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Safety -- Make sure you are safe!

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  #1  
Old 2011-10-18, 8:44pm
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IksBeadedCreations IksBeadedCreations is offline
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Default How to Avoid Burning the House Down?

I need your help please on understanding how this all works and your feedback on my plans for setup. I'm extremely new to this and up until this point have only purchased a beads from artists; I've never made my own. There are no classes being offered in my area until after Christmas and I want to be set up well before then.

I'll be torching in my in-laws basement. The space I'll be in has foundation running half way up, then unfinished walls and ceiling. There are two windows in my area, approx. 24"x18" in size, plus relatively close access to the exterior door. Ventilation wise, I'm working on piecing together a hood and fan system (aiming to have around 650cfm). I'm going to run ducting out one window and open the other for make-up air. The windows are around the corner from each other and each about 6'-8' from the corner, so I think there is enough distance between them to avoid sucking in the bad air.

I'll be mounting my torch on an old school dining table (I'd guess at least 2.5' deep, maybe 3'). I have a Mini cc and an 8lpm oxycon. I'll be storing my propane outside and running a hose in through one window.

Some concern has been expressed over the torch, what kind of heat it produces and if there should be any concern about me burning the house down . I've never used a torch like this and while I've watched some videos on you-tube, I can't answer their questions about the heat produced, if it's safe etc... I've seen on one video that the mini cc can have a flame up to 16". If that's mounted on the dining table mentioned above, pushed against the wall, how far will the heat project? Do I need to worry about the walls and surrounding area? Should I put some sheet rock against the wall to protect it?

I want to alleviate all fears about this and make sure I'm torching as safely as possible. Especially since I'm using someone elses home to torch in (my place doesn't have room, plus it means my inlaws can spend time with our 4mth old while I torch downstairs. Any help and feedback you guys can give me is greatly appreciated!

Thank You!
Iesha
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  #2  
Old 2011-10-19, 2:36am
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The heat doesn't project far at all - I have mine on a 600mm deep bench up against a wall and it doesn't even get warm

Quote:
Originally Posted by IksBeadedCreations View Post
I need your help please on understanding how this all works and your feedback on my plans for setup. I'm extremely new to this and up until this point have only purchased a beads from artists; I've never made my own. There are no classes being offered in my area until after Christmas and I want to be set up well before then.

I'll be torching in my in-laws basement. The space I'll be in has foundation running half way up, then unfinished walls and ceiling. There are two windows in my area, approx. 24"x18" in size, plus relatively close access to the exterior door. Ventilation wise, I'm working on piecing together a hood and fan system (aiming to have around 650cfm). I'm going to run ducting out one window and open the other for make-up air. The windows are around the corner from each other and each about 6'-8' from the corner, so I think there is enough distance between them to avoid sucking in the bad air.

I'll be mounting my torch on an old school dining table (I'd guess at least 2.5' deep, maybe 3'). I have a Mini cc and an 8lpm oxycon. I'll be storing my propane outside and running a hose in through one window.

Some concern has been expressed over the torch, what kind of heat it produces and if there should be any concern about me burning the house down . I've never used a torch like this and while I've watched some videos on you-tube, I can't answer their questions about the heat produced, if it's safe etc... I've seen on one video that the mini cc can have a flame up to 16". If that's mounted on the dining table mentioned above, pushed against the wall, how far will the heat project? Do I need to worry about the walls and surrounding area? Should I put some sheet rock against the wall to protect it?

I want to alleviate all fears about this and make sure I'm torching as safely as possible. Especially since I'm using someone elses home to torch in (my place doesn't have room, plus it means my inlaws can spend time with our 4mth old while I torch downstairs. Any help and feedback you guys can give me is greatly appreciated!

Thank You!
Iesha
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  #3  
Old 2011-10-19, 3:09am
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Welcome to the obsession Iesha!
I admire your tenacity - it took me more than a year from beginning to setup to actually turn on the torch in my studio.

