I thought It would be nice to summarize the basics on ventilation for everyone, mostly those new to our art who are in search of the info.
Moderator, can we tack this to the top?????????????
Ventilation is REQUIRED in flameworking since there are heavy metal fumes and silica released by our medium that you don't want in your lungs and brain and body.
1.) CFM means cubic feet per minute. depending on the size of your shop you should have many CFM's of ventilation. Meaning air moved out of your shop. One source I read said 100 CFM's per square foot of work table space. Others can comment below on how much they use or have heard should be used. I'm not sure anyone knows how much we need. Maybe we need an OSHA expert's help here.
2.) The larger the diameter the ducting the better. Less turbulence, more laminar flow.
3.) Round is better than Square duct. Less turbulence, more laminar flow.
4.) Shorter distance between fan and work area are better.
5.) Straight and or slow curves in ducts are better than Right angles. Less turbulence, more laminar flow.
6.) Hoods and enclosed worktables can direct the ventilation very effectively away from the worker.
7.) Always know where the air you suck into your shop is coming from. A large source of fresh are is best. For example: Powerful fans can make your furnace backflow and you can get carbon monoxide poisoning.
8.) The flow by your head (your mouth leads to your lungs, in case you weren't aware) is KEY!!! the fresh air should flow by yor face. A 300 Giga CFM fan located at the other end of your shop will only slowly pull the cloud of metal fume away from your head. That is the principle behing hoods, directing and concentrateing the flow.
9.) OSHA says for welding hoods that 250-350 CFM per linear workbench foot is adequate. But there is NO standard for Flameworkers.
Please see all the posts of some creative ventilation in Glassartists studio shots.
Everyone post all the advice you can give on ventilation here, try and stick to the basics. (feel fre to correct any mistakes above)
Happy Flamin'
Moderator, can we tack this to the top?????????????
Ventilation is REQUIRED in flameworking since there are heavy metal fumes and silica released by our medium that you don't want in your lungs and brain and body.
1.) CFM means cubic feet per minute. depending on the size of your shop you should have many CFM's of ventilation. Meaning air moved out of your shop. One source I read said 100 CFM's per square foot of work table space. Others can comment below on how much they use or have heard should be used. I'm not sure anyone knows how much we need. Maybe we need an OSHA expert's help here.
2.) The larger the diameter the ducting the better. Less turbulence, more laminar flow.
3.) Round is better than Square duct. Less turbulence, more laminar flow.
4.) Shorter distance between fan and work area are better.
5.) Straight and or slow curves in ducts are better than Right angles. Less turbulence, more laminar flow.
6.) Hoods and enclosed worktables can direct the ventilation very effectively away from the worker.
7.) Always know where the air you suck into your shop is coming from. A large source of fresh are is best. For example: Powerful fans can make your furnace backflow and you can get carbon monoxide poisoning.
8.) The flow by your head (your mouth leads to your lungs, in case you weren't aware) is KEY!!! the fresh air should flow by yor face. A 300 Giga CFM fan located at the other end of your shop will only slowly pull the cloud of metal fume away from your head. That is the principle behing hoods, directing and concentrateing the flow.
9.) OSHA says for welding hoods that 250-350 CFM per linear workbench foot is adequate. But there is NO standard for Flameworkers.
Please see all the posts of some creative ventilation in Glassartists studio shots.
Everyone post all the advice you can give on ventilation here, try and stick to the basics. (feel fre to correct any mistakes above)
Happy Flamin'
