Any "In the house" studio suggestions???

Beyond the Bead · #1 2010-10-25, 8:37am

I am currently living in a house that has a small space in my office area that might work for a torch spot. Definitely not ideal, but a much better option than trying to build another separate studio space right now (not my house, so not wanting to make that kind of investment)...

So who torches inside their house?
Office, extra bedroom, something other than in the garage or basement...

I'd love to see pictures and hear about how you handle (or ignore) the issue of insurance!

What do you do for fuel? There is a natural gas line to the kitchen, but I don't know what it would take to pipe it to the other room...
What about propane tanks inside? Do you just disconnect?
I am using an oxygen concentrator, so I don't have to worry about tanked Oxy.

Would love some input!

Much thanks,
Michelle (Beyond the Bead)

LisaF-R · #2 2010-10-25, 9:00am

I can't help much, but propane tanks in the house are an absolute NO. Good luck. I'm sure others will have lots of suggestions.

Ruth Nichols · #3 2010-10-25, 9:08am

Are you on a one level house/apartment? Advice or suggestions will be different for more then one story.

houptdavid · #4 2010-10-25, 9:09am

What is the space like?
Do you have a window you could adapt for a vent?
Easy access to outside???

VitreousTyro · #5 2010-10-25, 9:32am

I currently live w/ my sister and BIL and finally set up a space there. It's sort of a porch type area (enclosed) on the bottom floor. There is a window in front of my torch where ventilation goes. I had thought of piping in the propane, but I'm hoping this is not my permanent home (as much as I love my sister), so opted to have the propane hose go out the sliding screen door. I attach and detach the hose from the propane tank every time I torch.

The room is a decent size, but full of stuff. I'd say my area is 4ft x 6ft w/ a table and some other storage.

As for insurance, my sister has State Farm home insurance. She called and checked - so long as the equipment is being used for the intended purpose (ie I don't try to fuse in my Chili Pepper annealer) we're covered.

Good luck!

- Jill

Debbie · #6 2010-10-25, 9:59am

My studio is in a small room that also serves as a landing between the second and the third floors. I keep my propane tank on the sun porch outside the bedroom and have a very long hose (40 ft) with a quick disconnect that runs along the floor from that room into the bedroom. I roll it up and stick it in the corner out of the way when I'm not using it. When I am torching, I have an open window directly in front of the torch and another a few feet away. I also have a return air vent directly above and I installed a ceiling fan.

This is fairly recent. I used to have the hose strung out the window covered with pipe insulation and threaded through aluminum downspout to the ground where I had the propane in a covered Rubbermaid container. I still have it in the container on the sun porch too.

Beyond the Bead · #7 2010-10-25, 10:05am

OK... more details.
Two story, split level house.
Downstairs (ground level) has my bedroom, bathroom, garage access, and a great room which has a small kitchenette area. No stove, but has a hood and vent setup. My office is in half of the great room, but the kitchen area is being used for storage and my treadmill.
I could put a small (Stove sized) table in the kitchenette area. There is the vent hood, and a sliding glass door nearby... I could possibly run the hose out there, but in the winter it might be an issue. I don't want to ask my friend to plumb the hose through the wall...

Could we run the propane hose up the wall and along the vent tube to the vent shaft and outside that way?

Debbie · #8 2010-10-25, 10:17am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beyond the Bead

.. I could possibly run the hose out there, but in the winter it might be an issue..

I expect this to be an issue for me too, come Winter but the way I see it is that I'll get cold air coming in through the crack in the door for a few hours rather than all the time the way I had it before. It didn't matter how much insulation and sealing I put into the window, the cold leaked in. I also don't have the hose exposed to any elements this way.

Damselfly · #9 2010-10-25, 11:04am

Be sure to find out from the fire marshall if it's legal to torch in a residence in your area. In many urban areas, it's not legal and it could negate any fire insurance if there's a problem.

houptdavid · #10 2010-10-25, 12:50pm

You do not want the fuel hose to run thru the vent! Is the door more than 10' away from the vent? There is a thread here for running propane thru the wall if you need to.

There is gas to the kitchenette stove area that you do not use? You may also need a larger vent fan

chrisdd · #11 2010-10-25, 1:00pm

Here's a link to my laundry room studio. It's an old picture, so some things have changed. Add another dog, another rollie bin, double the books and triple the glass and you'll have an idea of my current studio.

Lorraine Chandler · #12 2010-10-25, 1:41pm

Here's what I do using a Cricket.

http://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/show...cake+regulator

Ilene · #13 2010-10-25, 2:26pm

I hesitate to say this, but read the Safety Forum about No Propane in the house. Its illegal to have a tank or a piped in/hosed in connection in a dwelling, besides the safety issues, insurance policy violations and building code laws etc, blah, blah, blah.

