My Wifes New Bead Table...almost Done
 

OK, Folks...and Folkettes...

here are a few pictures of the bead table I have designed and made for my DWP. (Darling Wifey-Poo).

http://x30.xanga.com/1a0c430b4863119...o149182727.jpg

http://x56.xanga.com/a53c700b4863319...o149182732.jpg

It is located in our dining room (who needs to sit to eat?), so it had to look nice and go with the "decor" of the room.

It is not done yet. The tile still needs to be set and grouted, the ducting still needs to be finished, a few extra supports need to be added to the center of the table (the stone tile was heavier than initially anticipated), I want to add a built-in glass rod holder, the baffles still need to be installed around the range hood, the fan needs to be hard-wired to the switch, and the oxy/fuel lines need to be permanently fastened.

So far it looks good, and we are both proud of OUR accomplishments.

I told her if I was gonna contribute my time in such a large project for her, she would have to invest her "blood-sweat-and-tears" in it as well. So she DEFINITELY pulled her weight with sanding and painting. (She really appreciates the fruits of her labor now, especially after partaking in the building process).

http://x05.xanga.com/3b2c97136433519...o149229156.jpg

http://x83.xanga.com/cdfc611027d3219...o149229153.jpg

As you can see in the pictures, we have:

M-5 OxyCons (2 each)

30" inch range hood (a steel sheet back panel, and Pexiglass side baffles, are soon to be installed)

8" inch AXC 200B Elicent fan (636 CFM's) with the ON/OFF switch located by her right side, under the torch

Jen-Ken kiln (with electric controller)

Nortel Mega Minor

Everything will be painted white, to include the ducting material - which will run from the underside of the fan, under the table shelf, and out the sliding door to vent in our balcony. The 10' feet of steel ducting will be installed by my DWP when she wants to bead...and removed when she is done. (A 2-minute task). It will ensure that the area looks "clean" when not in use.

The fan is incredible, and has massive suction power. And when used in conjunction with the smallish 30" inch range hood...is totally overkill. (It's always safer to be overkill, than underkill).

It'll be a few more days until it's done, as I am trying to finish this project while handling a gruelling work schedule. (I own a locksmith and safe technician business in the San Francisco Bay Area).

I will post more pictures when the project is completed, as well as explaining a little more of my project ideas, madness (there's a reason for EVERYTHING I do), and answering any questions that yall may have.

And lastly, I just wanted to let yall know that I am posting this little "thingy" for my Darling Wifey-Poo. She deserves all the attention and pampering that this husband can give. And I also wanted to say THANK YOU to all the folks who posted their ideas, thoughts, and pictures of their set-up's. It took hours of thought and drafting, seperating the wheat from the chaff, to sift through all your brains and come up with this specific design. (I threw out what I didn't like or agree with...and kept everything that made sense and agreed with me).

It may not be the Nth-Ultimate bead table, but it's built with thought, reasoning, and love...for you, Oyunaa...my love. :love:

Oh yea! I also wanted to mention two more quick things:

1) The EXCELLENT article I read, which made very good sense, and gave me a great understanding of ventilation basics. CLICK HERE TO READ THE ARTICLE

2) I also wanted to publically mention Mark Cangelosi (thespapoolguy) for working with me, and giving me a great deal on the Elicient fan. CLICK HER TO SEE HIS EBAY STORE (If you contact him, let him know you were referred to him by the SF doode who was making the bead table with the AXC 200B fan).

Enjoy, Folks/Folkettes...and thanks again.

And don't forget to pray for our troops!!!!!

In Christ: Raymond

Wow! I'm looking forward to seeing the completion and hearing more about the removable duct work as it may be just what I need for safety.

Very nice set up! I'm in my dining room also since I can't have a seperate building out back and it's too blazing hot to be in the garage right now!

Duct system and Oxygen Gen
 

I have several questions about the equipment and installation.

Will you post directions and photos of the removeable duct system? I'll be moving to Arizona and I may need to rethink putting my work station out in the garage.

Why do you have 2 M-5 OxyCons (2 each)?


Jen-Ken kiln (with electric controller)

Your kiln looks small and I didn't know Jen-Ken made one that small. How much does it weigh?

Are those stainless steel tiles on the table top? I have a large marble (pastry) slab that has been just sitting on another table for ages....could that be used either under the kiln/oven, or as a work surface? Or would the heat be too much for it?

Sure,

I'll post the pictures of the completed project. As a matter of fact, I'll even snap a few extra pictures BEFORE it's completed and painted, so that you can see the parts easier.

But just to give you a "taste" of my madness: the duct tube from the rear of the hood, down to the top of the fan, will be PERMANENTLY attached. (This will be painted white). Then I will have a 90-degree elbow protruding out from the bottom of the fan - in the direction of the sliding glass door - which will also be painted white and be permanently attached. (This will NOT protrude out from under the table). Then a 10' foot long, steel, duct tube will be attached to this 90-degree elbow. (The 10' foot tube is the piece that will be able to be removed when not in use).

Did that make sense?

As for the two OxyCons. Hmmmmmm.

Well, my wife and myself are still working exclusively with 104 glass, and the Mega Minor. When we were initially deciding what equipment to purchase, we chose equipment that would enable us to do what we wanted to do AT THE TIME...and a little more in case we decided to grow. We wanted the option of being able to work with boro in the future. (Boro needs more heat to work with). The two OxyCons, together, put out 5LPM of oxygen...and that's it. Just because I have two M-5 Oxycons, does NOT mean that they will put out 10LPM of oxygen. We purchased two of them because, together, they put out extra air pressure that would be needed if we wanted to dabble in boro.

