Ventilation System?

[DottieG]

Howdy!
I'm a relative newbie to lampworking. I took my first class at Heritage Glass in New Braunfels, TX in Sept 2009 and immediately got hooked. I've taken a couple of additional lessons and also joined the Houston Hotties ISGB group where I've met some great people for learning and networking. I've also been lurking on LE - reading threads and purchasing goodies (starting my stash). I've picked up a lot of great information and tips; as well as some fabulous tools and supplies at great prices. It's great how everyone is so generous with their knowledge and willing to share their experiences. I'm hoping to solicit input from folks who have been down the path before.

We've got lots of space outside, but I've been indoor space challenged since I started. We've got a really small, old house out in the country. No garage; just an open ended carport. I'm finally graduating from using a HotHead with fiber blanket on the backyard screen porch to a Cricket with oxycon, Chili Pepper kiln and with my own soon-to-be-studio. Yeah!!

On Monday I'm getting a 10x16 metal building shell delivered. Before doing anything to it I thought I'd set up ventilation, and then work everything else (walls, wiring, AC, workbench, etc) in around that. One 16' wall has the door and two windows. The other 16" wall has a spot you can cut out for an AC. One 10' end has a window; the other 10' wall is plain. The roof has a slight gabled pitch to it. I thought I'd set up my lampworking area on the plain 10" wall.

I've read several posts on ventilation, but have gotten confused. It seems like is that you need a lot of CFM and rigid ductwork. I came across the following 36" x 20", 6-speed 900 CFM vent hood with two 30 watt halogen lights on eBay:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...=STRK:MEWAX:IT
It doesn't list a brand, but the specs are:
36" RANGE HOOD WALL F-36
KEY FEATURES!
Dimension: 36x20(w x d)
Chimney Height: 20-35” adjustable with 6” round duct vent
Airflow at Max: 900 CFM
Lighting: 2x35 w Halogen Lights
Noise Level: Low speed: 46dBA Max speed: 55dBA
Voltage: 120v @ 60 Hz standard USA & CANADA
Motor: 218W Upgraded Low Noise Version
Mount Type: Wall Mounted
Speeds: 6 Speed
Keypad type: Touch Sensitive with blue LED
Filters: 3 Dishwasher safe aluminum grease filters
Material: Industry High Stainless Steel
Warranty: 1 year parts from the Manufacture

With free delivery it seems like a pretty good deal. But it would be a very expensive lesson if it isn't appropriate for lampworking. Before going down that path, I thought I'd check here to see if anyone has suggestions, etc.

Thanks so much for taking the time to read through all of this. Any recommendations and input would be very much appreciated!

Thanks!
-Dorothy

[Mary K]

Just from looking at that set up, I would say that it is not
really what you need. That is for cooking, with baffels for grease,
and not really the capture effect that would evacuate the plume of nox
from lampworking, with that flat bottom on it.
Here is my set up:

My Vent hood is open to collect the gases from the torch and the fan
is mercifully on the outside of the building, giving me one less thing
to further my deafness. I got a 900cfm granger squirrel cage
blower for about $150 )?) and had a HVAC (heating and airconditioning) shop make my hood,
out of sheet metal, you don't need stainless steel.
I have only one speed and that is really enough.
I think it was a little over $125. I added my own lights, cool lights with
those new energy saving bulbs. In the picture you can also see my
return air coming up under the bench. This system works great,
My DH and I did it all and saved a lot of $$$$.

[Dale M.]

Actually the fan system may work..... It all has to do with is the 900 CFM value correct or believable..... As for any grease traps/baffles, you can just remove them, that would also increase air flow....

Also If flow is a little poor it may be improved by adding a baffles down sides from hood edged to bench top would help increase/direct air flow.....

Sure buying something like this is a risk, but so is building your own system....

I have pointed out these style hoods several time's (900 CFM) but as far as I know there has not been one adapted to lampwork use, at least nobody has responded that they have gotten one and it worked or did not work....

If the hood is everything it claims to be it may be a good "off the shelf" solution for many lamp workers...

Dale

[DottieG]

Hi Mary & Dale,

Thank you both for your input. You've both given me food for thought and I appreciate it very much. I'll make some inquiries about sheet metal work to either make a hood or to make baffels for the ready-made one. Then I'll ponder for a couple of days.

Mary - your studio set up is fabulous! I went through and found some of your other posts where you had pictures of the process. WOW!

Dale - thanks for the input on the "off the shelf" solution. I'm going to see if the eBay seller can give me more details on the motor and CFM.

I'll keep you posted on what I end up doing. Thanks again!
-Dorothy

[Mary K]

Hey Dottie,
I'd go with what Dale said, if he thinks it's ok, I definitly defer to him. He knows
a heck of a lot more than I do about this stuff. I asked him for a lot of advice
when I did my studio ventilation.

[Dale M.]

Originally Posted by Mary K

Hey Dottie,
I'd go with what Dale said, if he thinks it's ok, I definitly defer to him. He knows
a heck of a lot more than I do about this stuff. I asked him for a lot of advice
when I did my studio ventilation.

But the real question was my advice correct?

Dale

[DottieG]

Thanks Mary & Dale! I've emailed the eBay vendor to get more information on the vent hood such as make & model as well as the make & model of the fan motor.

