Hi Guys
I have been working with silver wire tonight and I obviously didn't have enough ventilation in the conservatory (don't have an extractor fan so just had the door and a couple of windows open) as I started coughing about 10 mins into it and can still feel it in my lungs now.
Does anyone know whether a normal decorating dust mask from B&Q would be adequate protection. If not, does anyone know what I should be using?
Thanks v much.
Hil x
Hiya
I think Beadysam sells respirator masks.
when working with silver you will need a certain level of protection - which will be more than just the dust level that some will give you.
I have forgotten what the FFP level you are looking for is, but I am sure that someone else can help...
but just a bog standard normal dust mask wont do the trick for silver i am afraid, will be fine for frit etc, but not toxic fumes like silver.
Just having a quick look it is the FFP3 rating that is suitable for metal fumes (also apparently bird flu, if you are worried ;) )
Thats just a quick google though, but dont hold me to it!
Check out eBay as they often have them cheap now and again, much cheaper than in the shops!
if your working will silver you could really do with proper ventilation, well you could do with it anyway, just having the windows and doors open isn't a good idea if your planing on melting glass for the forseable future
Good point Caroline...
If you are some where you cant pop up a hood, you can do what I do, which is use a hydroponics fan which just plugs in (you can get brackets for them so they are freestanding), you attach a hose to the back and pop it out of an open window.
You know if you arent getting good enough ventilation if you get that "swimming pool" smell when you work.
we're renting and cause we can't drill into walls my hubby made me a 'frame' for my hood, it looks like a little booth around my torch and i run the tubing out of the open door of the garage and into the garden and as my torch is inclosed round it oin 3 sides it means the open door and the wind dosen't blow around my flame making it dance.
Quote from: *rowanberry* on January 14, 2008, 11:30:47 AM
Good point Caroline...
If you are some where you cant pop up a hood, you can do what I do, which is use a hydroponics fan which just plugs in (you can get brackets for them so they are freestanding), you attach a hose to the back and pop it out of an open window.
You know if you arent getting good enough ventilation if you get that "swimming pool" smell when you work.
I've been looking for a fan to vent my workspace but was confused by the many and varied results of the search. What Hydroponics fan do you use Claire? Any idea of the statistics of it?
I worked it out that it changed the air in my shed 12 times an hour I think.... twas a while ago and I have forgot... but you are looking around that level from what I remember. I got mine from eBay, quite cheaply along with the hose it cost around £25. I screw it to the shelf thats just above my working space. i checked it out using incense and it does the job nicely! It aint one of the good and quiet ones though :-( you gets what you pay for I think!
If people wanna check how good their ventilation really is with just a window open etc - get your self some incense sticks, light them where your torch is and watch the smoke rise. If its hanging around and not going out of your window, be scared coz thats what the nasty fumes are doing too!
Quote from: *rowanberry* on January 14, 2008, 11:30:47 AM
Good point Caroline...
If you are some where you cant pop up a hood, you can do what I do, which is use a hydroponics fan which just plugs in (you can get brackets for them so they are freestanding), you attach a hose to the back and pop it out of an open window.
You know if you arent getting good enough ventilation if you get that "swimming pool" smell when you work.
Quote from: Caroline on January 14, 2008, 11:37:46 AM
we're renting and cause we can't drill into walls my hubby made me a 'frame' for my hood, it looks like a little booth around my torch and i run the tubing out of the open door of the garage and into the garden and as my torch is inclosed round it oin 3 sides it means the open door and the wind dosen't blow around my flame making it dance.
Rowanberry - Would I place the hydroponics fan just on the workbench, in front of the torch?
Do you have piccies of your "frame", Caroline?
Thanks for all the replies guys.
Hil x
Thanks - good idea about the incense sticks I'll give it a go. At the moment I just stick on the full mask if I have any doubts but I hate wearing it.
My problem with the units I found on ebay was that none of them seemed capable of shifting enough air - I'll have another look with a calculator to hand :D
diane
Edited to say sorry Hil for hijacking your thread :)
I have it attached to the shelf thats above my workspace, to the left of it. So its fairly near where the fumes would be - though I calculated the power of the fan so it is powerful enough to change the air of the whole shed at the correct rate (which I have forgotten tbh! the 12 times an hour thing could be wrong!).
Lampworketc forum would be the best place to find out about ventilation.
Quote from: dinah46 on January 14, 2008, 12:55:31 PM
Thanks - good idea about the incense sticks I'll give it a go. At the moment I just stick on the full mask if I have any doubts but I hate wearing it.
My problem with the units I found on ebay was that none of them seemed capable of shifting enough air - I'll have another look with a calculator to hand :D
diane
Edited to say sorry Hil for hijacking your thread :)
What rate are you looking for? because when I looked I found that many on ebay were too powerful! Also if you built a little box like Caroline you need a lower rate as the fumes are encapsulated in a smaller area.
TBH some people just use cooker hoods and fans... I would have myself but my shed walls wouldnt cope.
Quote from: Hil on January 14, 2008, 12:51:39 PM
Do you have piccies of your "frame", Caroline?
Thanks for all the replies guys.
Hil x
I'll take a picture later when i get 5 mins to do it but it's just a simple 3 sided thing with a piece of wood down each side of the cooker hood except the front
I've got a cheap cooker hood from Wickes which vents through to the outside of my shed. You could attach the duct pipe & pop it out of the door if you can't drill through walls.
I have a full 3M mask with changeable filters that is a 3 rating. I used the mask yesterday when I used some silver frit for the first time & the extractor seems to be working fine as I didn't notice any nasty smells lingering when I removed my mask afterwards. I also have some disposable FFP3 masks from Beady Sam in case of visitors!!
Thanks guys - you've all been really helpful. This is such a serious matter and it's made me very nervous. I can still feel the effects today and have even contemplated going to the Docs for a checkup. I'm going to have to get this sorted really quickly as I can't possibly go without lampworking for long!!
Hil x
I have a big hydroponics fan from ebay - about £100 2nd hand. Hubby is a bit of an electrics whizz so he popped a dimmer switch on it so I can run it multi-speed. It runs on low most of the time, but for frits I whack it up a bit, enamels and silver its on full blast and scares the squirrels!!! It is in the shed next door though so I don't hear it unless its on full - it sounds like a jet engine!!! :o
Quote from: *rowanberry* on January 14, 2008, 12:59:33 PM
What rate are you looking for? because when I looked I found that many on ebay were too powerful! Also if you built a little box like Caroline you need a lower rate as the fumes are encapsulated in a smaller area.
TBH some people just use cooker hoods and fans... I would have myself but my shed walls wouldnt cope.
Sorry Clare - I got chucked off line when I was about to reply to your post :( and then the day job got in the way.
I've just been searching for the calculations that I was looking at last time I searched ebay but can't find it. I have however found this older thread
http://www.frit-happens.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=1090.0 which also has some good links so I'll start measuring and calculating again.
It seems I need to build myself a box and fit a hood or a fan to it. Not sure my woodworking skills are up to it ::)
Thanks for your help everyone