have a lot of dust. I keep a hand duster at the bench and wipe everything down before I work. I also, like Shawnette, keep my glass in bins and use rubbing alcohol to clean my glass as needed. I always wipe down my tools before I use them. I just purchased some graphite beadrollers for the first time; and I guess I need to ask how to clean them from time to time; right now I'm jsut dusting them off before I use them. So I keep a soft clean rag at my workspace as well. I don't have any frit yet, but I love the idea of the spice rack and will definitely go that route when I go down that road.

artsyuno · #6 2013-03-18, 2:09pm

I store my rods in a closed cabinet and my frits and powders in magnetic tins, because I don't want to have to constantly clean them. I do sweep up my table periodically and wipe it down with a wet cloth.

GabiLoraine · #7 2013-03-18, 6:49pm

I wash my graphite marvers in the kitchen sink along with my stainless steel surface and an aluminum roller thing...

Magicfire · #8 2013-03-19, 10:35am

Dust is a booger. My glass has gotten really dusty in the past, plus I have struggled with how to keep the colors separated. Rubber bands disintegrate. I tried hair ties (not flexible enough) and blue painter's tape (better, but still not perfect).

My glass storage has compartments, but they are rather large and I just have so many colors that I need to put several colors in each compartment.

I finally got some 4" x 13" plastic bags from uline and I'm going to use those to keep colors separated. It is a thick heavy plastic; I actually got the idea from a glass vendor who used to sell her glass in these baggies. It keeps the glass clean and they were cheap!

I got the 4" because in some colors I have a fair amount of poundage. If the bag is too wide, I can tape the bag so it is more narrow.

Since I had to pack up all my glass to move, I had to deal with all those colors that got mixed together when the rubber bands disintegrated, and this is a good time to reorganize.

I have also learned not to leave frit out because it gets dust in it. It can be washed, but that is kind of a pain.

Not everyone's work table is that clean. lol Mind certainly isn't!

GabiLoraine · #9 2013-03-19, 5:49pm

The best thing I found for my glass is this carpet sample box from work, I took all of the samples and threw them away, and the box has little white drawers.. (Pictured in first post) I love it, but yes my glass still has tape or rubber bands from when I bought it, a sticky mess for sure, but it just burns off when I'm working so I guess I don't really care... I guess the trick for cleanliness is to put stuff away after working? Ughhhhh lol

GabiLoraine · #10 2013-03-19, 5:50pm

The bags are a great idea though!!!

Magicfire · #11 2013-03-22, 3:48pm

The carpet sample thing is cool!

It's just that I have sooo much glass. I have been lampworking for over 11 years and have accumulated a lot over time. That's my excuse, anyway!

I have 2 very large metal storage units that have compartments. I also have 3 units made of pvc rail fence like Shawnette shows, in addition to a couple of milk crates with tubes in them, some misc. shelves, etc. Those were all full. When I have time I'll have to take a photo of my stack of boxes that are holding the glass. I have them outside under the deck waiting for my lampworking shed to be delivered.

So I had to think of something cheap and easy.

I use two old metal cabinets with drawers for my frit and other misc. stuff. It is the same shape as your carpet sample boxes, just a lot bigger. They were from a library where I used to work and were used to hold cassette tapes and tools for fixing film strips and videos, so were obsolete. I was really lucky to get them!

I was at an antique mall the other day. There were several really cool map cabinets, but they were all too expensive. Something like that would be good for storing glass, too.

-Patti

Magicfire · #12 2013-03-22, 3:53pm

BTW, I bought a bunch of plastic jars for storing frit. I had bought quite a bit of frit from http://www.glasscolor.com/default.aspx which comes in large bags, so the jars were a great help in organizing it all.

I got the jars from http://www.usplastic.com . I can't remember exactly which ones they were, but they were pretty inexpensive. They have the same jars that a lot of vendors sell frit in. They also happened to fit perfectly in my cabinet drawers.

