Frit-Happens !

Technical Forum => Studio/workspace/setup/equipment => Torches => Topic started by: AnnaSpanna on December 04, 2009, 08:58:01 PM

Title: Setting up - Hothead on bulk
Post by: AnnaSpanna on December 04, 2009, 08:58:01 PM
Hi,

my lovely mum (Jayspangles) has got me a hothead setup for Crimbo, for which I am incredibly grateful (although I'm not sure that the landlord is going to be too keen in the change of use of my dining room!!!!). Anyway, up till now I have been using my mother's bench whenever I've gone home and she has a creation station. I'm not keen to fork out 90 quid for one when I am rather handy with a jigsaw and have a suitable plank of wood just waiting to be put to good use. What I am having difficulty sourcing is something that resembles the wrist rests. Does anyone have any bright and ingenious ideas as to what I could do to replicate said rests?

Any advice or suggestions are very welcome,

Spanna
Title: Re: Setting up - Hothead on bulk
Post by: Carl Martin on December 04, 2009, 10:07:21 PM
Small childs handlebars off a pushbike secured to said plank with plumbers 'P' clips. perfect angle and very retro looking. elbow rests from a cut down rubberised mousemat
I too think the creation station is taking the p*** for the price charged. Easily made for less than 2 pints down the local and probably last longer.
Title: Re: Setting up - Hothead on bulk
Post by: llewennog on December 04, 2009, 11:14:47 PM
There's lots of us here that dont use creation station's, and personally the time spent making your own system or trying new techniques would be better, personally I work from the elbows or rest my hand on the barrel of my torch (gtt's dont get hot) but i like to sit and stand whilst im working.

There are lots of options and techniques its one of the many aspects of lampworking that I love!
Title: Re: Setting up - Hothead on bulk
Post by: Kaz on December 05, 2009, 07:51:22 AM
Probably not a good idea to rest your hands on a hot head Spanna - unlike GTT's, they get very hot.
I'd try with the cut up keyboard wrist rest to see if that works for you - as it's a cheap option. Or the handlebars look cool!
Kazx
Title: Re: Setting up - Hothead on bulk
Post by: llewennog on December 05, 2009, 09:01:23 AM
ANd you can pretend to be a hells angel! lmfao
Title: Re: Setting up - Hothead on bulk
Post by: lemon kitten on December 05, 2009, 09:04:16 AM
Quote from: Carl Martin on December 04, 2009, 10:07:21 PM
Small childs handlebars off a pushbike secured to said plank with plumbers 'P' clips.

AND you could put those lovely glittery fringes on the ends of the handlebars too!!  I LOOOOOOOOVE it !!

Janey xx
Title: Re: Setting up - Hothead on bulk
Post by: bluefairy on December 05, 2009, 09:05:59 AM
Quote from: lemon kitten on December 05, 2009, 09:04:16 AM
Quote from: Carl Martin on December 04, 2009, 10:07:21 PM
Small childs handlebars off a pushbike secured to said plank with plumbers 'P' clips.

AND you could put those lovely glittery fringes on the ends of the handlebars too!!  I LOOOOOOOOVE it !!

Janey xx

Ummmm.... is a Budgie saddle compulsory, or can we stick to normal seating?  ;D
Title: Re: Setting up - Hothead on bulk
Post by: Forester18 on December 05, 2009, 09:45:54 AM
I posted a design for creation station on Aug 5th this year. It cost less than £10.

Frederick
Title: Re: Setting up - Hothead on bulk
Post by: Lush! on December 05, 2009, 11:38:59 AM
I was gonna suggest cut up mouse mats, or bean bags (or in my case, bed socks  ;)) on top of baked bean tins as wrist rests ... but Frederick's design was far better!

Title: Re: Setting up - Hothead on bulk
Post by: Kalorlo on December 05, 2009, 02:01:14 PM
Ooh yes, I found Frederick's thread here (http://www.frit-happens.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=14788.msg263181#msg263181). That looks really good.
Title: Re: Setting up - Hothead on bulk
Post by: AnnaSpanna on December 19, 2009, 08:26:47 AM
So I have now set up with my spectacularly cheap dining table from Ikea and have bolted my hothead bracket to the table upside-down and set a little way onto the table. This has given me enough space to rest my elbows on the table without being too far over the torch. Day 4 and I'm finding it quite comfortable - but do need something soft for my elbows to actually sit on so the mouse mat/gel wrist pads seem like a good idea. At the mo I am managing without the wrist rests but then that might explain why my dots are a bit erm.....well......err......dodgy!

Will keep plodding on to see if I actually need rests or whether it is purely because I am a newbie and so naturally will produce dodgy spots!

Thanks you for the advice though guys - and the piccies (frederick) as that is basically the sort of thing I had in my mind.

Spx