I'm a locksmith and safe technician. And since I can remember, the old addage, "Always buy a little more than you need," has ALWAYS been true. Not only for my tools of the trade, but for all my hobby equipment as well. And I have NEVER regretted it, or thought I had unnecessarily wasted my monies.

As for the Jen-Ken kiln...it's dee bomb!!

For the money, you cannot get a better deal. It is the AFP3 model. (Click HERE to see the specs). I purchased it from the TWO LASSES girls on eBay. They sell it cheaper than anyone else. (Click HERE to see).

Now for the tiles. They are stone tiles that we purchased from Home Depot...or was it Lowes? (They're both a 10 minute drive from us, and we go to both of them equally, for variety). I told my DWP that since it was gonna be HER toy, that she could choose any color/style tile she wanted. So she ended-up getting a "Mt. Everest Verde" color.

And very lastly...the marble slab you have.

It would be GREAT as a work surface, under - or in front of - your torch. I love marble, and have made some small leather-working tables, with marble inserts, in the past. (These are small, and made to place on your lap or on a table top, to carve leather).

http://x2c.xanga.com/3d7f11635853719...w149405654.jpg

Yea...I love to work and carve leather as well.

Anyhoo...I built a custom stand stand for my kiln, and it has raised it around 6" inches off the table. And at this height, the table can still be touched with your hand after it stays at annealing temps for hours. (The stand will also be painted white when I am done). So if you raise the kiln an extra few inches off the marble slab, it should be fine. But it would be MUCH NICER as a work area for jewlery-making...or something like that.

Oh yea...not wanting to toot my horn...here's a link to the kiln stand I made. (Click HERE to check it out).

OK, that's about it for now. Hope that helped answer a few of your questions.

Toodle-Loo.

In Christ: Raymond

Hi Raymond, the workstation is very impressive. However I have one question and this comes from experience. It seems that your fan hood is to high. If you are planning on working with COE 104 silver glass, fumes are highly toxic as well as all other glass. We had a fan put in our studio under our house and had to have it lowered. So now it now sets at 24" above the top of the table. To see if your fan is doing its job, get a stick of incense and watch where the smoke goes when the fan is on. If any escapes the fan hood then the hood is to high. By the way the Mega Minor can also be used for boro, and I would have thought that an M15 oxygen would have been adequate for your needs. Mr. Smily has them for $600 when on sale. If you come up to the north bay say like Sebastopol, look us up for a tour. The table looks very functional and you did a wonderful job in construction. So kudos to you and your wife.

Wow, once again - I have to face the fact that I am
totally sleeping with the wrong people :lol:.
That is an awesome desk. May it bring many years of
enjoyment!

Steve, I have a few questions.

What type of fan are you using? (Manufacturer, model, and CFM).

What size ducting are you using, and is it solid...or flexible?

Are you also using a range hood...with side and rear baffles?

And lastly, what is the distance from the tip of the torch, to the front edge of the SIDE BAFFLES? (Cuz this is the actual "sucking area" that needs to be measured to determine the CFM and suction velocity needed).

To me, my set-up is totally overkill - at least on paperwork. I am using 8" inch ducting. I also removed the smallish fan that came installed on the range hood (a tiny 160 CFM) so that it would not interfere with the suction. On top of that, the smallish fan had a circumference of 6" inches (which the hole in the range hood also matched)...so I am going to use a die grinder and open the hole on the range hood to it's maximum size. (But this is still up for debate, as a larger opening will DECREASE the air speed...and of course, the smaller opening will INCREASE the air speed). But I'm thinking that instead of enlarging the main hole, maybe drilling a couple of 1" inch or 1 1/2" inch holes on the sides of the intake (where the duct is connected to the hood) will be more beneficial. This way the air is not only getting sucked vertically, but horizontally as well.

Did that make sense? I'll post pictures of my final decision.

I have not finished the project, so I have not run the "smoke test" yet. But it doesn't look like I'll need to go any lower with the hood. (But if I'm wrong, the height adjustment will need to be made).

Twenty-four inches seems pretty low. I'd like to know the distance between the tip of your torch, and the front edge of your hood. Do you smack your head on the edge of the hood? Ha ha ha.

And if I'm not asking too much, could you post a picture of your set-up?

Thanks.

In Christ: Raymond

I'd like to add my 2cents! I commend you on the great work you've done....I had my vent hood set 20" above my torch so 24" from the table top is about right. The big concern that I have for you is your carpet. I often have shocky glass.....I covered my carpet with plywood. When you're lampworking your focus is on what's going on in front of you, obviously. So you don't need to be concerned about tiny sparks that possibly flew off! If you're renting, this is going to also be something that you want to protect for that reason as well. (I originally was using my gameroom for a mixed media painting studio, so I covered the carpet with plastic, then the plywood because I literally threw paint). Also, be sure to have a fire extinguisher handy. Sorry but I didn't notice if you had one.
Happy creating,;-)
ginger

Thanks, Ginger.

I actually have a fire extinguisher at the ready. As a matter of fact, it also came in white - so It'll match everything else. (B,C rated).

As for lowering the hood, I'm still considering it.

I currently have the hood at exactly 30" inches high. And it seems fine. But if you look at the table, it doesn't look like a nice work table. It is too high, and looks like it belongs in a garage. So I will be reducing the height by 3" inches. This will give it more of a work DESK appearance. (Which is the look we wanted). Having it lower accomplishes a few things:

1) It gives us more seating options. Why? Cuz at it's current height, we can only use stools, or drafting chairs. But if it was lower (desk height) we could use a nice comfortable swivel highback chair with arm rests. (My Baybee also needs to "look good" when she beads). Ha ha ha. :wink:

2) By having the desk lower, the hood will also be lower...hence we will have more of the wall exposed. This is critical to the decor of the room. We would like the option of having space to hang "trinkets" on the wall for decoration.

