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studio health: dust and rubber floors?

updated fri 13 may 05

 

Lauren Bellero on wed 11 may 05


as a potter working in my basement studio daily,
i am very concerned about lung health. as good as
my intentions are, i have learned that i am not diligent
in mopping the floor as often as it should be done.
after 10 years i just have not been able to force
myself into that habit -- as important as i know it is.

so as an alternative, i have resorted to
having one of those industrial rubber floors with
all the holes in it. the thought being that dust settling
inside the holes is not kicked up all day long while i'm
tooling around the studio. i haven't seen any posts
regarding this kind of floor, so i'd like to
know: what are your opinions?

(to stave off some good intentioned scolding:
the rubber floor is not the only safety feature
installed in the studio. and yes, i do clean it
periodically. also, there are multiple exhaust
fans; i always use an osha-rated mask when cleaning,
and when mixing and spraying glazes. i
have an air filter (it is not exhausted outside but
is located near one of the exhaust fans --
i have read the warnings about those as well.))

thanks,
all the best,
lauren

--
Mudslingers Pottery, Lauren Bellero
http://mudslingerspottery.net
39 Leroy Place, Red Bank, NJ 07701
732.747.4853

Marvpots@AOL.COM on wed 11 may 05


Lauren.
I think Mudslinger is the email address of Bath Potters Supply in Bath
England; you may be hearing from them.

Marvin Flowerman
marvpots@aol.com

Snail Scott on thu 12 may 05


At 03:54 PM 5/11/2005 +0000, you wrote:
>...i have resorted to
>having one of those industrial rubber floors with
>all the holes in it. the thought being that dust settling
>inside the holes is not kicked up all day long while i'm
>tooling around the studio. i haven't seen any posts
>regarding this kind of floor, so i'd like to
>know: what are your opinions?


I always wanted one myself, at least for the
immediate area where I make my clay mess. (We used
them in the dishwashing area when I worked in
food service, and I got to thinking about them
then.) It seems like a good idea, and I'm looking
forward to putting some down in my new studio.
I'm glad to hear that someone else has tried it
and likes it!

-Snail

Lauren Bellero on thu 12 may 05


i hope earl will allow this post!! earl, it isn't a "thanks for
the thingy-ma-jig" post...

Marvin Flowerman wrote:
>I think Mudslinger is the email address of Bath Potters Supply in Bath
>England; you may be hearing from them.

marvin,

here's a little story...

at my first nceca in 2003 san diego, i introduced myself
to mel. being more of a lurker than a poster since 1993, mel
of course didn't know the name and asked for my
email address. when i told him 'mudslingers' he said:
"steve mills is the mudslinger!"...

this year at nceca baltimore, i had the enchanting
opportunity to meet steve, the bath, england mudslinger!
we had the most wonderful encounter! and it is one of the
most memorable highlights of my entire nceca experience!

so, i humbly and admiringly grant the awesome steve mills
his worldy and well-deserved recognition as "THE" mudslinger.
(he may uncomfortabley blush at the 'grandiose-ness'
of my compliment, but i think he'll get over it!).

given that obvious fact, though, i have to say that here in my
own teeny corner of monmouth county nj, there may
be a half a handful of folks who know a mudslinger as 'lauren'.

[steve, are you listening? did you ever get the picture of us
i sent in email -- the one of us in the clayart room hugging like
childhood best friends?]

so marvin, i hope i DO hear from the mudslinger!!

all the best,
lauren (aka the mudslut -- which i wouldn't use as
my business name, so mudslingers is gonna have
to stay!)

--
Mudslingers Pottery, Lauren Bellero
http://mudslingerspottery.net
39 Leroy Place, Red Bank, NJ 07701
732.747.4853

David Martin Hershey on thu 12 may 05


Hi Snail & All,

I've had the restaurant type rubber ring mats throughout my studio
for a couple of years now, and think they're really great.

I started with just the main standing work areas,
and quickly decided that I should have them in all work areas
and traffic zones. I cut them with a utility knife to custom fit
around all the tables etc.

Really helps those aching feet/legs,
(concrete floor)
and keeps the foot dust down to almost nothing.
Drop a pot, and it bounces ;-)

We now do alternate week clean ups.
One week sponge all the flat areas, shelves, etc,
the second week take the mats out and hose them
and the studio floor. Works for me.

At the time, the cheapest source in the US was
e-mats.(very inexpensive or free shipping, no tax)
I bought the 3'x5' black units.
http://anti-fatigue.com/BeveledRingMat.htm

Best DMH
Beautiful Hermosa Beach CA USA
where the birds
are fighting
over the snails... (mollusks)

> At 03:54 PM 5/11/2005 +0000, you wrote:
>>...i have resorted to
>>having one of those industrial rubber floors with
>>all the holes in it. the thought being that dust settling
>>inside the holes is not kicked up all day long while i'm
>>tooling around the studio. i haven't seen any posts
>>regarding this kind of floor, so i'd like to
>>know: what are your opinions?
>
>
> I always wanted one myself, at least for the
> immediate area where I make my clay mess. (We used
> them in the dishwashing area when I worked in
> food service, and I got to thinking about them
> then.) It seems like a good idea, and I'm looking
> forward to putting some down in my new studio.
> I'm glad to hear that someone else has tried it
> and likes it!
>
> -Snail