setting up a flame off

[Ybot]

Hey guys im after some advice from those who have done this before.

i have been talking to some of the other aussie lampworkers and seems we have a group keen to all meet up somewhere and melt some glass together.. there wont be prizes but we are still very young in the scene..(saying that there is boro lampworkers here old enough to be my folks but without internet they haven't all caught up to make functionals i wouldn't think, although i could be wrong lol)

what i want to know from anyone whos done this before is what do we nee.

Obviously we need our torches, tools and gas and regs
shed or hall to melt in
accom for the interstaters
(do we need some kind of insurance?)
i doubt there will be any random folk watching or anything.
how do people go about ventilation for something like this?
any general advice we will need. like i said ive never done anything like this just keen for a big group of like minded folk to catch up and make some glass and hopefully learn a heap.

Toby :)

[little_pixie16]

Hi Toby, I'm new to the glass scene so I might not have much advice to offer, but as for set-up wise I'd probably rent a studio to fit all of you, maybe you could all split the price? In all the glass get togethers that I've seen, they usually have the torches arranged in a circle under one big ventilation hood. Sorry, I know you probably knew all this already. But have fun!! Hope everything goes well!

[menty666]

You'd want insurance.

Also, don't discount onlookers. a) If you get more folks in, you increase interest and the next thing you know, there's more of you to hang out with. b) Charging a nominal admission fee for them helps offset some of your costs.

With that in mind, make sure you include some costs for advertising/marketing.

Also, yes, ventilation is a good thing. Even if you're renting a couple of giant industrial sized floor fans to put in doors to pull air flow through the building, it's better than nothing, though finding a hotshop someplace that can host is even better.

[Ybot]

A hot shop is really out of the question, there just isnt anything like that.. ive scooped up as many pipers from across the country as we can. got 17 maybes atm.. fans for draw through the building is a great idea..
do we have to worry about people watching ie, they should be wearing diddys or since its a once off is it ok for them to just use their sun glasses?? (i wouldnt think so)
we want to keep it pretty intimate i guess as what we are making is slightly less than legal i guess.

[PyroChixRock]

I wish mer was here to answer this for you. He knew a lot about this, being the founder of DFO. I'll see if I can dig up his notes for you. Would you send me a PM with the email you'd like them sent to. :)