Damn~

houptdavid · #14 2010-10-25, 7:23pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Icre8art

Its illegal to have a tank or a piped in/hosed in connection in a dwelling
Damn~

Tank illegal...piped in is ok!

lisa@lo.and.behold · #15 2010-10-26, 5:43am

Lorraine, I don't think that's the right link. . .don't see you or your studio, but would love to. Can you try again?

Thanks!

lisa

Dale M. · #16 2010-10-26, 7:38am

A little clearer....

NO (large) TANKS INSIDE....

Putting hose through a pipe (conduit) through wall ... Illegal....

Piping in propane using all metallic pipe and shut off valves is ok as long as you do it at legal pressures and use materials allowed by building codes...

Dale

Amm12345 · #17 2010-10-26, 8:33am

I use a hot head in the basement have windows open and vent..DH will not allow propane in house. Hoping to renovate the wood shed out back.

Lorraine Chandler · #18 2010-10-26, 9:25am

Quote:

Originally Posted by lisa@lo.and.behold

Lorraine, I don't think that's the right link. . .don't see you or your studio, but would love to. Can you try again?

Thanks!

lisa

That was just a link to the information Mark gave about how to use a 1 pound canister instead of a BBQ tank.

But I just took this pic for you This is my current and very temporary setup. I am testing it out in my kitchen to see if it will be comfortable enough for me in an RV setting. I just put new hoses on my Cricket so I don't have the clamps on yet. Wanted to see if the hoses fit first.

I also thought I should clarify that the RV studio setup will be in a small toy hauler or revamped cargo trailer that we currently own that will be parked behind our "living in" RV which will be a big motor home. I am just trying to see if setting up in a small area will work for me or if I should just pack it all away into storage while living in the RV for 3-5 years. So far it seems do-able. Especially without having to deal with tall tanks or a BBQ tank.

Janetlee · #19 2011-01-01, 9:44am

Michelle,
Since we moved into a " new" to us but older home a Pier& beam house. I having the natural gas line ran, installed by plumber. I took the hood out of the studio and am placeing it in the room above my work space. I have vents in floor for makeup air. Removing the carpet and installing tile. Venting the hood out of the window in the bedroom. I'm using the extra bedroom as my studio now. It's easier for me than to use my old studio which we had moved the 12x16 building onto the new property. It will be used as shop for hubby. I plan on having electricail ran too for the tools I use. It will be a easier setup for me.And alot warmer for me, due to cold weather and keep cooler in summer. Have fire extinguisher for room. Use my oxycon . It's alot lighter and easier for me to work. Since we live out in the country its just easier to have this setup.
Once I get pictures taken I'll post.
Janet C.

JenniferP · #20 2011-01-08, 10:36am

Hi Michelle: I have converted my diningroom into a studio/office for me. There are 2 nice, big windows in this room. I am using a mini cc torch, and bulk propane. I keep the propane tank outside about 15 feet away and run a 15-20 foot hose from the torch, out the window, to where the tank is ( with a flashback arrestor attached to the regulator). I disconnect at the tank when I am finished and bleed the line, and coil the hose back into the house. I also have a ventilation system and run that out the window as well, and bring it back in when I'm finished. Let me know if you'd like to see a picture. OH, and we live in a two story house, in a residential neighborhood.

2tumblingdragonz · #21 2011-02-11, 8:37pm

I need ideas, please for venting my studio space. I currently live in a condo and am awaiting word as to whether I can vent up thru the ceiling like a bathroom fan or if I have to have a *temporary tube I can stick out the window.
*I can't have anything permanent that stick out the window, fans are not allowed in windows. If I did something where I stuck the hose out the window when I was working and brought it in when I wasn't working would that be plausible.
Thanks
Namaste
Rowyn

cdmaam · #22 2011-02-12, 11:43am

We have a finished room over our detached garage. It used to be my husband's study but after 10 years of him really never using it I have claimed it (mostly) as my own. We did have a bulk propane tank installed and plumbed into the room by the propane company. But I wanted a ventilation system that I didn't have to cut holes in anything to use. So I used the tutorial by Whit Slemmons for the ventilation used in Andrea Gaurino's studio.
http://www.southernflames.org/Tips%2...entilation.htm

But I didn't want to have the hole in the wall with the fan outside so;
I built a saw horse to the height I needed Table, torch height and window height considered. Attached the vent opening, tube and fan to the saw horse. Then cut a couple of pieces of rigid insulation to fit the window opening and cut a hole in them to accommodate the fan. I taped around all the edges to keep it clean, neat and strong. I open my window, move the saw horse a couple of inches toward the open window, the fan with rigid insulation fits in the window opening and I plug that sucker in. It is noisier having the fan in the room but I crank my music and it doesn't bother me at all.
That fan bends the flame, will suck up murrini and little chips of glass. It smoke tested great and I believe I have effective ventilation. I have read a ton of safety information when I researching for my studio and know there are some folks who question the effectiveness of this type of vent, but I am satisfied with it.