3) As I positioned myself at a lower table and seat height, I noticed that I COULD drop the hood height a few inches. But that also concearns me, as the heat might be a tad too much for the plastic light cover. (When we first started with a Hot Head torch, we were working on top of our kitchen stove. And even at 30" inches, it would get the plastic light cover, and the metal screen, a bit hotter than we thought it would get). Hmmm...but then again, we didn't have the massive sucking - and cooling - power of a 636 CFM fan. I've been meditating on this for a few hours now. Hmmmmm..

As for the rug...it's also been thought out. We will be placing a plastic runner the length of the table. This will give her the opportunity to move around the table with her chair, and still be within the covered area.

And one last tidbit: We are debating whether she should get a nice chair...or if I should build a custom bench for her. If we build the bench, it will be approximately 3' feet long. This accomplishes a few things:

1) It will match the table- perfectly!

2) It will give her the opportunity to make matching custom cushions for it. (Girls love to make things like that for their houses) And it will also give her the added pleasure of knowing that SHE made the cushions, which contributed to the "whole".

3) We can both sit on it at the same time while doing two different things. (She can be at the torch while I am working on wire jewlery on the other section of the table).

I hope I'm not sounding too cocky and "know-it-all-ish"...but I have already thought everything out ahead of time. (Remember the old addage, "Measure thrice, cut once").

Thanks again guys-n-gals. Your input is appreciated!!

In Christ: Raymond

Raymond...very nice setup, I'm sure your wife is thrilled! I know I would be!

Just a comment regarding chair vs bench...I have found that chairs that roll are the best thing since sliced bread...just once, when hot glass got away from me and was heading toward my lap I was able to roll away fast enough to avoid being burned. Now, if your bench could roll...hmmmm Also, I have found I don't need a back to my chair as I sit forward, and arms on the chair would get in my way...just my two cents here.

Alex,

I have mentioned that to my DWP as well. (About NOT needing arm and back rests). And she seems to agree with me. She also agreed that 90% of the time she is leaning forward and practicing good back posture.

From my military experience, you don't want to be TOO comfortable in a work environment. Being TOO comfortable gives you too much opportunity to relax and let your guard down - which is how/when accidents happen.

As an extreme example: It the old days, folks would work manufacturing explosives. (Dynamite). And in order for the workers not to fall asleep while handling the explosives, the employers would supply the employees with unique chairs. They were basically an upside-down cone. You sat on the flat part, and the pointed part was on the floor while you balanced on it. No falling asleep on the job there!!

Along the same lines, I don't think she should get TOO comfortable. But ultimately, it's up to her. She will be making this decision...after listening to all my "pro's and con's" on the matter.

As for being "mobile" vs "stationary". It's also up in the air. The bench will not be too tall, and my wife is slim and active. She should have no problem getting out of the way if something should motivate her to do so.

Thanks!!!!!

In Christ: Raymond

Hey folks,

a quick update. I was in "Duuhhhhhhh" mode for a while. The range hood is 30" inches tall...at it's very top. The bottom of the hood is 23" inches above the table.

I forgot I did that, as it was taken into consideration when I was working-out the actual area that needed to be ventilated. (I was working some calculations in my head, and could not remember why I had used 23" inches in the calculations). Then I went back to double check the hood...and remembered.

Duhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

Anyhoo, I think I'll keep it at that height when I rebuild the hood frame. (I'm gonna make another one that also holds glass rods).

OK, I'm embarrassed. That was a public "Senior Moment"!!!!!

In Christ: Raymond

Hey Folks,

here are some pictures I recently took to follow-up and answer some of your earlier questions about the duct tubing. Although the desk is obviously not done, it will still give you a good idea of what I was ranting about.

Below is a picture of how I cut a space in the table for the main duct tube to pass through. It was much easier than getting precise measurements, and then cutting a perfect hole in a section of tile.

http://x5e.xanga.com/4e3c91215443519...w149646762.jpg

This next picture will show you what I was psycho-babbling about in the earlier post. The duct tubing you see will be permanently attached to the back of the hood, to the cut out on the table (for support), to the fan...and will be painted white. The support legs have also been added (which Darling Wifey-Poo will paint), and the table has been lowered. At this height, it is MUCH more comfortable, and looks better in the dining room.

http://x92.xanga.com/c36f145b7153719...w149646767.jpg

Notice how I will position the 90-degree elbow to face the sliding glass door to our balcony. When my wife wants to bead, she will go into the living-room walk-in closet, get the 10" foot duct tubes, and attach them to the 90-degree elbow. (A 2-minute job). When she is done, it is just as easy to disattach the tubes from the elbow, and put them away in the closet again.

Easy, simple, and clean!

OK....that's about it for now.

More to come, later.

In Christ: Raymond

Really nice work!!! I want one!! ;)

For the low, low, price of $19.99... you can have one, custom-made, and shipped to your door...for free.

That's right!

But wait...that's not all.

If you act now, I will give you a second one...free.

That's double right. TWO (2) custom tables cut to your measurments, and delivered for free...for the low, low price of only $19.99!

OK, Becky...act now, before midnite, to take advantage of this offer!!

Ha ha ha. Just yankin' your chain.

But I do appreciate your comment. Thanks!

