Aspen Hot Glass Studio
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How do I Start to make beads?....

Welcome to the small hot shop.

 

For new beadmakers, be sure to see Safety in Beadland!


The 14' x 16' shop is just big enough to turn around in, and is the focal point of our creative activities. The big shop is in the background.
Bill's torch station. The ventilation system goes to a Dayton fan in the attic, and is on a variable speed control. Note the vent hood, lights, and sheet metal work surface.

There is good natural light from east, south and west windows, but plenty of lighting is still required to ease eye strain.

Circa 1997 with a naked Arrow Springs kiln. I now have an insulated box surrounding it to help contain and exhaust the heat in the summer. In the winter, the exhaust duct is removed and it retains heat a little better.
Rae now uses the Lynx torch, running on propane and a 10 LPM SeQual oxygen concentrator. The Lynx is a small but very versatile torch, and works beautifully with this concentrator. 
Lynx torch with small vent hood.
 

The Arrow Springs A1810 kiln, with a Paragon TNF II digital controller. It is surrounded with foil faced rigid foam board, and vented thru a duct in the summer to help keep the shop from getting too hot to work in.

 
The Red Max bench burner, swing down green welding shade, and aluminum vent hood adapter down.
 Green welding shade up out of the way.
Aluminum vent hood adapter up. I know it looks like some goofy stuff, but I play around trying different things depending on what I am working on, soft glass or boro, surface mix torch or my modified premix welding torch.
studio09.jpg (29508 bytes) Some of the glass stock in a closed cabinet which keeps the glass cleaner.  The PVC pipe works great for organizing colors.
studio07.jpg (29884 bytes)

Bill's old K-horn speakers got turned on their sides, and wedged under the benches!

This is an old picture, and these speakers are now in the big shop. We now use a smaller surround sound set. I miss having these in the small shop, they really made the glass get up and dance!  

Notice any mirrors on the walls?  This allows us to see behind us while working, which makes for a lot calmer work environment. I no longer feel the need to look over my shoulder, and anyone at the door will not surprise me.

*The fire extinguisher is right next to the door. I shake it up once in a while but knock on wood it has never been used!
*The propane and oxygen tanks are OUTSIDE where they belong!
** We now have an Oxygen concentrator. This SeQual 10 lpm unit can run two Minor Bench Burners, or the Lynx torch alone very well. It's great to no longer have the hassle and expense of the big oxygen cylinders.