Solutions to ventilation location issues

This was sent to me by one of my e-mail correspondents, Charleen. I asked if I could share it with others and she gladly gave me permission to reproduce it here.

Charleen and I exchanged multiple e-mails trying to resolve some issues with her proposed installation. The first is the hood design itself:

 

New page…

In case you missed it, I’ve added a new page to the list on the right side of this blog.

Entitled “A Student’s Bill of Rights in the glassworking classroom”, it is something that I hope every reader can agree on, and start demanding from both the teacher and the studio they are being taught in. Until and unless students start standing up for their rights in the classroom, change will never happen.

Each student is entitled to these rights. Don’t take another class unless they are guaranteed to you!

Garaging and annealing, two different aspects of the same beast

You already know that your kiln is a multipurpose device. You can use it (depending on the model and capabilities) for annealing, slumping, fusing, maybe making PMC.

Garaging is the practice of keeping your work hot, above the strain point, but below the annealing point. Any time you put a finished bead or pendant in the kiln, but before you start the annealing cycle, you are ‘garaging’.

Garaging is also the practice of keeping parts hot prior to assembling a finished piece from those parts.

POOP or POPO – does it really matter?

The short answer is NO, it really doesn’t matter whether you turn on and turn off your torch using Propane – Oxygen – Oxygen – Propane or Propane – Oxygen – Propane – Oxygen, as long as you do it the same way all the time.

Some people will undoubtedly be horrified by this — but honestly, it really doesn’t matter, as long as both the propane and oxygen are turned off at the end of the session. I want you to just get into a habit of doing it the same way all the time, hence the mnemonic phrase POOP or POPO. And because of the scatological reference of the mnemonic it can easily be remembered (not to mention bringing a smile and chuckle when you are teaching it to a new student).

Ventilation questions

from e-mail:

I have read everything you have written and attended your lecture at ISGB last year. I am trying to work from your formulas but am not too sure.

I like what was done by this person using a feeder trough – I think a galvanized tub might also work This particular one comes out to 3.7 square ft face http://www.bucket-outlet.com/16galovaltub.htm

If I use one of these

http://www.marylandhydroponics.com/acshpoblexfa.html

My calculation comes out to about 460 CFM (3.7 x 125)

What would happen if I used a 800 CFM???

I would have approximately 10 ft of duct with 2 bends – I thought 6 inch duct would work but I can use 8 inch.

The 465 CFM fan concerns me because it flanges out to 4 inches – Is this a problem?

Non-ventilated Classrooms

From the ISGB Safety forum:

 I recently started teaching Lampwork 1 for beginners at an art center. We’ve got 6 hotheads going & lots of room to spread out. I’ve previously taught at LBSs w/ the owner usually hanging around for advice. Here I’m on my own.

The room is a jewelry studio that is pretty much uninsulated & hasn’t been used over the weekend when we come in on MON nights. The staff is now turning on some heat in the afternoon. However, the room is still very chilly for people & supplies. We have to wear layers of clothing that can get bulky. The window AC unit is covered over for the winter.

I had expected to be able to use a room fan to create some ventilation. But when it is 10F degrees right outside the door, it makes for a freezing situation. The students near the door are chilled fast as well as the metal folding chairs. The door on the other side opens to a ceramics storage area w/ plenty of clay dust. ACK! Last time I left the exterior door open a few inches & opened the ceramics door all the way.

I’d be very interested to hear suggestions about how to improve this situation. Thanks!

My very first suggestion is that the art center spend some money and install proper ventilation in the studio area if they intend to allow torch working instruction to be taking place in this room.