Smith little torch for small indoor studio

Jewelry Discussion
1

I have been reading the various cautions against using an oxy /
propane set up inside, and I am wondering if there are any
precautions that could be taken in order to use the Smith Little
Torch in a small indoor studio space. My husband gave me a soldering
set-up as a birthday present, but I am worried about safety, and
have not set used it yet. I don’t have a free standing garage, only a
basic studio in a small room of our apartment. There is a window for
ventilation. Previously, I have used just a plumber’s propane torch
for different sculpture projects at home, and have worked on large
metal sculptures (welding, foundry) in a shop atmosphere. I am
wondering if there are any safety precautions I could take in order
to use the Smith Little Torch in this small indoor studio? Is the
Smith LIttle Torch commonly used by jewelry artists who work in
their living space? Thanks for any advice.

Catherine

2

Catherine,

I’m not the best person to answer, I’m probably on the hit list of a
few safety nannies :slight_smile:

Acetylene/air, oxy/ propane and oxy/acetylene in small living spaces
and workshops for decades. I’m still here despite learning to
disable smoke alarms when doing a large cast. But never a peep out of
CO alarms. I find that the greatest danger is pointing the thing at
your hand :slight_smile:

JeffD
Demand Designs
Analog/Digital Modelling & Goldsmithing
http://www.gmavt.net/~jdemand

3

Dear Catherine, Here are some things you should consider:

  1. Propane is heavier than air, so it lingers below nose level when
    you have a leak in your system. Consequently, it can fill up a
    dangerous capacity of a poorly ventilated room before you smell the
    leak. For this reason, you should always close the valves on your
    tanks when not in use. When attaching the hoses, always check for
    leaks at the connections using a solution of dish soap and water.
    Paint it on and watch for bubbles.

  2. Inadequate ventilation means more exposure to harmful fumes from
    cadmium, other heavy metals, and borates, all produced from the
    heated metals, fluxes, etc… Try to use cadmium-free solders and
    less toxic alternatives in fluxes and such.

  3. If your torch set did not come with flashback arrestors, I highly
    recommend that you buy one for each gas before setting everything
    up. Gas flashback can be an extremely dangerous situation, no matter
    where your torch is set up. I have an oxy/acetylene Little Torch set
    up in my apartment. I have my bench up next to the window and a
    small fan pointed such that it draws soldering fumes through it and
    out the window (theoretically). This is not the most efficient
    ventilation system, but I figure it’s better than nothing.

So far I have been very pleased with my set-up, and have not had any
scary situations…knock on wood.

Diane Bryan
Bryant Designs

4

Try this its setting up mine this way right now its just a small
fan. And that works to.

Best wishes
Jen

Note From Ganoksin Staff:
Looking for a soldering station for your jewelry projects? We recommend:

5

Catherine, Please check the Orchid Archives for exhaustive threads on
the subject- you’ll find at least one per month it seems…rer