I made the new range hood frame (to hold glass rods), hooked-up all the wiring, and laid the tile on the table last night. See the below pix of my Mamacita helping out to set the tiles, wearing one of my old gi's. (She say's the heavy cotton fabric keeps her warm-n-toasty). Ha ha ha.

http://xf6.xanga.com/101c77f3d753319...w149954024.jpg

Now I'm getting ready to grout the tile. After the tile is done, the last thing to do is permanently attach the duct tubing. (Everything needs to be done and set in place before the measurements for the tubing can ce calculated and installed). But I am still working on one more "air flow" calculation, which will ultimately determine the tubing size from the hood to the intake of the fan. (Either 7" inch or 8" inch diameter tubing). But more on that later.

Thanks again.

In Christ: Raymond

CRUD!!! I missed that fantastic deal!!! :shock: When will you be offering it again?? Does it come assembled?? :)

We have acquired a countertop for my set-up in the garage, but haven't done anything with it yet. Our latest project is landscaping the front planters. We're 2/3 done, and will have the rest done by this weekend. Sounds like you guys are a good work team like us. It goes more quickly working together, and you get a bonus great feeling knowing that you labored together and produced something neat. If I could I'd post pics of our work...but we have to get our computer back from the computer guy at work. It crashed. This is a loaner. Keep up the good work!!

Beautiful job on the table!

Um, does your wife know you call her DWP? (hmm?) ;)

Welp, Folks & Folkettes...

let's keep going.

Last night me & Mamacita grouted the table top. I have never grouted before, so needless to say, it was an experience. As a matter of fact, laying down the adhesive to fasten the tiles was even worst. (What a tacky, hardtostirandmix, material)! Here's a picture of my wifey-poo last night as she was wiping-off the top cover of grout 20 minutes after the application.

http://x23.xanga.com/4e1c54f52553119...w150019562.jpg

And here's a picture of the finished tiles this morning, after I wiped it down with damp cheesecloth. (Mt Everest Verde). Sorry about the funky colors, but the sun was coming up and the gold ray's play havok on my camera.

http://x6d.xanga.com/6a3c446324d3019...w150019575.jpg

So now that the tile is done, the next step was to place the newer hood frame on the table top. But wait...let's check out the sheet metal backing I made for it. (Pretty good if I say so myself). He he he. To the right of the hood frame is the duct tubing. After some thought and conversations with MIKE AURELIUS (a venting guru), I decided to switch out the 8" inch duct tubing and go with 7" inch duct tubing throughout my system. I'll explain more at a later time. (Very important)!!!!!!!!!

http://x52.xanga.com/a6fc54f724d3119...w150019582.jpg

These next pictures show the ALMOST finished product. Notice the newer hood frame with the section above it to hold glass rods. I am still looking for some of that plastic fence railing that comes hollowed and internally sectioned in 3. Home Depot and Lowes (in my area) do not carry it. So if push comes to shove, I'll have to get 1/16" or 1/8" inch wood, and make them myself. I also want to mention that it is hard wired throughout. The swith in the front will turn ON the fan and both OxyCons. (I've also added cut-off switch/breaker for the fan and Oxycons). The kiln has it's own recepticle. But since I am leasing, I cannot hardwire a 20amp fuse and 12 guage wire for the kiln. But I did the next best thing and dedicated a recepticle with a cut-off switch/breaker so it doesn't draw too much power, heat up the wire within the walls, and cause a fire. (Read Mike Aurelius's website for more info. Very eye-opening)!!!

http://xc6.xanga.com/cf4c70f52333019...w150050008.jpg

http://xc3.xanga.com/f758512a263b819...w150050016.jpg

And "Yes"...the hood frame has a steel backing (painted white) and side baffles. I purposely made the side baffles out of Pexiglas so that the outside light can shine through and my DWP will not feel "boxed in". I am also gonna place some silicon sealant along the top edge and side of the rear baffle, to make sure it is airtight and no fumes escape. The Pexiglass side baffles are already VERY secure and airtight.

http://x59.xanga.com/82cc54f624c3119...w150019602.jpg

http://xb5.xanga.com/19ac74f01123319...w150019607.jpg

Oh yea, FYI...I also cut-out side slots on the intake portion of the hood. I was thinking about this, and realized that it would only suck in fumes that traveled upwards. But what about fumes that were to the left and right of the intake? (It probably wouldn't happen, as it is a very powerful fan for my set up). But just to satisfy myself, be on the safe side, and quench the McGiver in me, I cut slots on the sides so that it would also suck-in air horizontally.

http://xa1.xanga.com/bf4c76615123319...w150023246.jpg

http://x62.xanga.com/3dfc43f55123119...w150023243.jpg

There are still a few more thangs that need to be done (like more wiring stuff that need to be installed for safety, switching out and installing the new sized duct tubes, and hooking-up the hoses), but it's just about done.

I'll keep yall "up to date" if you don't mind. I figure that my mad rambling may help someone else out in the future.

And in closing, I want to thank Mike for all the venting help. I understood about 85% of his stuff. But he was kind enough to help me out with the other 15% that totally flew over my head.

Kudos, Mike!

Anyhoo...gotta git to work.

Till next time, America. And don't forget to pray for our Troops!!!!!!!!!!!!!

In Christ: Raymond

Yea, she does.

As a matter of fact, I'm Latino (Peruvian/Italian, born in the good ole USA), and our family touches, kisses, and shows a lot of outward/public affection. We love children and family, and saying "sweet-ums" to each othr all the time is a part of our relationship.

She's also my pukey-pukey, my luv-luv, my smoochie-smoochie, and a gazillion other names I invent for her on a daily basis.

She's my lover, my best friend, my confidant, and my God-given lifes mate.

I guy can't ask for more!!!!!

