How safe is lampworking in the house?

Oh Oh OH!!!! Milon's Advanced Flameworking Vol I was my Xmas present to myself! I got the double with the marketing stuff, too. Wonderful wonderful book! Another gem, if you want to get a grip on boro, is Elizabeth Ryland Mears' Flameworking. I'm slowly working through her instructional chapters now. Very good tutorials, especially on working with tubing.

-- KarenK Desert Dreamer Designs

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Oh yeah! That's the Townsend book I want!!!! *sigh* I need to look into the other one you mention. I will be starting my work with boro as soon as I get this $&#% business plan finished. Oh, and after a few days at my mom's place up in Northern Michigan to recharge my batteries.

It sure would be cool to take a new, meaty book with me. Damn, but I LOVE getting a new book of ANY kind. I heard recently that there is a romance novel in which the heroine (?) is a glassblower. I hate romance novels, but I'd give this one a try. LOL!

I found it. It's called "Born in Fire" by Nora Roberts. Has anyone here read it or the whole trilogy?

My mom read that one (she's a hopeless romantic novel reader) but I get too, oh I dunno, romances just annoy me. LOL I'm an inveterate (NOT invertebrate!) SF reader. Though I'm getting hooked on good mysteries now. I think it was someone here who mentioned Lisa Scottoline. Wow, what a writer. Fun stuff, especially since all the Philly settings are so familiar. Whoever it might have been, thank you!!!

-- KarenK Desert Dreamer Designs

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it<

I've got one of her books in my TBR stack but hadn't heard of that one.

Carol in SLC New jewelry:

Lois McMaster Bujold has written a wonderful frothy Regency romance in the Miles Vorkosigan series! It's called "A Civil Campaign".

Celine

Oooo... interesting, and IMO, accurate take on Miles... (who came to mind during the discussion of various forms of "You think * y o u * have it bad...")

Deirdre

In my area, tank rental for a fairly small oxygen tank (would last me a week, but if I got a bigger one I couldn't carry it) is $6 a month, which is really cheap, but I can sell my tank back for close to what I paid for it, and you have to put down a deposit when you rent one, so it balances out.

week, but if I got a bigger one I couldn't carry it) is $6 a month, which is really cheap, but I can sell my tank back for close to what I paid for it, and you have to put down a deposit when you rent one, so it balances out.<

Same here. To buy the tank was $179 (I think I quoted a different price before, but i looked it up and that's what the receipt says). To rent would've been $150 deposit and $5/month. Balances out in a few months.

Yesterday, on my weekly (or so) tank run, Mike and I were discussing concentrators and generators again. From what I understand so far (reading on ISGB and WC) a concentrator won't power my torch sufficiently. Maybe two connected together but that's still doubtful. I *think* a generator will be just enough (I use a Midrange Plus) but if I get torch envy again in another year or so, I'm back to square one. I've heard that you can use a generator to run the center fire of a Phantom, and a tank for the outer fire as needed, and this just might be a nice compromise. Time to call my buddies at Wale again and ask what they've tested so far.

I have this fantasy of being in a house with a generator and a natural gas hookup. All fuel, all the time, no waiting, no pickups. Yeah, baby!

-- KarenK Desert Dreamer Designs

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Having a natural gas torch would be a nice setup. I have plumber friends who I work with that could put in the line for me. (yeah)

I would love to hear more when you get information.

I have a Midrange Plus as well (bought one after talking to you about how happy you are with yours!) and one concentrator runs my Minor topfire. To use the Midrange, I hook the tank back up. I'm pretty sure two concentrators would run the Midrange, and I'll let you know after I buy a second one.

From what I hear, a generator would be more than adequate, and can run several fair-sized torches. I'm getting one next year or the year after.

Well, I talked to my favorite glass/supplies pusher (er, ummm salesman) yesterday. That's Elliot Lightner at Wale Apparatus. He and Mike deMasi are two of my favorite people.

Elliot sold me my torch. He knows pretty much what I'm doing and what I WANT to do. (More on that part in a minute. LOL) He said that a generator (the OG-15) will power a Midrange Plus, but might be too soft a flame for large boro work. Definitely not quite enough oomph to push the premix that's top-mounted (versus Kalera's minor), with both flames open. However, they have a storage tank attachment (I'm waiting to hear on the price) that DOES give enough pressure to run the two together, or for a stronger primary flame. And shipping is even reasonable ($75 from PA to AZ). Elliot also said that hooking up the premix (or minor) on top to a tank for backup works very well.

Then the wretch went on to say that this is also workable for larger torches like Nortel's new Red Max (or a Phantom). The generator feeds the center fire, a tank feeds the outer ring. So now I'm thinking bigger torch, again. Geeeez.

Looks like I might be getting the generator for Xmas. It all depends on how house-hunting goes.

-- KarenK Desert Dreamer Designs

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Well, if you can't get both, then go for the generator while the going is good.

How are conditions on your balcony likely to be in winter? Better or worse? (I'd assume better, since you will be in less danger of becoming a sun-dried tomato???

Deirdre

worse? (I'd assume better, since you will be in less danger of becoming a sun-dried tomato???<

Much better, except maybe the dead of January. The winds settle down, it's almost always calm in the mornings, and it's cool but never ever bitter cold. Last winter I basically fired up the kiln and waited for the outside temp to hit 55, then worked in sweats with a blanket over my lap. The flame is hot enough that my fingers don't get chilled. It's already in the

70's in the mornings, so things are looking up.

-- KarenK Desert Dreamer Designs

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... and I am glad to be in a climate where the overnight lows are currently in the 50s, even if it hits 85 during the day.

But, yes, winter sounds better for outdoor lampworking in your climate. Good luck to your equipment expansion plans.

Deirdre

Man, it must be catching...

Glad so many people are finding new digs, especially if they open new vistas of artisan-space. Even if it takes a bit of finagling to get there.

Deirdre

< Oh man I really needed this info! I thought I could just set down at the kitchen table and make beads, once I learned how and bought the stuff.

Harry My Ebay Auctions are at