Taking a break when lampworking

[Margram]

Up to now, if I get a slot to do some lampworking I keep at it for say, 2-5 hours non-stop.  That means I don't pop out there for just the odd hour but I'd like to.  What do you do about the gas and oxycon if you stop for a tea-break - do you bleed the lines, or just turn off at the oxycon and the burner?

TIA Marg x

[Sarah]

Hi Marg

I usually leave the oxycon running but bleed the propane lines. I do it in case I get distracted and forget about the propane. The oxycon isn't dangerous if I forget it but the propane is.

Sarah
xxx

[Wishing Wells Glass]

I just turn them off.  I'm in and out of my studio all day so I only bleed the lines at night when I'm closing up for the day

x

[Lush!]

I just turn em off too, I have my kiln set to garage for 13 hours so I frequently pop in and out of the porch.  I often have to give my extractor a rest anyway, I think its got a bearing problem, after a couple of hours the noise can be horrendous!

[Steampunkglass]

I just turn them off.  .......I only bleed the lines at night when I'm closing up for the day

Me too, I try and take breaks to rest me eyes & hands every 45min-1hr to make tea or get more water if it's hot

[Margram]

Thanks. I take it you turn the gas off at the tank not just at the burner?

(We have one of those noisy extractors in our bathroom - sounds like an aircraft
wanting to take off )

Marg x

[Donna@Rockin' Beads]

I don't get much torch time but if I do stop for a break I'll simply turn off the torch, the oxycon (it struggles after an hour and likes the break) and the extractor. I hadn't really woried about the propane tank but might now...

[Les]

I don't bleed the pipes until I'm done for the day. I'm never more than a few yards away from my torch though.

[Helen G]

Heck! I never bleed the lines

[Sarah]

Helen

You must bleed the lines when you're done for a session. Propane is extremely dangerous - its heavier than air and sinks so can build up in your studio causing a huge fire hazard. This is why its advisable to keep your tank outside.

It is probably only necessary to bleed the hose at the end of your day's session. But I can get distracted so bleed the hose if I am leaving the torch for longer than a few minutes. Better safe than sorry.

Sarah
xxx

[Wishing Wells Glass]

Thanks. I take it you turn the gas off at the tank not just at the burner?

(We have one of those noisy extractors in our bathroom - sounds like an aircraft
wanting to take off )

Marg x

I just turn it off at the torch, not the tank.  This is what I do for a living though, so I'm in my studio pretty much all day every day except for short breaks. 

Helen, Sarah's right, you really should bleed your line after each session.  I turn mine off at the tank, switch on my extractor and re-light only the propane part of the torch to fully burn out all the propane.

x

[Redhotsal]

I turn off the oxycon and shut off the torch for a tea break. I bleed everything off at the end of the day.
If you leave any gas in the lines (both oxy or propane) you can lessen the lifetime of your hoses. The propane can cause the plasticisers in the hoses to leach out and they can be dissolved into the propane, but also a lot of UV exposure will also make the hoses brittle too.

You ought to change your hoses when/if they go brittle and certainly if you get lots of little cracks appearing.

[Chelly77]

Hi Guys,

When you say bleed the lines, are you talking about getting ride of teh extra propane in the pipes?  Do I need to do this for a HH on bulk?

[Les]

Yep... that's what bleeding the lines is.... I'd do it with the HH too... just turn the bulk cylinder off at source and let the propane burn off until the flame does out.

And yeh... you still really need to bleed the lines ... it doesn't matter what torch you use, the propane sitting in the pipes is what causes the damage.

[Margram]

Thanks everyone.  I've been able to have a nice lunch break today and now
I'm back off out. Excited because I used silver wire for the first time on a little
spacer, and made my first big hole bead  .

Marg x