There is heaps of info in the studio and safety areas here. You'll probably get all your questions answered if you go through these.

Best of luck - keep us posted.
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Old 2011-10-19, 3:32am
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Iesha, you can put something flame proof behind your torch against the wall if that makes everyone feel safer. Simply a piece of backer board, the cement board that you use to cover walls and floors before you put ceramic tile down is cheap and it's cement, it won't catch fire.

Ventilation is important. You have to have good ventilation.
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  #5  
Old 2011-10-19, 3:38am
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I went to my local big box home improvement center and got a piece of sheet steal about 3 feet by 2 feet and spray painted it with high heat stove paint. This is my bench top. Directly under my torch I have 1 inch thick fire brick that I got at my local wood/coal stove dealer. For a flame stop I stacked up some used fire brick from my coal stove. Oh, you will wan to keep the floor free from combustibles, hot glass has a bad habit of hitting the floor. Welcome to the obsession.
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  #6  
Old 2011-10-19, 8:07am
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All good advice and you are on right track. If you have gas appliances in basement area, be absolutely sure the make up air is adequate and you do not get a phenomenon called "flue reversal" in flues of appliances, caused by fan pulling air backwards out of appliance flues and that causes the NOX and CO from combustion in appliances to be pulled into studio area...

"concrete backer board" goes a long way to ease the concerns of those who are non believers that the torch is pretty safe as long as the actual flame is a reasonable distance from walls....

Dale
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  #7  
Old 2011-10-19, 10:27am
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If it is possible locate your bench under one of the windows to shorten the length of ducting from your hood. No ducting is necessary from the makeup air window. Remember also to put in good lighting and get good glasses. Never wear synthetic clothes, always cotton or wool as synthetics melt and stick to your skin while cotton/wool will char but not stick and are easily extinguished. Get a small fire extinguisher and keep it between you and the exit, you don't want to have to pass by/thru the fire to get the extinguisher or out the exit. Have fun.
PJH
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  #8  
Old 2011-10-20, 11:18pm
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Thank you for all the feedback and advice! I think we're going to throw some sheet rock up around my area just to alleviate concerns. Once I have it going and they can see for themselves how much heat is produced, then I think they'll feel more confident in it.

My hubby and I are going to start working on their basement tomorrow (part of the deal is that we help clear out a bunch of old knick knacks and tidy it up a bit down there). I also managed to find a bunch of old furniture to use as part of my set up so that is awesome! Now to figure out the ventilation and pick up the odds and ends I need then I can start torching!! I can't wait I'm already designing beads in my head and thinking of the finished pieces of jewellery *happy dance*


Glasses Question: If I'm using a bench mount didymium shield, do I need didymium glasses as well or can I just use safety glasses? TIA!

Iesha
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  #9  
Old 2011-10-21, 2:02am
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Quote:
Originally Posted by IksBeadedCreations View Post
If I'm using a bench mount didymium shield, do I need didymium glasses as well or can I just use safety glasses?
A didy shield is nice. Use one on my end for boro beads with the shield purchased from Blue Moon. The answer is no, you do not need didy glasses with the shield. The shield takes care of the sodium flare generated by the glass plus acts as a heat and blast shield.

Many suggest using a set of glasses or clipons with a welding filter of 3 or 5. That will do nothing for the sodium but does help in the UV department. Shade 5 is much darker than 3, so additional lighting may be needed to properly see your work. Many welding supply stores (Air Gas, Air Liquide, etc) have many styles to choose from. Including plastic, wrap arounds, etc.

Enjoy the hobby.....

Last edited by Alaska; 2011-10-21 at 2:23am.
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  #10  
Old 2011-10-21, 5:58am
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A little clarification here... Shade 3 or 5 glasses are only needed for Borosilicate work. IF you are using soda/lime glass the didymum (Now ACE 202) shield and CLEAR safety glasses should be enough...

Dale
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