I did think about beginning lampworking a while back, and now I've just had a look at these threads, and this ventilation problem is a serious cause for concern. So how are people staying well ventilated, I only live in a small apartment, although I do have two balconies, prehaps I could try outside, but then you've got the problem of wind, and the rain in the winter, although summertime proberbly won't be too much bother. I could open a window but I hear that not enough. So how are you guys overcoming this hazard to health????

Sorry also forgot to ask is this ventilation problem as serious when you are just using hot head, or is something to do with that big head and proprane etc????? Can you make beads just using a hot head, provided they weren't really big ones, Cindy's book says you can.

I wouldn't underestimate the need for ventilation. The fumes coming off glass can be pretty nasty as glass contains many metals etc that are toxic. Its not the torch thats the problem its what you melt in the flame. I work in an old, tiny pigsty, but my ventilation is pretty strong. I use a hydroponics extractor that cost about £100 2nd hand, the piping etc was about another £100 and my make up air is from my roof, which is corrugated, with the corrugations left open to let in fresh air all around the building. I had to take my exhaust air through the brick wall of my sty, into the shed next door and out the otherside to make sure it was far enoughaway from my make up air source. I have the fan connected to a dimmer that allows me to increase the speed of the fan when I am working with frit, enamels, silver, silver glass etc. For he best information, go to Lampworketc and search the safety forums there.

It sounds as if the balcony may be your best bet, I know many lampworkers who work in porches and just rig up a wind break, something like a panel a little higher than the torch that can be moved around and attached to the edge of the work table whatever direction the wind is blowing.

or if you have a room inside with two windows and a good through draught, so you can sit in the centre of the draught to work, its not ideal but its ok.

Bear in mind that you will need a hard floor, no curtains or soft furnishings around and a metal topped table, that glass flies everywhere!!

As Sam said, you have all the nasty fumes from what you melt in the flame to contend with. Also, the by-products of combustion itself (namely carbon monoxide - something never to be underestimated)

So good ventilation is essential. Open windows are not enough.

If you are working on a balcony then chances are you would have enough ventilation, but fumes can still hang around on a calm day and when bending over a torch you are still so close that you will breathe them in. Far better to actively remove those fumes and get them well away from your face rather than take chances if you can.

Emma

ahem...ignore all I said

This is all interesting stuff, good food for thought, things to think about before taking on this hobbie. So I guess the best thing is a fan about your head then, I really thought being outside would be the best ever thing, but like you say you would still have the nasties hanging around your air space so to speak-umm!

Well, we are talking worst-case scenario of course!

But the thing is, you only get one set of lungs. If you end up lampworking as often as most of us addicted creatures do (several times a week) you have to be much more wary about fumes than if you are just doing it every now and then.

A good test is to (while your torch is turned off!) hold a burning incense stick roughly in the area in front of your torch where you would be working the glass. If you can smell the incense, then you would be breathing in the fumes. If your ventilation is good enough, you won't smell the incense.

I only learned all this stuff myself the hard way. Noticed that sometimes when I was working in my shed, I would be getting headaches, nausea and a raw sore-lung feeling after a days work. I had ventilation in my shed too! But on days when the wind was blowing towards the fan outlet, it just wasn't pokey enough.

I put in a second extraction fan and no more problems.

The trouble with working outside on a balcony is that you end up in a catch 22, where you need to stop the wind blowing your flame all over the place ( or you need shade simply to SEE your flame) and that compromises any fume-removal if you are relying on fresh air alone to remove the fumes.

As I said, we are talking worst case scenario here. Many folks out there have been lampworking a few years and don't take such a firm approach to ventilation - some don't bother at all and others, like me, are much more anal about it. I just feel ill without it, so for me good ventilation is a no-brainer!

The thing is though, to know the worst case, the options and then at least you can make your choice and weigh up different approaches. Who knows, your balcony could have fantastic air-flow that just sucks those fumes away perfectly. Or it could be a weird wind-trap that funnels them straight into your face - unless you do some sort of testing you just wont know.

But even creating some sort of windbreak to put on the table that you fit a little extrator fan into wouldnt be a massive undertaking. It could be portable and just run power to the fan from the apartment. Could work as windbreak, sun shield and fume-removal in one.

There is always a way around these problems - just best to face the problem I think rather than assume it doesn't matter. Because lots of people wouldn't notice or be bothered by the fumes, but over time they could still cause health issues. Don't want anyone growing a third nipple now do we!

Emma

No don't fancy the third nipple Emma! Thanks for your informative answer, that was great. I will test with an incense stick what a great idea, also making the windbreak witha little fan might just be the answer, as I have power on my balcony. My balcony isn't closed off like a box so to speak, it's sticks out at the side of the house, although the sides are a little protected by plants. I was thinking that if I could do this I might venture out to the back balcony (although lots of people could see me there, I would have some type of screen set up, but first before spending lots of extra money I would want to see if this hobby suited me, unfortunately the nearest lessons are 12 hours away( actually England is closer!!), Istanbul do lessons but like I said it takes 12 hours with coach to get there! Thanks once again, for your help, I will get talking to dear old Dad about setting up sometype of fan included windbreak.
Tammy.

I just wanted to add my two cents.: Ventilation is a real concern! Especially in the colder weather months when doors and windows are closed. Before moving into my glass studio I was working in a home studio (also known as our living room) where we have 2 large and quite tall windows and I assumed that ventilation would not be a problem. Wrong! After hours on the torch I was feeling the effects: shortness of breath, light-headedness etc. Home studios are fine but take this issue seriously!

As for the third nipple - Hey, the more the merrier, I say!

Tim