Edit: I think it was these: http://www.usplastic.com/catalog/ite...3556&catid=604 The 2 oz. size is the size that many vendors sell 4 oz. of frit in. You have to buy the lids separately. Not that you need these or anything, just thought that some might want to know if they're looking for frit storage.

PixieFireBeads · #13 2013-03-25, 6:53am

I love your ventilation system, Nette.

GabiLoraine · #14 2013-03-25, 7:28am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Magicfire

Not that you need these or anything, just thought that some might want to know if they're looking for frit storage.

I love them. I totally might.

GabiLoraine · #15 2013-03-25, 7:30am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Magicfire

I use two old metal cabinets with drawers for my frit and other misc. stuff. It is the same shape as your carpet sample boxes, just a lot bigger. They were from a library where I used to work and were used to hold cassette tapes and tools for fixing film strips and videos, so were obsolete. I was really lucky to get them!

I was at an antique mall the other day. There were several really cool map cabinets, but they were all too expensive. Something like that would be good for storing glass, too.

-Patti

I might look into getting or making something like that in the future when I have a proper studio... I might even start drawing it today lol

Dianne Gleaton · #16 2013-03-25, 8:37am

Hi Shawnette, Looking at the setup you have, I noticed the magnetic bar you have on the edge of your workstation, could you tell me where you found it. I have been searching for one , tia, Dianne Great seeing you at the Glass Dragons Spring Fling. Dianne Gleaton

shawnette · #17 2013-03-25, 8:43am

Hey Diane! I got it at Harbor Freight. LOVE that place! (The one in Casselberry). The one on OBT seems to be hit or miss on what they carry.

bob · #18 2013-03-25, 12:13pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by shawnette

I keep my frit in jars & baggies. Spice racks work great for frit storage, but most of mine is on a shelf or in a box somewhere:

(that one holds 24 jars and spins)

My glass is all over the place, but most of it is in my storage rack:

It gets dusty but I just wipe it of with a paper towel and rubbing alcohol.

Nice set up Shawnette, I am redoing my ventilation, can you tell me what type of fan you are using in your system.
Bob

shawnette · #19 2013-03-25, 1:09pm

It's an inline fan used for hydroponics, like these:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/iPower-4-6-8...-/160875914720

I have the 6" but an 8" or 10" one would be even better.

micsmom · #20 2013-03-25, 1:27pm

Shawnette, where did you get the hood? I'm doing a new ventilation and the hole in my garage block wall is 8" square so I was hoping the motor would work for me. Thank you for your help.

shawnette · #21 2013-03-25, 2:25pm

Lowes. It's made from a 90 degree elbow, semi-rigid flexible ducting, a 6x12 register boot and a roll of aluminum tape. Cost about $40 total.

bob · #22 2013-03-25, 2:59pm

Thanks Shawnette, that is a big help. I checked out your blog, a lot of good info. I hope you made out well in January.
Bob

shawnette · #23 2013-03-25, 5:10pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by bob

Thanks Shawnette, that is a big help. I checked out your blog, a lot of good info. I hope you made out well in January.
Bob

I did, thanks! You can't even see the scar now!

bob · #24 2013-03-25, 5:23pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by shawnette

I did, thanks! You can't even see the scar now!

Glad to hear it.
Bob

micsmom · #25 2013-03-27, 4:51am

Thank you for the information Shawnette. Linda

Max Hardcastle · #26 2013-05-28, 5:47am

For the most part I just wipe off rods on my shirt. The only time I get frustrated with dust is when I need to use my torch marver - harder to wipe it off with my shirt while holding hot glass... takes some acrobatics. Also it never looks dusty so I occasionally forget and get dust all in my glass :/

Dianne Gleaton · #27 2013-05-29, 7:19am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Max Hardcastle

For the most part I just wipe off rods on my shirt. The only time I get frustrated with dust is when I need to use my torch marver - harder to wipe it off with my shirt while holding hot glass... takes some acrobatics. Also it never looks dusty so I occasionally forget and get dust all in my glass :/

I keep an old clean cosmetic brush on my work station and use it for cleaning my torch marker, desk top occasionally etc. works great. Dianne