In Christ: Raymond

OMG I want one like you!!...er um I don't think my hubby would like to hear that...but OMG!!

Great Job!! You guys should be proud :)

Wow, that is an awesome table. You thought of everything, Great job!

Your wife is one lucky woman to have you for a mate. =D>

Just in case you get the impulse to be generous & make another one, I'm standing in line! ;)

Raymond, have you used your leather stampers to do any embossing on hot beads? If so, how did they turn out? How have your leather stampers held up to the heat? I have a bunch of stampers. I've been thinking of using them for some embossed beads.

Ohhhhhhhhh...no no no no no no no no no!

When I waz a young "whipper-snapper," my Boy Scout leader told me something that I've never forgotten. He said, "Raymond...take care of your tools, and your tools will take care of you".

Now I'm all grown up. I served 10-years in the military (Army Ranger for 6 years), trained in Martial Arts, own my own security business in San Francisco (locksmith & safe technician)...and I STILL remember that statement.

My glass tools...err...umm...my WIFES glass tools are only used for glass work. My knives and weapons are only used for their intended purposes. And my leathersmithing tools are only for leathersmithing. (Not to pry open a can of paint, or hammer in a small nail to hang a picture, or to stamp hot glass).

So to cut to the quick...nope. I've never used my leather stamps to stamp hot glass.

Buuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuut...you may have something there.

If you can find some older leatherstamps on eBay for cheap, give it a try.

I'll also make sure to add your name to the list of other folks who are waiting for the bead table Christmas special. Ha ha ha.

Oh...before I forget. "I" am the lucky one in our marriage. My wife makes me the man that I am. Without her softness and nudging, I could never be the man she needs me to be for her - nor the complete man our Lord intended me to be for Him. (She gives my life balance - a balance a man cannot achieve by himself. She also helps me to be patient, and tries to make me see the world through HER eyes. [It's not all about conquering and destroying]).

Thanks again for the kind words.

And let us know if you took the "Nestea plunge" and tried some leather stamps on glass.

In Christ: Raymond & Katie

http://x53.xanga.com/d2dc93215133518...w145008837.jpg

Beautiful job Raymond. You're one lucky girl Katie. I have a husband like yours who is very handy to have around the house.

My sister lives in SanFransisco or actually in Berkeley by the "Rose Garden" I'll be heading down there in August for the gathering. It would be very nice to meet the two of you if you plan on attending.

Again, really nice work Raymond.


shari

Snort.... did you guys see the reason Raymond had to edit his post......

You are such a cute couple.

I had a great time reading your posts. My dh is currently working on my shed/studio and he's trying so hard to get me all set up. He has insulated the shed and put plywood up for walls and ceiling. All the electrical is now done too. We picked out paint today. Tomorrow the overhead lighting goes up. Next comes the hood and fan setup. I love reading these threads because they're so helpful to us. Your wife is so lucky to have you as you are to have her.

We live three miles from a big army base. Our 10th Mountain men and women are a huge force in the mideast. I so appreciate you mentioning the service people. We pray everyday that they may return safely. We've seen our share of solemn parades to welcome home the kids who didn't make it. We love seeing those big planes coming in to bring back the more fortunate ones.

Not until you mentioned it, but it's funny. :lol:

I didn't see that! LOL! Too funny, thanks for pointing it out!

OK, folks-n-folkettes,

it's all coming to an end, soon.

The other night I hooked-up all the wires, finished the duct work, and got all the fuel hoses hooked-up. It was around 0200 in dee morning...but DWP didn't care. She wanted to play with her new toy...and play with it NOOOOOOOW!! Ha ha ha. (Below are a few pictures of her that night. Notice my gecko cage to her left, in the living-room).

http://x74.xanga.com/f79c7b330003319...o151105002.jpg

http://x39.xanga.com/61bc9633c003219...o151104999.jpg

http://x25.xanga.com/b86c453b3323019...o151105006.jpg

Look at the last picture. Look at the smile and happiness in her face.

Oh my gosh...I love that woman sooooooooooooo much! She's awesome.


Anyhoo...here's a picture of the table as it stands right now, the 23rd of June.

http://x1e.xanga.com/f87c62342833319...o151104701.jpg

http://x63.xanga.com/c06c4b3728c3019...o151104703.jpg

The table is so comfortable to sit in now. It was lowered 3" inches from it's original height. Then we added the center support legs, Plexiglass side baffles (to let light in), and a glass rod holder above the range hood. (I will also add diagonal Plexiglass dividers in the tubes to divide them in two - hence giving her DOUBLE the glass space for her 104COE inventory).

Also notice the duct tubing. The part that you see is PERMANENTLY attached to the table. When she wants to bead, she grabs a 5" foot duct tube, attaches it to the existing duct tubing...and whammy...she's ready to bead. (Look at the above pictures, of her beading, to see what I'm talking about).

There are still five more things left to do before I am totally done.

1) Cut the diagonal Pexiglas dividers to double her glass rod storage space.
2) Finish making her matching 3' foot work bench. (I'm cutting a little "heart" on the bench for her).
3) I want to redo a section of the wiring. (It'll be replaced with the METAL ENCASED 12-gauge wiring you see on the floor).
4) I am building a custom "block," to block the fumes from backdrafting back in from where the duct tube exits the sliding glass doors.
5) I am building her a cool little shelf, designed to hold her jewlery tools, spools of wires, and frit bottles.

In closing, I will post the finished set-up in a new thread in the near future. It may be a long thread, but it will have a lot of pictures, and I will explain all my madness in detail.

Thanks for looking, and I hoped this helped someone out.

In Christ: Raymond

Wonderful! Thanks for sharing this (I want one!).

