My First Torch Accident

[Tela]

Thought I would share this since it seems everyone new to a torch has something similar happen. Right, Glenda?

That's my kitchen table. Good thing it isn't my *good* table. My good one is in the shed disassembled, waiting to be refinished.

I had a pizza stone under the silver that I was trying to fuse with the microtorch. What was I thinking? I have a huge tote filled with my glass shop things including large pieces of graphic, "asbestos" fabric and kiln things. I was too lazy and too anxious to start melting to get something more suitable out to use. The heat transferred straight to the table. DOH!

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[glenda]

;D Ha ha ha, You remembered?!! ;D

We still have the same carpet with the melted copper washer ring in it! ;D

Thank goodness it wasn't your best table!!

I know what you mean about being too anxious. No time for all the practicalities when there is a whole house to trash!

Jokes aside - Be careful!!x

[Kate]

Thank you for sharing! I'm not ready for the torch and won't be for quite a while but I will remember. I should say hopefully remember. I can't seem to walk into a room these days and remember what I was going after.

[Renate]

Thank you for the warning, Tela!

A few months ago I bought a torch, and since then it is sitting in its original wrapping on my balcony - I don't want a gas cartouche inside the house, scary things, you know!!! ;D (what will frost do to it?? ) I'm ridiculously scared to start using it, and originally intended to test it in the garden, but during the last few days it's been on my mind... I want to make balled ends, now!
Your experience, Tela, helped my decision - I will make my first steps in the garden, which means to postpone it to Spring. I will be much more relaxed then (=less clumsy, too), and if the shed burns down, oh well.

[Tela]

Renate, don't be afraid of the torch. I was just careless about using the right surface to work on. Here's a video that I found for my torch. www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysLk2BGlbzg I use my lighter to light the torch, though. The directions even call for it. Strikers are safer, but you don't need one. When lighting with a lighter, don't turn the gas up too high or the gas will blow out the flame. I turn it on just a little, light it, then turn it up.

If you are nervous maybe you can get a handyman to do it for you first to show you and then you'll feel more comfortable with it.

[christine]

Tela, So sorry about your table but you shared an important lesson. Patience and preparation are essential when using a torch. I have had mine a year now and haven't done a lot with it as it still scares me...it is fun to play with fire though!

Renate, some one warned me about not using a torch outside as you can't see the flame as well as you can inside.

[Renate]

Christine, that's a good point. I've also just learned that outdoors the flame may be inconsistent because of the wind.

Tela, I guess I'm so scared because I know so little, and have no experience at all with torches. But learning helps ;-) I've just spent a useful 30 minutes on this site, where all basics about torch safety are explained and demonstrated in detail on video.
www.beaducation.com/vids/detail/48
In a way that confirmed my concerns regarding precautions: make sure your hair is out of the way, nothing flammable within reach, it's so easy to overlook something. Wear cotton, and don't wear any artificial fibers - in the worst case scenario they can melt into your skin. I've met a jewelry making artist who had happened that to her, all her upper front body burnt - it wouldn't have happened that badly if she hadn't worn artificial fibers.

And Tela, I hope Cat is locked out when you work with the torch?

Gee, I come across as a VERY scared and overcautious person, but I assure you I am not. I just know that I have a huge clumsiness potential, and I need to know where the risks are. ;D

Torches or not, I recommend to have a closer look at beaducation.com - they have a lot of well-made videos of many jewelry making techniques. I've written a short review here:
jewelrymakers.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=favplace&thread=148

[livewire]

I've also had a torch accident, of sorts.

I spent a lot of time making a silver clay charm, which involved embossing and carving. I also was in a hurry. I didn't remember to put a large firebrick under the somewhat thin one I was using. I put the small firebrick on the stainless steel stove top and fired the piece with my butane torch.

Well, my piece melted almost immediately. I guess the metal stovetop reflected the heat back into the piece.

Another lesson learned!

Joyce

[Tela]

Doh! Sorry about that Joyce, but like you said, lesson learned. And now I have learned another. I have a large stainless plate I used for glass blowing that I was going to use for the torch.... guess not. Thanks.

I was at Rio looking at bricks etc and was at beaducation looking at a torch vid and that equipment. I'm going to give my graphite a roll and then resort to what the the one teacher used- a revolving pumice tray and fire brick. Problem is, I can't find any firebrick around town. Where does one buy it???

[livewire]

Tela, that was a source of great confusion for me initially. I bought fireplace bricks initially. Wrong. The firebricks that are used for soldering are of different materials. Many are soft enough to make small holes in to hold to-be-soldered jump rings or pins to support work to be soldered. These may be charcoal, magnesia or other materials. Others are harder, such as Silquar. Most are meant to reflect heat back to the piece. A fireplace brick is a heat sink, drawing heat away from the piece to be soldered.

Your stainless plate can be used to protect your table from stray flames. A pumice tray with firebrick on top of the the plate would be great.

The bricks and pads needed for soldering are available from most jewelry supply sites.

Joyce

[Tela]

Thank you, Joyce You demystified that for me. YES, it is confusing. I finally found the brick I was looking for at beaducation. It is also called a "kiln brick". I have seen so many friggin names for it! What I like about it is you can cut into it easily. Since I want to give them my business for providing great free video tutes, I will order from them. I haven't seen any locally and even though I live in a big metro area, I know of no local jewelry supply store.