I never thought too much about silica dust floating around while grinding until recently. White speckles are dried droplets of water that contain ground glass (silica). If they are brushed off your clothes, they usually become dust that is easily spread. When inhaled, it can lead to a disease called silicosis, for which there is no cure.
The severity of this problem is related to the length of time spent grinding, cutting and creating spatters. The length of time being exposed and smoking both worsen silicosis. Wearing an apron while grinding or cutting may help to keep the dust off work clothes. Chang clothes before leaving the studio (place work clothes in a pillowcase to take to the wash, wash pillowcase too), This helps to limit the spread of silica dust.--Dr. Fleming Fallon
A1DEBSGLASS BLOG Artistic endeavors, of somebody (me) who loves many mediums of art. I am available for questions about the art of stained glass, and willing to share my frustrations with some of the problems I encounter during the process. Follow me via email, as I will periodically have a giveaway. I will share as much as I dare of my life :o)
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Tip of the Week
Ever wonder why pink glass is so expensive and hard to find? Pink glass is expensive because it has gold in it. It is hard to find because it is hard to make (and it's expensive). The "gold" in "gold-pink" identifies the glass as being colored with actual gold. It has nothing do do with the color gold.--Eric Lovell of Uroboros Glass
Friday, July 24, 2009
Fleur de lys
This is a commission piece. I had already done one for the lady as a wedding gift for her daughter. She liked it so much I had to do one for her, this time only the fleur de lys as a suncatcher. As I was piecing together, the 3 short bars near the bottom wanted to flip flop and not be stable. I tried thin flat copper pieces inbetween the pieces of glass and even on the outside, trying to stabilize the piece so as not to bend. Nothing worked, so I took 2 lengths of tinned copper wire and braced the piece on the back. I was afraid it would distract from the overall look, but it was the only thing that would work. It was challenging (beside the bracing problem) in that she gave me the piece of glass to make it from, and it was barely bigger than the end results. I only broke one piece cutting out, but I really do hate those inside curves. I don't use a saw, so sometimes it is difficult to get the shapes I want.
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