Wow! I'm looking forward to that new post! Fantastic job! And it is so nice to see such love - you both are blessed!

Raymond,
Could you tell me the dimensions of the table? It looks fantastic and I am going to attempt something similar but curious as to height, depth and length.
Thanks

mmm very pretty.

Don't really understand the whole plastic mat idea, as it smells AWFUL when you get hot glass on it. Also, why is there a gap in the steel in the back and why did you paint it white when it is easier to see the flame with a darker color to the back?

Hey Folks,

sorry for the delay in the bead table tutorial, but I've been SUPER BUSY these last few weeks.

I check my email every once in a while, and I'll even give a quick response to some of the posts...but I have almost no life sometimes.

My DWP is sometimes the only breath of fresh air I get. But I've started the bead table tutorial, and it'll be completed (and posted) in the near future.

Tiggy-Bubba...for the table top I used a 3/4" inch thick, 4' foot x 8' foot piece of plywood. But listen to my madness...

I already knew what I was going to build...but it also had to meet certain requirements.

a) It had to fit in the location we planned for it.

b) I knew it was gonna have a tile top. But I also knew that I didn't want to be cutting tile all day.

So here's what I did. I went with my Darling Wifey-Poo, and she picked out the tile she wanted. (Since there are different styles of tile, and tile come in different sizes, this was the very first step). Once she had picked it out, I took the measurements of the tile pieces, measured everything out (taking into consideration the 1/4" inch spaces between the tiles for the grout), and cut the plywood to a size that would enable me to lay out the pieces WITHOUT having to cut any pieces of tile.

Did yall follow that?

So if you look at the table top, every single piece of tile is complete...and the table looks "balanced" and neat.

As for the table dimensions: it is approximately 3' foot deep x 7' foot long x 29.5" inches tall. (Not including the 3/4" inch trim I placed along it's borders). The original 4' foot depth was just waaaaay too much. (It made me feel like I was back at the welding shop, or back in chem lab, or in some type of classroom setting where someone would be sitting across from me). The table was also lowered to about desk height, which is awesomely comfortable. We can use any type of chair...and not have to resort to a "totem pole height" stool. (In the end I chose to build her a custom, matching, bench). ;)

When the table was 3" inches higher, I swear, it had a totally different look. (See the first pictures at the beginning of this thread). It looked like a work table that belonged in a garage. But once I lowered it, it took on a totally different look. It looked very...umm..."warm," and right in place in our dining room. And since DWP sits kinda low, the range hood is away from her head.

If you look at the pictures, the torch tip is approximately 1.5" inches away from the edge of the hood. Which is OK, as the flame itself is entirely under the hood. And like I mentioned earlier, we have massive air velocity. (Sucking power). I spoke with Mike, crunched some numbers, and I ended-up reducing my duct tubes from 8" inches to 7" inches. This increased the air velocity, so our system is now a sucking monster...and it is still pushing 132 CFM of air per square foot.

Hmmm. If you're like me, you're probably wondering, "So what in tar-nations is 132 CFM's of air per square foot"?

Well, using my anemometer (Yea...I'm a long distance shooter) it is sucking air at 30 MPH!! Actually, ths picture was taken BEFORE I sealed all the duct tube connections with tape and paint. It is NOW sucking at 31 MPH, exactly. (Sealing everything made a noticable difference).

http://xe2.xanga.com/ba6c64477043219...w150160884.jpg



That is "A LOT" of air movement...and I am still pushing 132 CFM of air per square foot. My DWP is totally safe against fumes, and totally safe if she should choose to use enamels, frit, or like-sized particulates. (Having the original 8" inch duct tubing reduced the air velocity by approximately 3 MPH - which some might say is "not much". But when you feel the difference, it is a whole lot)!!!

Sorry for rambling. But I thought you'd like to see what CFM looks like when translated to wind speed. It kinda puts things in perspective.

Amethyst-Briolette...the reason I placed the runner in front of the table was to protect the carpet. I built everything to sit "flat-slab-dead-center" in the middle of our dining room. So, of course, everything also had to look nice and presentable. Plywood, or some other surface, would not meet our criteria. (But "Hey"...it's OK if yall want to use it. Go for it). But in the end, it's better to speckle the runner with "shocky's," rather than the carpet.

As for why the open space under the rear and side baffles?

"I-ohn-know"?

No reason.

Maybe it's cuz I'm kinda claustrophobic, and I subconsiously did that. It actually "felt better" designing it with a little open space. And after crunching some ventilation numbers, I was assured that DWP's safety was not at risk (IN ANY MANNER)...so I went ahead with it.

And very, very, lastly...the table in the above photo's is not finished. The white was because it looks clean and professional. (Can't have "ghetto steel tubing" in the dining room)! And as for not being able to see the flame...well...we purchased an EXTRA piece of tile. Hmmmmm...wonder where we decided to place that when we purchased it? ;)

OK, that's it. I had an 22 hour day, it's 0545 in derr morning, and I'm just getting home.

All I'm thinking about is laying next to derr DWP's warm bod, and hugging my pillow.

Sorry for rambling, but there's always a reason behind my madness. (Well...most of the time there is).

G'Nite, yall.

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz zzzzzzzzz.

In Christ: Raymond

Thanks Raymond. I really appreciate your response. I am thinking of shrinking mine down to 6' just to fit in my space but couldnt tell the height from the pics. This helps a lot!
Leslie

TiggyBubba,

make sure you do all the proper ventilation calculations!!!!!

Remember, if you reduce the duct tube diameter, you will also reduce the CFM of air volume moved.

