Hot Weather Studio Time Poll

StellaBlue · #1 2012-06-30, 1:12am

It's been brutally hot in Texas, and I am looking for torchtime survival strategies. How do you cope with the heat?

(I wasn't quick enough last time and couldn't post the poll!)

StellaBlue · #2 2012-06-30, 5:38am

I've been moving back and forth between "don't do it" and "suck it up". I had knee surgery so I am off the torch for a couple of days and have some time to rethink.

Before we got our kiln, we batch annealed and found we could be successful with a number of smaller or simpler beads, and I'm thinking about going back to that strategy for the worst of the heat to minimize kiln time during the day and lower the total kiln runs.

I'd love to hear what everyone else is trying. What works for you?

glassymom · #3 2012-06-30, 6:16am

I suck it up. LOL I have an ac but I can't even feel it. Usually sweat runs down the back of my legs......but thats ok, my little chihuahua blocks some of the heat that blows from my concentrator.......she loves to lay next to it to keep "warm" little stinker!
I try to torch once the sun is no longer shining on my studio but thats about it. LOL
sue

Elizabeth Beads · #4 2012-06-30, 6:25am

Batch annealing doesn't help because my kiln puts out very little heat. Even the torch doesn't have much ambient heat as I learned when the weather is cool. I can manage the heat better if I start early and it gets hot gradually. What I can't do is torch when it is very cold. I used to try, wearing a hat, down vest, fingerless gloves, etc. but I was too miserable.

StellaBlue · #5 2012-06-30, 6:39am

Wow Elizabeth, what kind of kiln do you have?

My little Skutt bead annealer feels like a blast furnace. The room feels substantially warmer when it is on, and when the bead door is open while I'm working (or to vent) it throws quite alot of heat. On the other hand,working in the winter is nice - it makes the room really cozy.

patienthand · #6 2012-06-30, 7:09am

for those of you who can...over the years I have found this to be my best solution to heat. I placed a window AC unit right under my bench. I turn that puppy on high and it blows on my legs and up my body, doesnt bother the flame, and keeps me cool. You are also not wasting a lot of the cool by having it higher in the room. Hot rises, cool falls,,, so by putting it low in the room, you arent using up all the cool you generated on hot air at the top of the room that you will exhaust anyway.

Lorraine Chandler · #7 2012-06-30, 8:31am

We are rebuilding my studio right now and I have a window A/C we will install, but I still will only work early mornings or late evenings,

and that is because here in my area they have prime time charges for electricity, It almost triples in fees during that time.

So if I run my small studio during prime time usage it will cost more than running the whole house plus I would still be paying for the house electricity also.

I am serioulsy thinking of setting up several solar panels!!

allicat · #8 2012-06-30, 10:21am

Because I torch in my kitchen, I keep the windows open for fresh air circulation. Hubby gets upset if I leave the windows open while the AC is on LOL so I torch either at night when the AC is off downstairs, or when he isn't around *smirk*

NLC Beads · #9 2012-06-30, 10:30am

I take more breaks and drink loads of water. No respirator when it's too hot (over 90 degrees) as I overheat quicker then.

KariFL · #10 2012-06-30, 10:42am

I work late at night and I have windows open for cross ventilation. My lifesaver is the portable AC Unit that sits right by me. I've tried everything else and this is the only thing that works in my studio.

Kari

istandalone24/7 · #11 2012-06-30, 10:44am

here in southern vermont it's been pretty hot lately, but between my vent system and a decent fan blowing on my legs (and, let's be honest, cooling off the junk) it's tolerable up to 95f or so.
beyond that, i usually shut down for the sake of the oxycon. in VT, when it's hot, it's usually really humid too

mandyjw · #12 2012-06-30, 10:50am

We don't have many hot days here so I either suck it up or wait and make up for it on a cooler day.

