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Safety -- Make sure you are safe! |
2005-06-30, 7:38am
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Safety ALWAYS
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Join Date: Jun 10, 2005
Location: Sauk Rapids, Minnesota
Posts: 2,401
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Glassworking torches/furnaces/kilns do not generate substantial UV radiation. Certain glass types, where you have burning metals, such as found in certain borosilicate glasses, and quartz, DO generate UV.
Soft glass lampworking does not generate substantial amounts of IR, which is why the glass filters for soft glass don't filter IR (which is an added expense).
The IR studies you will find will be related to lasers (the damage is the same, it just takes more time - as I wrote in my first post). The US medical and industrial groups tend not to worry too much about IR - we don't have that much in IR generating industries any more - the steel industry is all but gone, etc, but instead, worry about UV, mainly because of the awareness of the thinning of the ozone layer, which results in higher UV transmission through the atmosphere.
Typically speaking, you need a heat source of at least about 5,000 degrees F to start generating any significant amounts of UV. Since propane/oxygen torches are typically in the 3000 to 4000 degree F range, we are well below the UV threshold.
But, again, if you are looking for definate exact information on the damage that IR causes, look at the information coming out of the laser protection industry.
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2005-06-30, 8:31am
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ManBearPig
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Join Date: Jun 28, 2005
Location: Roanoke, VA
Posts: 8,540
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Quote:
Originally Posted by beadbroad
Mike is quite right that untreated cataracts can lead to blindness. Some of what I have read supports the conclusion that glassblowing increases the risk of cataracts, but I've found other studies that failed to demonstrate that. It's also much easier to publish a study with a positive finding than a negative one, so the available information usually does not represent a complete sample of all the research that has been done.
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True, it's easier to say something is a risk than to say it's not a risk. But that's a good thing in my book. If there is a chance of something bad happening, even though it may not, why not do your best to prevent it? When you get in a car, you put on a seat belt, right? Why? In case you have an accident. Chances are you won't. But are you willing to take that risk?
No, I'm not going to thow out any numbers about what percentage of people had what reaction. Partly because I don't have any to give you, but mainly because I do, in fact, live and teach by the "better safe than sorry" philosophy. If it was found that a certain amount of protection was adequate, but more was available, I'd choose more.
I know that's not what you are looking for, but it seems to me that if there is a chance of something bad happening, you should try to prevent it, no matter what the percentages.
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2005-06-30, 8:42am
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Safety ALWAYS
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Join Date: Jun 10, 2005
Location: Sauk Rapids, Minnesota
Posts: 2,401
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We are a people and a society based on rules. See the red light. It means Stop. See the green light. It means Go. You are required to have automobile insurance, you are required to have homeowners insurance (if you own a house) or renters insurance (if you rent).
What is the big deal about needing eyewear and ventilation? Why do you need proof? Why not, like practically everyone else, just accept it and move on?
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2005-06-30, 3:43pm
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boro color bender
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Join Date: Jun 06, 2005
Location: The Oregon coast!
Posts: 10,039
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I'm gonna say you need ventilation and protective glasses... well, just because I said so! So there! My penis is bigger and I don't need no stinking badges.
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"Truth is, everybody is going to hurt you; you just gotta find the ones worth suffering for." -Bob Marley
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2005-07-01, 3:35am
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boro color bender
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Join Date: Jun 06, 2005
Location: The Oregon coast!
Posts: 10,039
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I'm screwed... I regularly just set my ham samich close enough to my torch so that it get's warm while I work. It tastes kind of funny, but I just thought it was me. Now I know the bread has absorbed some bad stuff. I guess the ciggy I light off my torch doesn't help much either. Man am I trying hard to quit that nasty habbit! The new valves on the propane tanks really piss me off. I mean where is the thrill in having a safe valve? Those car rides you mentioned... boy now that's just not as fun as it used to be. The cars have air bags, crunch panels, sturdy passenger compartments and they friggin make you wear a seat belt or give you a ticket. They enforce speed limits and put up those annoying red lights all over the place (almost every intersection!). Don't even get me started on school zones. The slower kids probably don't have a future anyway, so why the heck do we have to keep them safe. All of this safety stuff is messing with mother nature and her plan of natural selection. Really gets me going. I figure if more people would just torch naked, no glasses and in a closet, I may be able to get my Ebay sales back up in a few years. I say throw caution to the wind and make Ebay profitable again!
The preceding was written when I was feeling funny. Please don't get offended by my sick twisted humor. I love you guys and really do want you all to torch safe!
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"Truth is, everybody is going to hurt you; you just gotta find the ones worth suffering for." -Bob Marley
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2005-07-01, 5:10am
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Space Cadet
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Join Date: Jun 15, 2005
Location: Australia
Posts: 425
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Brent,
I've had the shittiest day today but you have managed to put a smile on my dial. LMAO.
Sally
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2005-07-01, 5:56am
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Safety ALWAYS
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Join Date: Jun 10, 2005
Location: Sauk Rapids, Minnesota
Posts: 2,401
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ROFL!!!
heh...It's Friday...The first of July...our state government is shut down because the asshole Democrat Senate decided to adjurn early instead of voting on a 'maintenance funding' bill...
yep...please...remove yourself from the genetic pool...we all need to get smarter.
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2005-07-01, 8:58am
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CA Queen Bitch
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Join Date: Jun 05, 2005
Location: Hermiston, Oregon
Posts: 11,258
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I am NO expert, but I did read via the internet that the fumes from melting glass kills brain cells. That's all it took for me to make sure I had the best ventilation Hubby could rig up. As a 40'-ish (heavy on the "ish") female with hormones vacating my little body as fast as they can motate outta here, I NEED to keep all the brain cells I still have!!!! As for the eyeware, I melt soft glass and there is just no comparison from Dydi's to Mikes' glasses. I love them!! I can see, I can see!!!! Besides I really need to be "Uber Sexy" while I still can.
Thanks Greg for the info on clear glass!!! I never knew that!! Besides being cute, and making stripping beads, you come in real handy!!
~Suzy~
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Suzy Q...... as in Quick
Being unstable and bitchy is all part of my mystique.
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