Propane regulator question

2PSI is way too low IMO - it should be at least at 4PSI (which is what Jim
Kervin suggests in his book). To be honest, though, my torch barely works
with anything lower than 5, but that could be due to the regulator. But it
all depends on the kind of flame you want. I've been using my Minor at
6-7PSI for three years and have had no problems at all.

Getting Jim Kervin's book will help clear things up for you, Giselle - it's
a must read for any glass beadmaker.

--
Kandice Seeber
www.lampwork.net



"Tinkster" wrote in message
. ..
Giselle, the pressure you need is determined in large part by the
torch you have. What torch will you be using?

A Nortel Minor.


Also, the propane tank will be outside the studio, yes?

We're deciding. Since we operate the house on propane, there's a 300#
tank
between the house and the studio location. The "studio" will be a room
sectioned off in a large, empty metal structure. The tank can be place
anywhere at this point but are you asking if it will it be far away from
open flame? Far enough. I'm chicken. But I am getting used to living
around tanks of propane that can obliterate all life in a 1/2 mile area.






Tink Martin - Art Glass
Check here for available work:
http://blackswampglassworks.com/latest.htm

I have my tank right on the outside wall of my studio, and we've drilled a
hole in the wall, have piped the line through the wall, and have sealed the
hole.

--
Kandice Seeber
www.lampwork.net

We're deciding. Since we operate the house on propane, there's a 300#
tank
between the house and the studio location. The "studio" will be a room

sectioned off in a large, empty metal structure. The tank can be place

anywhere at this point but are you asking if it will it be far away
from
open flame? Far enough. I'm chicken. But I am getting used to living

around tanks of propane that can obliterate all life in a 1/2 mile
area.


sheesh -why get another propane tank at all then?
All you need is a T line off your main house tank - contact a local
plumber and have them come in and plumb a line to the "studio."
Most professional glass studios I have been in have such plumbed gas.

Your local plumber can set you up with a proper connection and the
proper regulation (if required)for your needs.
Please don't depend on the people you have been talking to at the
propane place - they obviously do not know what they are talking about.
Additionally, I believe that you can run a Nortel Minor off regular
"house" pressure line....they only need a few pounds like 5 psi.

regardless - you should NOT PUT the tank inside the studio!


Cheryl

House pressure is 1/2 PSI according to the guy I've been talking to. In
fact, he says an entire neighborhood can be powered by that. (Hey, I'm
just repeating what he's telling me.)

My kid is resisting the line from the main tank to the studio. Plumbers
are hard to come by here and, in the end, I'm not sure that will be any
cheaper than the extra tank but I will call around.

Would the plumber set up the line to go over or under ground? (One of her
main objections is seeing the line go between the tank and the studio.)

Giselle

"Kalera" wrote in message
...
Flashback can happen when you're actually using a torch, not when the tank
valve is closed. It's not a likely occurrence, made more or less
nonexistent by using a surface-mix torch. I'm just baffled and a bit
appalled that he denies that it occurs at all and has never even heard of
flashback arrestors, ever, despite the fact that A: Flashback is a
well-known phenomenon, and B: the arrestors are standard equipment
available at every welding and glass supply store. I personally know boro
workers using premix torches that have had non-catastrophic flashbacks.

http://www.toolboxtopics.com/Gen%20I...0Flashback.htm
http://info.anu.edu.au/hr/OHS/Hazard..._Arrestors.asp
http://www.murexwelding.co.uk/mrxcont/gas/mrxgcse.htm
http://www.iigas.com/fba.htm
http://www.butbro.co.uk/flashback.htm

Obviously, since you're using a surface-mix torch, it's not really an
issue for you. However, his ignorance on this matter tends to make me
worry about the validity of his knowledge in other areas... for example,
renting you a regulator. They're not *that* expensive! A pancake regulator
can be had for about $12! It may benefit you to run stuff by us here, or a
place like ISGB.org, Artglassforum.com, or Lampworketc.com, populated by
glass techie types, before you go by what Mr. Propane & Propane
Accessories tells you.

I bought a regulator from the torch company so everyone can stop worrying.
That was on the propane guy's recommendation, btw.

It may well be that MY terminology and HIS terminology were not is sync. I
find that my WNY accent throws off people in Indiana plus he had no idea
what lampworking might be. I'm not willing yet to say he's st00pid but I
will grill him a bit when he delivers the tank of propane to see if it was
just a misunderstanding or something more serious.

BTW, I went with the company from your website.

Giselle

"Kandice Seeber" wrote in message
...
I have my tank right on the outside wall of my studio, and we've drilled a
hole in the wall, have piped the line through the wall, and have sealed the
hole.