I can't take a picture right now but hopefully gave you a good description. If you want I can post a picture tomorrow or Monday. I really like it beacuase I didn't want to build something permanent as we may move in the next few years. The only hole in the wall is from the propane installation and would be easily patched.

Also I called my insurance co. before I set up my studio and they said as long as it is a hobby it is fine and my homeowners policy would cover any damage is something happened. But if I started selling then I would need a separate policy.

I hope this helps

GinnyHampton · #23 2011-02-20, 9:05am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lorraine Chandler

So far it seems do-able. Especially without having to deal with tall tanks or a BBQ tank. [/color][/i]

How long does a 1 pound propane canister last?

jonibird · #24 2011-02-20, 10:23am

I believe with my hot head anyway about 6 hours.

obsessionwoman · #25 2011-02-25, 11:20pm

Hi Michelle....I live in a two story....starting off I had a small room for my torch on the second floor...then it grew to two rooms...torch room and a room with beads to go with
the lampwork beads...Since I am OC I knocked out the wall between the rooms...my torches are in front of a window..nice trees...I have a great ventilation system from Glasscraft.....since it's my house there is a nice hole in the wall to vent out ...I have my propane outside...privacy fencing all around...I am obsessed with glass so I have a wall of it...you can never have too much and they're always coming out with new...in the torch end I have steel tables to do metal projects...they are partially covered with tools..
There are lots of shelves...and lots of things hanging on the walls...I'm trying to get organized so I have lots of 5-drawer storage units--labeled...thank you Tracy Bell...LOL
There's a tv/vcr/dvd on either end and comfortable chairs...music for when you're in the mood....talking books for when you're not.....All my rods are labeled...coe's are marked...
Shelves covering the walls in the bead room...lots of bead books and tutorials...and projects I have yet to finish...don't we all? strings of beads on the walls...steel tables in
an L shape...the big steel desks you get at salvage...only ten bucks but it takes four big guys to move them...photo cube and camera set-up in front of a big window for natural light...4 foot lights on the ceiling with a ceiling fan.......and my garage has never seen a car....kilns...glass cutting..sheet glass storage..molds for slumping...tool cabinets with wood top over them for a work table...not for winter though.....I need a bigger house...or a small house with a pole barn.....

Lorraine Chandler · #26 2011-03-03, 1:52pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by GinnyHampton

How long does a 1 pound propane canister last?

Sorry Ginny I just got back to this thread...About four hours. It does slow down and get cooler towards the end. I just use the can up right until the flame goes out by pulling cane or small stringers which I use.

GinnyHampton · #27 2011-03-29, 9:25am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lorraine Chandler

Sorry Ginny I just got back to this thread...About four hours. It does slow down and get cooler towards the end. I just use the can up right until the flame goes out by pulling cane or small stringers which I use.

Cool, thanks

Heart-Fire · #28 2012-02-20, 9:52pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dale M.

A little clearer....

NO (large) TANKS INSIDE....

Putting hose through a pipe (conduit) through wall ... Illegal....

Piping in propane using all metallic pipe and shut off valves is ok as long as you do it at legal pressures and use materials allowed by building codes...

Dale

I'm new here and new to lampworking and am taking a class. I'm mostly used to glassblowing and I'm looking forward to being able to play with hot glass at home rather than at the studio. In my class, we work with a torch head (HotHead maybe?) on a 1 pound canister of MAPP or Propane. This is attached to the table for the duration of the class.

I'm confused about the set-up I should have at home. If I'm using the 1 pound canisters, can I keep the canister inside? I keep reading posts about keeping propane outside, and it doesn't make sense to set the small canister outside and run a hose.

Please help me understand. As long as I set up my workspace with sufficient ventalation, would it be safe if I kept the canisters outside when not in use, but brought a 1 pound canister inside when working?

Thanks

artsyuno · #29 2012-02-21, 8:22pm

You can have up to 2 1-lb canisters in the house, I believe. Some people prefer to use bbq tanks with their hotheads and probably pretty much everyone using an oxygen/propane torch uses the larger tanks. Those cannot be inside. The 1 lb. canisters tend to freeze up and then the flame dwindles.

Heart-Fire · #30 2012-02-21, 9:54pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by artsyuno

You can have up to 2 1-lb canisters in the house, I believe. Some people prefer to use bbq tanks with their hotheads and probably pretty much everyone using an oxygen/propane torch uses the larger tanks. Those cannot be inside. The 1 lb. canisters tend to freeze up and then the flame dwindles.

Thanks!