To flame or not to flame

I spent an agonising couple of months trying to decide whether to take up the hobby of lampworking following my course with Becky Fairclough. I knew it wouldn't be a cheap hobby and if I decided I wanted to go ahead I wanted to do it properly and this would cost approx. £1000 to set up.

I joined the lampworking forum Frit Happens and found it so friendly and full of advise that when a second hand minor burner torch was offered in the for sale section I snapped it up.

I ordered a kiln and an oxycon (oxygen concentrator) and some other items to get me started from Tuffnells Glass. Martin (the owner) gave me a good deal and I saved on the postage by collecting it from The Big Bead Show that I went to in Sandown Park.

I ordered my pipe, flashback arrester and ventilation from Ebay and at the beginning of October I was ready to start.

Here is a photo of my 'studio' setup in the corner of our conservatory.

The oxycon and propane gas bottle live in the garage behind the wall. I will have to bring the oxycon inside during the winter as it doesn't like to get damp.