My daughter is worried about the tank being buffeted about by our infamous
Indiana storms. (And we had a beaut of one last night, too!) How did you
secure the tank to the outside wall of your studio? I figure any storm
that's moving around a 100# tank is probably going to make me more worried
about a lot of worse things.

The heater is an Empire direct vent wall furnace, model dv-215.
http://www.mastersalesonline.com/empire/dv-215.html

Since I needed propane for the torch anyway, propane seemed the best
choice for heat, too. After a lot of internet research (here's a good
overview - http://www.doityourself.com/gasheat/propaneheater.htm), I
narrowed it down to wall-mounted, radiant style.

Most of the heaters I looked at were fairly inexpensive (some under
$100), but they were "ventless", which means they use room air for
combustion. You're in a barn, right? Your studio may be big enough, or
drafty enough to use a ventless heater, but I didn't like the idea in a
12'x24' well-insulated shed, so I opted for a more expensive (~$500)
vented unit.

Shop around - I was all set to order online when I found a local
heating/plumbing supply that had one in stock. A contractor friend got
a small discount for me so the price with tax was about the same as the
online price with shipping.

Here are a couple of pictures of my shed. You can see just a bit of the
heater in the 2nd picture, lower left corner. Now that I'm all moved
in, it looks a lot less empty :-).

http://www.people.cornell.edu/pages/mmw3/shed2.jpg
http://www.people.cornell.edu/pages/mmw3/inshed1.jpg
http://www.people.cornell.edu/pages/mmw3/inshed3.jpg

Meredith

Fragile Warrior Bees wrote:

GREAT ideas. Where did you get your propane heater? I'll need one of those
in a few more months, too.

I'm glad you got everything worked out.

If all he's doing is delivering propane, he doesn't need to know
anything about setting/up operating torches; if he's basically a BBQ
guy, he wouldn't know anything about flashback because BBQs don't have
an oxygen/propane mixing chamber, LOL! It just sounds like he was in
over his head with you. (Have you ever noticed that some people will do
that, even when they're way outside their area of expertise?)
Have fun with your setup!

Fragile Warrior Bees wrote:

I bought a regulator from the torch company so everyone can stop worrying.
That was on the propane guy's recommendation, btw.

It may well be that MY terminology and HIS terminology were not is sync. I
find that my WNY accent throws off people in Indiana plus he had no idea
what lampworking might be. I'm not willing yet to say he's st00pid but I
will grill him a bit when he delivers the tank of propane to see if it was
just a misunderstanding or something more serious.

BTW, I went with the company from your website.

Giselle



--
-Kalera
http://www.beadwife.com

It's placed in a wooden frame, but not really secured. You can clamp it to
your outside wall, though. We don't have storms that can move a 100# tank,
thank goodness!

--
Kandice Seeber
www.lampwork.net
"Fragile Warrior Bees" wrote in message
...

"Kandice Seeber" wrote in message
...
I have my tank right on the outside wall of my studio, and we've drilled a
hole in the wall, have piped the line through the wall, and have sealed
the hole.

My daughter is worried about the tank being buffeted about by our infamous
Indiana storms. (And we had a beaut of one last night, too!) How did you
secure the tank to the outside wall of your studio? I figure any storm
that's moving around a 100# tank is probably going to make me more worried
about a lot of worse things.

"Meredith Williams" wrote in message
...
The heater is an Empire direct vent wall furnace, model dv-215.
http://www.mastersalesonline.com/empire/dv-215.html

Since I needed propane for the torch anyway, propane seemed the best
choice for heat, too. After a lot of internet research (here's a good
overview - http://www.doityourself.com/gasheat/propaneheater.htm), I
narrowed it down to wall-mounted, radiant style.

Most of the heaters I looked at were fairly inexpensive (some under $100),
but they were "ventless", which means they use room air for combustion.
You're in a barn, right? Your studio may be big enough, or drafty enough
to use a ventless heater, but I didn't like the idea in a 12'x24'
well-insulated shed, so I opted for a more expensive (~$500) vented unit.

Shop around - I was all set to order online when I found a local
heating/plumbing supply that had one in stock. A contractor friend got a
small discount for me so the price with tax was about the same as the
online price with shipping.

Here are a couple of pictures of my shed. You can see just a bit of the
heater in the 2nd picture, lower left corner. Now that I'm all moved in,
it looks a lot less empty :-).

http://www.people.cornell.edu/pages/mmw3/shed2.jpg
http://www.people.cornell.edu/pages/mmw3/inshed1.jpg
http://www.people.cornell.edu/pages/mmw3/inshed3.jpg

Meredith

Thanks for all the info, Meredith. COOL studio! Lots of good ideas there.
I'm gonna steal 'em.

Thx again!
Giselle