So if you reduce the duct tube size, MAKE SURE that the CFM of air movement is still within limits to keep you safe.

DO NOT sacrifice air velocity for CFM of air movement, if it will drop the CFM of air per square feet to an unsafe level!!!!!!!!!!! (I cannot emphasize this enough).

You need to do all the proper calculations before attempting to play with the air velocity. (Reducing the duct tube size, or purchasing a larger/smaller fan). But if you HAVE done all the calculations, and you deem that you can play with the duct tube size to increase the air velocity while keeping the CFM of air per square foot at a safe level...then knowing that you can do this, is a great tool to have at you disposal.

One last thing. Make sure that your fan has the power/umff to be able to handle this added stress factor. Some of the weaker fans may overwork themselves and burn out. I know the Can-Fan's, and the Elicent fans, have the "UMFF" needed for this added stress. But I'm not sure about the other ones.

Please remember...the name of the game is S-A-F-E-T-Y!!! So make sure you are getting the proper amount of CFM of air per square foot for the set-up you have.

I reiterate, crunch those numbers and do the proper ventilation calculations. I made my air velocity change, ONLY after I saw that I would still have 132 CFM of air per square feet.

Be safe.

In Christ: Raymond

PS: Darn...I'm still tired. After rereading your post, I realized that you said SIX FEET (not 6" inches)- and were talking about your table dimensions, and NOT your duct tube size.

Duhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!! Ha ha ha ha ha.

But I'll leave the info there in case someone may need the clarification. I'm such a dork! #-o

LOL Raymond. Thats ok. I redid the plans and will add another 6" (thats inches) to the table length. I want it as big as possible and still allow for flow around the room. I notice that you added another set of legs in the middle. Is that because you have the hood resting on the table top? I plan on hanging my hood from the ceiling from chains so it will be to the table surface but not on the table surface.

I will most likely be getting a Vortex fan, canadian made and perfect for this application. 790 cfm's. The ducting is 10" but will be putting a reducer on to take it to 8".

I want to thank you again for sharing your experiences and discoveries....

TiggyBubba,

invest a little more, and get a little more quality than the Vortex fan. (My personal opinion).

The Elicent fan I have is also made in Canada, so give them a looksy. They are a much better grade of fan. Call the dealer (the fan resaler, and not the cannibis growing dealer), and ask for their professional opinion.

By the way, I have heard a few, not so good, things about Vortex fans...both from horticulturists, as well as Mike Aurelius.

And in closing, don't worry so much about "...the flow around the room". Just concentrate on the intake from to torch to the hood, and make sure you have the appropriate CFM of air per square foot...and all the other stuff will take care of itself.

You can have a work table that is 50' foot long, and 20' foot deep, but it doesn't matter. What matters is the torch/hood/ventilation areas! (And don't forget about the make-up air).

As for the center support legs, that's what they are - center SUPPORT legs.

After finishing the table, I realized that the tile was a lot heavier than originally anticipated. And upon looking closer, my 6-million dollar bionic eye noticed a tad of "sag" in the center of the table.

This would not do.

So I took the time to do it right the first time, and made the needed reinforcement. (Without the center support legs, my DWP would not have been able to stand in the center of the table, like seen in the earlier photo's).

OK, that's it.

Toodle-Loo.

In Christ: Raymond

Hi Raymond,
I have not heard of that brand of fan, I will research them tonight. When I am talking about flow, its not air flow but the flow of the room. This will be a multi purpose room with 2 tables and so I need to have them both accessible and useable.

Can you be more specific about the issues with vortex fans? I have not heard anything bad about them and I thought they were recommended.

I have also included a drawing of the side view of my soon to be hood. I have a solid back and side baffles down to the table .

Thoughts? Concerns?

Raymond,

Have you seen the August 2007 issue of The Annealer magazine? There is an article with images showing the thermal plume and how it's affected (actually deflected) by the placement of a bead in the flame. The recommended position of the front of your torch is over the center of the torch body, otherwise your hood is NOT catching all of the thermal plume (as in your case).

And if you are going to recommend to someone to reduce the ducting from 10" to 8", do you have the formula to show exactly what percentage are you lowering the efficiency of the fan? Leslie/tiggybubba's fan is 790 CFM which means that her hood shouldn't be larger than 24" x 38" (without baffles/enclosures). . . that's WITHOUT reduction from 10" to 8" ducting and/or bends in her ducting.

Hayley,
My fan is 790 (I think, havent bought it yet) and my hood opening is 24x36. It does have side baffles and a solid back so it is quite contained. I think I will move this discussion over to the saftey room with a full explanation of how I will duct it. This is taking away from Raymonds DWP's beautiful table and I dont want to hijack the thread. Come see what I post later. I welcome all opinions and advise.

PS Ray did not recommend to me to reduce the ducting. I was just going by what I wanted to do.

TiggyBubba,

the Vortex line of fans are good. And many folks rave about it's 10-year warranty, which is great. Actually...that's an awesome warranty. But I have also heard folks mention it's noise output.

I have never owned an inline centrifugal fan before, and the Elicent is the only one I've ever purchased. But I went with the Elicent for two reasons:

1) A few different places had comments that the Elicent was quieter than the Vortex and two other compatible fans.

2) I have heard that the motors of the Elicent fan were sturdier, and ran "stronger/truer" than other compatible fans. This is why they might run a tad slower than other fans (lower CFM), but will stay closer to the advertised CFM better than the other brands while pushing through various lengths of ducting.

This is what I have read. And this is why I went with the Elicent AXC 200B. (I also had my eye on the Vortex fan. But then I was swayed towards the Can-Fan..and ultimately the Elicent). But you can make your own choice, and then voice your review/opinion. Who knows? I may be wrong.