StellaBlue · #13 2012-06-30, 11:14am

Quote:

Originally Posted by istandalone24/7

here in southern vermont it's been pretty hot lately, but between my vent system and a decent fan blowing on my legs (and, let's be honest, cooling off the junk) it's tolerable up to 95f or so.
beyond that, i usually shut down for the sake of the oxycon. in VT, when it's hot, it's usually really humid too

Nice to see Vermonters on here! I grew up in Springfield, and my family all still lives up there. I get to visit pretty regularly. I moved to Texas about 20 years ago - love it but the heat and the humidity can be brutal. Here, however, everything is super air-conditioned, and that tends to be less the case in Vermont. Sometimes I have found myself more uncomfortable in Vermont in the summer than in Texas, but that's mostly because there is more air conditioned inside spaces here.

BTW- my dream situation would be a Vermont or Main studio in the summer and fall, Texas in the winter and spring. Part of my "When I win the Lottery" Grand Scheme.

StellaBlue · #14 2012-06-30, 11:16am

I'm seeing a few votes for cool-off accessories. I've seen some things like gel bandanas you soak, and I know there is warm weather clothing meant to wick perspiration for hikers, etc. Does anyone use any of this stuff? Does it work well for you?

Dragonharper · #15 2012-06-30, 11:39am

I work in the mornings anyway. My best time is between 6:00AM and 9:00 AM.

Hayley · #16 2012-06-30, 3:43pm

We are very lucky that it never gets very hot nor very cold in San Francisco!

alb6094 · #17 2012-06-30, 3:54pm

I either get up at 4am and torch until about 11am or I wait until about 9pm and torch until I'm ready to quit. Sometimes that's between 2a and 4a and sometimes I torch until the sun rises then go to bed like a vampire, lol.

11am to 9pm are intolerable in my studio with the kiln on even with A/C. If I'm not running the kiln I can work out there until about 3pm. I can't do anything between 3pm and 9pm, it's like walking into a blast furnace.

kansassky · #18 2012-06-30, 8:43pm

Can't do it. When it gets this hot (several days over 100F here in Kansas) I hafta' throw in the towel.

Between kiln, torch, and concentrator--it's just too much. Fans only blow around the scorching hot air. AC can't compete. To be productive, I decided to use these days to work on ordering, inventory, inspiration, research, and design ideas. I know. I'm a wimp.

I'm laughing, Sue, reading your description about the sweat running down the back of your legs. My dogs lick the sweat off the back of my knees if I stand still long enough. But, they won't go into the studio either--when it's this hot.

Weather forecasters say continued hot and dry weather through next week. Dang.

dh

woozles · #19 2012-07-01, 5:37am

I suck it up most of the time. I torch outside. This weekend we have a heat advisory and i was out in the heat until midnight Friday fro an event, so decided not to torch this weekend. AND our inside air is on the fritz!

I can usually handle the heat with a frozen washcloth on the back of my neck, but the gnats are a different story. They distract and irritate the heck out of me. I found a new spray i am going to try next weekend - a few people swear by it. we'll see.

catsarthouse · #20 2012-07-01, 5:56am

My studio is air conditioned so I can torch anytime and be comfortable. One thing I notice though is when it's this hot out I feel more tired.

istandalone24/7 · #21 2012-07-01, 6:37am

Quote:

Originally Posted by StellaBlue

I'm seeing a few votes for cool-off accessories. I've seen some things like gel bandanas you soak, and I know there is warm weather clothing meant to wick perspiration for hikers, etc. Does anyone use any of this stuff? Does it work well for you?

i've bought several of the fad "cool off" and "sweat free" shorts/shirts and to me there is no difference, save for how well the fabric breathes.
my biggest issue is sweat running into my eyes. i'm going to have to start wearing a bandana or something like that.

mystikalsalad · #22 2012-07-01, 12:57pm

I'm in southeastern Wisconsin and my torch setup is in an enclosed sunroom, which on 90 degree days (such as today) can reach 130 no problem in there. I have 4 to 5 fans i turn on at 9pm or so with my concentrator to let that get goin and by 9:30p it's not too bad out there. So to answer the poll question, I torch late at night. If anyone wants to see a pic of my setup, let me know.

Lisi · #23 2012-07-01, 7:38pm

I'm in deep south Florida where it's the high '90s, but it's made worse because of the very high humidity. I know of someone who went to NC and it was 103 there one summer. He said it wasn't that bad because the humidity was lower. Apparently to humidity percentage matters more than the temp.

