Has anyone ever cut through window for venting?

[deirdreschaneman]

Hi All,

I'm a longtime lampworker and new member to Lampwork etc. I have a bit of a weird problem. The arts community I belong to just bought a new building and I have a studio with a window which doesn't open. My thought is to cut a hole in the existing window to vent out of...but I'm open to suggestions. Venting into the system is not a possibility, so that window space is really my only way to the outside air.

Any thoughts or suggestions?

[mewsicmama]

I may be putting my workspace in front of a back door in our garage that has three stacked panes of glass. My thought is to remove top pane, vent through there and close up remaining area around vent with plywood or something like that. Whenever we decide to eventually sell this house we will just put another back door on there, because the one there is 55+ years old and kinda icky anyway.

[NMLinda]

Mewsicmama has an interesting idea. It's usually not too hard to take the wood strips off from around the glass (as if you were replacing a broken window pane). You could then replace the window glass with a piece of plywood, as she's considering doing herself, in which you've cut out a hole for your vent system. Easier, and probably safer, than trying to cut a hole in the window glass itself.

Linda

[Kevan]

What Linda said. That'a how we vent. We didn't want to cut a hole through the wall.

[joyofit]

I used plywood at first but it really looked bad and took a lot of light out of my area.
So I went with plexiglass. We opened the window, but I imagine you could take out the glass put in the plexiglass and later replace it.
We cut the outside of the plexiglass by scoring it with a boz cutter then bending it until it broke in a clean line. The circle for the vent , we drilled a hole then used a saw( I think that it is called, like a jig saw)
We framed the plexiglass with a grooved pieced of plastic usually used to frame up trellis. The plexiglass fit perfectly into the grooves. We sealed it in with clear sealant, like a calk, screwed in the metal vent with little screws. So it fits in the window like an insert.
It works great.
Charlotte

[joyofit]

Here's two photo's , might help better than my explanation. I take the window insert out when not in use.
My husband calls my workspace a "contraption" but I am proud of the way I hooked up the table top vent. It works much better hung, than sitting on the table. There is a big difference in having sides and back to the area, no matter how temporary or funky. I sued the remainder of the plexiglass for the sides. I used old drafting table legs and some 2x4's to support the fan system from above. I can change the way it sits on the table if I like to face the outside.

When I used it just as the table top the vent went straight through to the outside and I found the wind blew back the fumes through the 10 inch opening right into my face, even though the 450 cmf fan was on.

[deirdreschaneman]

Thanks for all the good ideas and photos...I think the plexiglass idea sounds like an ideal and cost-effective solution. Your input is most appreciated!

[NMLinda]

I love your contraption, Charlotte! You have a rather unique funnel approach for your fan.

Using plexiglass is another great idea, especially for maximizing light. Nice way to feed the pipe through the window. Looks sturdy and easy to do.

Linda

[joyofit]

Oh BTW, I used to live both in Denver Colorado and Santa Fe NM, so I was excited to see both your locations.

[NMLinda]

How cool, Charlotte! Sante Fe is a wonderful place

deirdreschaneman - hope these answers help you. If you utilize the window, it should be pretty easy to restore should you ever need to move your studio

Good Luck
Linda

[Moth]

I did this in my old studio.

I knocked out the glass pane, and replaced it with plexiglass that I cut a hole in for my vent line.

It stayed in all the time though. I also had screen in with the plexiglass, this kept bugs/birds from coming down my vent pipe when I wasn't working.