Looking at my first glassblowing torch setup versus now

I mean, back when I started, my torch was hooked up to tanks in a dusty corner of the basement, with hoses all tangled and no real vent. I remember using an old fan from a thrift store to clear fumes, which was sketchy but it worked. Last year, I finally got around to redoing the whole area, putting in a proper hood and organizing the gas lines. It's wild how much safer and smoother things run now, and I don't waste time untangling stuff before I can even heat up glass. Finding my early practice beads while cleaning out made me laugh at how rough they were. Maybe it's just me, but taking a weekend to fix up the space made glassblowing feel fresh again. Now, with everything in its spot, I can jump right into making pieces without the old hassle.

3 comments

3 Comments

the_hayden1mo ago

How many hours did you lose over the years just to that old ventilation fight? Setting up the new hood had to be a project itself, what was the hardest part to get right so it actually moves enough air without wrecking your flame? I always put off the big shop fixes because I'm scared I'll build something that looks good but still doesn't function right for the work.

sean7821mo ago

That progression from sketchy setups to a proper workspace is so real. Read a forum post once where someone said their first year of any craft is just fighting their own workspace, which totally tracks. Your old fan solution sounds exactly like the kind of "it works until it doesn't" logic we all use at the start. Finding those early pieces is the best kind of cringe, really shows how far you've come. Having a clean, safe spot must make the actual creative part way less of a headache.

nathan_shah1mo ago

Oh man, that first setup sounds like a safety inspector's nightmare. I can just see the single extension cord running three things, and the duct tape holding your ventilation together. My favorite part is how we all act like the permanent layer of dust on everything is just part of the studio's charm. Honestly, it's a miracle any of us made it out of that phase with all our fingers and eyebrows. Getting it sorted must feel like you finally stopped fighting the room itself and can just make stuff.