Fumes and safety

Helen G · March 30, 2009, 09:39:09 PM

OK, I am a little confused! Do you need to wear a respirator when using silver rich glass or just when making SIS, fuming or using enamels?
Do you wear yours?? Can you actually work with that monstrosity stuck on your face??
What sort of respirator do you buy?
Is there a recommended level of extraction for your ventilation system?

Any advice would be much appreciated and sorry if if there is a thread along these lines already.

Steampunkglass · March 31, 2009, 11:16:33 AM

Well the danger with enamels is the dust, as you don't want to be breathing in fine bits of glass, so you should use something for those, silver glass etc you should have decent extraction for if you are doing alot of this. I guess I can't really speak as my extraction was remembering to open the window, and wondering why I got sore throats and headaches! I saw a neat easy test which was cut a strip of tissue about 1/2inch by 6inch, and dangle it in front of your torch tip (I think when it's off!) If your extractor 'pulls' it by a few degrees you are ok if you don't do alot, if you do alot of work it should be more like 45degree pull.

Only problem with this test is it didn't say where the extractor was, I guess in this case overhead, but mine is right in front of the torch. Since setting it up though I don't get anymore headaches etc. I've been reading up abit on this since doing boro as that tends to have a lot more heavy metals concentrated in them. Apparently the side effect from silver poisoning can be a grey face which can be permanent!!!

Steampunkglass · March 31, 2009, 11:31:04 AM

found the link again, although this is for boro it might help, or make you completely paranoid! Info at the bottom of the page http://www.glassalchemy.com/index.php/resources/user-manual/92

saffie · March 31, 2009, 11:44:19 AM

Quote from: Dendrobium on March 31, 2009, 11:16:33 AM
Apparently the side effect from silver poisoning can be a grey face which can be permanent!!!

Helen G · March 31, 2009, 12:38:43 PM

Thank you for that Dendrobium, it all looks/sounds a bit scary when I search the internet but then the kiln thing was a bit like that. My kiln said have it 6 foot away from everything cos of fire hazzard. Well you can leave your hand on the side when its at full rate and its only just warm!
I have a large kitchen extractor fan infront of my torch but maybe I should upgrade to a cooker hood

Its when and why to use the respirator as well as the fan that's also bothering me

Please help $:-\$

beadysam · March 31, 2009, 02:33:51 PM

Quote from: saffie on March 31, 2009, 11:44:19 AM
Quote from: Dendrobium on March 31, 2009, 11:16:33 AM
Apparently the side effect from silver poisoning can be a grey face which can be permanent!!!

Yep! You can end up looking like a smurf!!!

Redhotsal · March 31, 2009, 03:38:05 PM

It's really difficult to be specific about extraction because extraction requirements will vary according to your own situation.
Just a couple of pointers:

If you extract air don't forget that you have to replenish the dirty air with clean air - so just pulling it out isn't going to help if you have no fresh air coming in. You need to "balance" your flow rates.

Try holding a lit cigarette or an incense stick (joss stick) in various places and see where the smoke is being drawn. Quite often there are "dead areas" where the smoke will collect or even just go round and round. The smoke test is a good visual check to see whether your extraction is working efficiently. In fact your extractor may be more efficient than the kitchen hood - it just depends on where it is and what it is pulling.

Yes, I will use an organic respirator if I'm doing a lot of fuming. (Stacy refers to this as the "gimp mask"(!))But I used to work in a lab so it doesn't bother me.

I've found out very little on the internet about the effects of silver and gold poisoning. There is evidence that too much silver can affect the eyesight - but it is difficult to get hard evidence. You don't want too much build up of heavy metal in your body - although I for one can't tell you what the long term culminative effects are. I agree with Dendrobium - a quick read of Glass Alchemy's material list will frighten the pants off most people! It did me the first time I read it!

Les · March 31, 2009, 03:44:40 PM

I want a gimp mask !

beadysam · March 31, 2009, 04:55:25 PM

Quote from: Les on March 31, 2009, 03:44:40 PM
I want a gimp mask !

Stacy will know where to get one I'm sure...

Les · March 31, 2009, 05:08:01 PM

Oh the fun that could be had... *cough* ... ahem... beading, of course !!