Safety In the Studio

Safety in the studio is of utmost importance to me. I have decided to start a series of posts that will discuss my safe practices in the studio. I will add the disclaimer that I am not presenting myself as an expert on this subject at all. However, my goal is to share information that I have received on studio safety from what I consider to be reliable sources.

For this first post on the topic, I am going to describe something I recently read in a post on one of the Facebook Metalsmith Groups (I cannot remember which one). There was a discussion about the use of a #4 Smith acetylene air torch head with a size B acetylene tank. The statement was made that the use of that particular torch and tank was considered unsafe; actually it was considered dangerous. However, there was no explanation about why this opinion was given.

Below is a picture of the Smith acetylene air torch, size 4, and a typical size B acetylene tank. It is my understanding that these two should no longer be used together as it is not considered a safe practice.

I rely on Google when doing research, but I couldn’t find anything specific about this until I contacted Rio Grande’s Jewelry Tech Team (another metalsmith suggested I contact them). They confirmed what I had read, telling me it is true, no one should use the #4 Smith acetylene air torch head with a size B acetylene tank. They said the reason this is considered dangerous is because the #4 torch is so large it requires a tank size of 65 cubic feet or greater to operate safely.

I get my tanks from General Air. Information about tank sizes can be found on their website. Please take the time to discuss the correct tank size with your supplier. I have found the people at General Air to be knowledgeable and extremely helpful so you will have the correct set up for your torches. I believe your local industrial gas supplier can provide accurate information for the tank(s) you use.

I would also recommend that you discuss the tanks used in your studio with your insurance agent/carrier so you know what their policies will cover in your state/locale.

When I started my research, I wanted to know if what I had originally read on Facebook was accurate or the start of an urban legend. I must admit I was surprised that there was no information about this on the web. As a result, once I was able to confirm the authenticity of the recommendation through Rio Grande’s techs, I felt it was important to get the word out. Please consider this a public service announcement and share the information with your fellow metalsmiths. If you have any additional questions or need more specifics, I would recommend contacting Rio’s Tech Team too.

Until next time, I aspire to be more as a person and an artist.