Mary - What are you using on your return air system to get the air back in? I see the ductwork, but must have missed/overlooked how you get it in. Do you use the same fan that you're using for exhaust?

I've also been reading Mike Aurelius' posts, but can't seem to find "table 1" to do the calculations on ductwork, etc.

My building got delivered yesterday, so I'm itching to get started We put it where my tomato / blackberry garden used to be. We did manage to save a few blackberry plants. Right now it's nothing more than a shell - but it's definitely got potential!

[yamaha200]

took me a long time to find table 1 too. look on the 2nd page of the ventilation primer, way at the bottom, just above the comments and the copyright statement. It says Table 1 and if you click on it, it takes you there.

laura

[Dale M.]

Cool little shed!.... Going to be a great studio...

Dale

[Seasoned Soul]

Yay!!! So happy for you Dottie. It IS going to be a great SHedio!!! I started with much the same....a shell. It's taken me 9 months to finish the inside as I was going it alone and well the LE peeps guided me all the way through. I also wanted a vent like what you found on ebay but dang!!! it was sooo expensive and I was trying to save everywhere I could. I looked at many many pics, here on LE, for examples that might not cost as much. There is a way to get great ventilation and save some moola for G L A S S! heehee* Good Luck and hey, I'm not too far from you..well especially when I visit my daughters in College Station. I'm headed to the Texas Reds Festival this weekend!! woot!

[DottieG]

Lynn - Thanks for the email. I haven't been to Galveston since before Ike, but I'd love to see your studio. You show me yours & I'll show you mine Do you ever come to the Houston Hotties meetings? It's a great group of lampworkers and lampwork lovers - lots of useful information and laughs.

Dale - thanks for the help fan calculations. Yesterday I bit the bullet and got the fan on eBay for $299. Got a Fedex tracking number last night, so it should arrive next week. I'll let you know how the fan works out.

Hubby and I are off to Lowes tomorrow to buy an AC, wiring, lights & insulation. We're going to install the AC first and use an extension cord to power it. That will make things bearable in the Texas heat while we start working on wiring & other stuff.

[Lorraine Chandler]

WoW! Potential plus!!!! You are going to love it when it is all finished. In the meantime I have found that when planning a studio and setting it up there are 3 requirements...at least for me there were three.

A large box of imported Belgian chocolates with frequent trips to Starbucks and soft calming SPA music.

[Mary K]

Originally Posted by Dale M.

But the real question was my advice correct?

Dale

Dale,
Your advice was correct. I can't remember how many things we
asked you when building my studio, but we followed your suggestions,
and the ventilation works great. Thanks again!

Dottie ~ my ventilation fan pulls the air in from my replacement ducts.
If you found my studio in the studio threads ( 'My Studio is finally done" by Mary K ) you can see just about every detail in my ventilation system. It
works really well. I'm happy with the replacement air coming in behind the torch at the back of my workbench, it does not pummel the flame around, and the temp in the studio is not compromised as much as it would be with say.. an open window. I can keep most of my heat or cool.

[Meta Glass]

ya dont be fooled by intricate designs when buying a range hood. first figure out your exact plan.. draw it out, how many bends do you have. how wide is ducting/how many feet do you need? these are factors that need to be accounted for when designing a proper ventilation system... what is workspace volume... L x H x W = your CFM # for the size fan you need... i work in my garage and use a 48 in range hood which i have gutted and assembled into my work area. and use a 1750-CFM inline can fan which is more than sufficient , but i do alot of fuming so im cautious...

[DottieG]

I've been diligently working on my studio. I ended up getting the fan from eBay and LOVE it!. It worked really well when I was sanding the drywall - I took out the filters and it sucked a lot of the dust out of the room and was blowing it outside. I got some smoke bombs at 4th of July, but haven't set them off yet to test the fan.

Here's a couple of pictures. All that is left is to put the baseboards around the floor, moulding around the windows & door frame. Then put in furniture and move in!

It's been a HUGE amount of work - but I'm going to love it!!

[flameart]

How cool is that! Now that's what I call a splash of color
My fan hood is very similar to your's and it really "sucks", I love it!
Good luck and be sure to post more pics when it's all done!

Pille

[Seasoned Soul]

Looking fabulous!!!!!

[DottieG]

This weekend I started moving in to my new studio. Here's what it looks like so far. I still need to get some shelving/work surfaces for the right and left sides of my main worktable.

I'm trying to decide what to use to cover the worksurface. Right now I've got some random scraps of tile backer board. For longer term, I'm trying to decide between a large sheet of HardiBacker painted satin black to match or a sheet of stainless steel. The Hardi backer seems like it would be nice because it has a grid pattern in it which will prevent tools & rods from rolling around. And it's economical at under $15 a sheet. I'm also thinking that stainless that is cut to fit the table top, with a bend in the back to form a lip to keep things from rolling off behind the table, plus a piece to protect the wall behind the torch flame. Haven't priced this yet, but I'm sure it will be more than $15. I had thought about tile, but after the back killing ordeal of doing my floors, I've decided that one tile experience in this lifetime is enough for me.

Any suggestions/input on worksurface protection would be appreciated!

Thanks!
Dorothy