In the studio, I just have to suck it up because I don't really have a choice. But I don't have an air-conditioned house to go and get relief in like most people do. I live without a/c in the house too, so it sucks all around during this time of year.

Elizabeth Beads · #24 2012-07-02, 6:58am

Quote:

Originally Posted by StellaBlue

Wow Elizabeth, what kind of kiln do you have?

My little Skutt bead annealer feels like a blast furnace. The room feels substantially warmer when it is on, and when the bead door is open while I'm working (or to vent) it throws quite alot of heat. On the other hand,working in the winter is nice - it makes the room really cozy.

Sorry for the late reply. I have a Paragon Bluebird XL firebrick kiln. The exterior stays tepid to the touch. The only real heat that gets out is when I open the door to pop in a bead.

5betsy · #25 2012-07-02, 8:54am

I'm in Tucson - and you guys in the SE part of the country have it way worse than I do because of the humidity.

That being said, I still get up at 4:30am to turn everything on in the studio and start torching as soon as I can see (use a skylight in my studio, no lamps) which is about 5 am. Lately it's been getting to 106 or so and I can torch from 5 am to about 9:30, which is plenty of time for me.

steiconi · #26 2012-07-02, 11:22am

I start getting sweaty and lethargic around 80 degrees (it ain't the heat, it's the humidity); fortunately, that's rare. But I have a big fan right behind my work chair--I crank that up to full blast, and wear my lightweight shirt and pants, and can go for an hour or so at a time.

betsymn · #27 2012-07-03, 7:25am

Quote:

Originally Posted by patienthand

for those of you who can...over the years I have found this to be my best solution to heat. I placed a window AC unit right under my bench. I turn that puppy on high and it blows on my legs and up my body, doesnt bother the flame, and keeps me cool. You are also not wasting a lot of the cool by having it higher in the room. Hot rises, cool falls,,, so by putting it low in the room, you arent using up all the cool you generated on hot air at the top of the room that you will exhaust anyway.

What a GOOD idea!! I just can't take the heat anymore, so I've pretty much stopped torching until it cools down (it was 100° here yesterday). I figure it's time I can use to try getting more beads listed, since I've got beads still from last summer waiting to get cleaned. But that wouldn't be too hard for my nephews to cut a hole in the wall, frame it in and stick in a small window unit.

simvet02 · #28 2012-07-03, 3:34pm

I tried torching at midnight a few times but always felt like I had a thousand eyes staring at me through the open windows...LOL That and the bugs diving at the flame, nope...didn't work for me.

I have one of those gel neck things that works well, I keep it in iced water until I need it, then it drips down my front, that helps keep me cool.

However, the oxy con does have a working range and anything over about 85 is too hot for it. It isn't effective and it may not provide the purest oxygen above that temp. I can't remember the exact range but I do know that the 90's is too warm for it. We also have high humidity which isn't good for it.

So, I'm going to try early morning torching and see if I can handle that. I haven't torched in three weeks, I'm getting itchy...LOL Bravo to those that can just deal with it. I'm apparently a sissy.

clover1978 · #29 2012-07-04, 8:27am

I'm out in western CO. Its been stinking hot here for the last few weeks and I expect it to keep being so. In the past shops I would work starting at 7 in the evening and work into the wee hours through the night. Its murder on your sleep cycle but you don't have to be worried about heat stroke/ exhaustion. And it only lasts for the summer until you have to be concerned with being cold in the winter lol.
I liked the idea of putting the AC unit under the station like someone suggested. Makes perfect sense cause anywhere else and we all know it doesn't help much. Thankfully my current shop has great insulation in the roof but still around 3 or so in the afternoon it gets toasty from the combined heat of the kiln and torch.
This question/ dilemma will continue to plague lamp workers. If you're not baking you're freezing, such is the craft lol

essiemessy · #30 2012-07-04, 2:46pm

I just suck it up. Because I have to. Can't work into the night because I'm up so early for work (4:30).
Humidity is the bitch here, so if need be, I have a fan at my back. The worst part of it is that, apart from my age ('that' age), my didys keep slipping down!