Here is a link to a comment Mike Aurelius made about the Vortex fan. (CLICK HERE).

Hayley,

I have never "recommended" that Leslie - or anyone else - reduce their duct tubing. Why do you keep inferring that I am doing so? I am only PRESENTING INFORMATION for folks to consider. Mike Aurelius has helped me to understand a lot of these concepts, which I am just passing on to other folks. It made sense to me, so now I am just passing on the information for others to read. Ultimately it is the end-users decision...after they have made an informed and calculated decision.

I see that you are adamant that duct tubing should never be reduced. (Or at least it sounds that way to me. Especially when you told another reader that you were glad that they didn't reduce their duct tube size...cuz you would have looked up other posts by "professionals" to disuade them). And I am sure there are many other folks that agree with you. (Which is totally cool). But I do not follow your posts to debunk your advise. If you are from the camp that thinks "reducing the duct tubing size to increase air velocity is taboo"...that's OK with me. Those are your opinions. But I see other factors to consider. And I would like to share them, and pass them on to others to consider as well...WHILE ALWAYS STRESSING SAFETY. You never hear me slamming it down someones throat, at the cost of reducing their CFM's to unsafe levels. Do you? Afterall, isn't SAFETY what proper ventilation is all about?

As for the formulas. Click HERE to go to Mike's site to check them out. But I am sure you would need to be a lot more specific about Leslie's set-up to get the proper answers. (Type of duct tubing [metal smooth walled, etc..], total duct tubing distance, how many 90 degree bends, width and height of hood, CFM of fan, etc...).

I am definitely not at the level of Mike Aurelius when it comes to calculating static pressures, velocity pressures, loss factors, etc, etc... But then again, he is the professional in this field, and I am not. But if you want to know how to penetrate a high security safe (like a Fichet-Bauche Chambord TRTL-16X6)...give me a call for an opening price. Or if you need to originate a high security transponder key for a Ferrari...drop me a line for a quote. These are my fields of experience. But if I want to know how to make the best ventilation system for my wife, and if I want to know all the options and why they may play a factor in my final decision, then I'll contact a professional who has designed ventilation system software for other folks. And Mike was that guy.

He was the one who informed me about air velocity, and how it plays a role in ventilation systems. He did NOT "recommend" that I reduce my duct tubing size to increase the air velocity. But he did explain the concept to me, which I totally understood. The final decision was mine. And he even stated that I had a very nice set-up.

Anyhoo...Mike was super cool with me. And I really appreciated his "right hand of fellowship" when he helped me to crunch all those ventilation numbers. Especially since he didn't know me from Adam. (Kudos, Mike).

Yuck. I have a bitter taste in my mouth now.

I think I'll close the door on this thread, and start a new one when I post the final pictures of my DWP's bead table.

Asta la vista, baby.

In Christ: Raymond

PS: THESE GUYS have good prices on Vortex fans. And THIS GUY is who I purchased my AXC 200B from. (He gave me the best deal).

PSS: I would LOVE to see the article in the Annealer Mag, but I don't subscribe to it. Right now we only subscribe to Glassworks and The Flow. But if you could send me a link..."Me love you long time".

Oh Raymond
I am so sorry that this thread turned on you. Thats why I posted my questions in the safety forum and invited anyone to continue to post in there.

I apologize for hijacking the thread. I never meant to do that. You have been very generous with your information, always humerous and a delight to read.

Again my humble apologies.

Don't worry, Leslie.

You're fine in my book. As a matter of fact, I have you right at the front of my Crayola box...right in between the pink and baby blue.

I also harbor no ill will towards anyone.

Different folks think differently. That's a freedom we as Americans have.

Nuff said. I'm done here.

In Christ: Raymond

I am not adamant that ducting should never be reduced. I would like to know how to calculate the final CFM of a certain fan when such action is taken so that someone reading your post advocating air velocity would know the consequences of using a reducer on a system.

When I read that Leslie is planning to reduce her ducting based on your post regarding air velocity but without any notation of the percentage of CFM reduction, and her fan being only 790 CFM, I am very concerned it would render the fan ineffective with her hood size.

All I am doing here is to make sure that Leslie's system is adequate, I am glad Leslie is posting this in the safety section of the forum.

Leslie, it is not your fault so please do not feel sorry. I wouldn't have posted except when you said you were going to use a reducer and your fan was only 790 CFM, I had to question what it would mean to your system for it concerned your health and safety. . .

This was posted by Mike Aurelius:

http://www.lampworketc.com/forums/sh...90&postcount=8
The person started this thread had the same GlassCraft hood as I do and used a reducer to change from the 10" fan to 8" ducting . . . comments from Mike Aurelius and co.:
http://www.lampworketc.com/forums/ne...reply&p=861958
http://www.lampworketc.com/forums/sh...3&postcount=12

From bhhco:
http://www.lampworketc.com/forums/sh...51&postcount=8
ETA: This is what Dale said in Leslie's thread – if one's actually fan size is in line with the smaller ducting AND the duct run is short, AND a test of your system proves that it's working effectively, then it's fine.

http://www.lampworketc.com/forums/sh...10&postcount=6

Hi, I love your handiwork. I know that your wife is really enjoying her new table. Can't wait to see your final final.

Hi Raymond,

Long time no talk to. Where do you keep the propane? I didn't see it in the pictures. I will be doing something similar with my ventilation. Running it through the open patio door. I will have to run the propane through the same way. Except I will have to disconnect it after each use so that I can secure the door when not in use. Not crazy about the idea. But I am addicted to the glass.