Courage to work with a propane torch!

I have only just realised that I love special effects when it comes paint. Not just textures but special effects that then create interesting textures. One of the reasons I have avoided this passion of mine is because it involves fire. Don't get me wrong, warming myself by an open log fire is heavenly but it is the fire that is made with gas! When I was little, I spent much of my childhood holidaying in a caravan. We had a gas cooker and the hissing of the gas and then what seemed like an explosion, (through my young eyes) when the light from the match made contact with the gas. I dreaded an early morning call from my parents, who fancied a cup of tea in bed to, "put the kettle on". I was so scared lighting the gas, not knowing what would happen first. Would the invisible gas blow up in a flash or would my match burn up to my finger! I always panicked but I wasn't allowed to complain so I persevered. It didn't help that my Dad was a welder and was used to fires, hot metal and sparks flying everywhere. I don't know if he was trying to toughen me up or if he knew how scared I was, but he would occasionally coax me into his workshed to hold a piece of metal while he welded or something like that. I haven't overcome that fear yet! I'm still nervous holding a sparkler...let alone a propane torch!

So far, in my work with encaustic, no open flame has been needed to heat up the bees wax. The wax is in thermostatically controlled electric pots and if keep the temperture right it will not flash into a fire. BUT.... I am drawn to these special effects you see below. For these I need a propane torch, and if you are like me...you may ask "what is that?"

All the images of burnt offerings on this page are taken from a book 'Encaustic Mixed Media' by Patricia Baldwin Seggebruch.

 

Off I go to the local hardware store in Balcatta. I chickened out just looking at the more substantial ones and decided to have a practice with the smallest torch I could see on the shelf. 

When I got home I apprehensively pieced it together. No gas in the cartridge...great! How do I fill it. Back to another store as I'm now in the town of Beverley. I asked how I fill up the lighter with fuel as it came in the packaging empty. So glad I didn't try it myself...in the store they tried two different cans of fuel with different sized spouts, lighter fuel going everywhere because neither were a snug fit and it turned out the valve in the bottom of the cartridge didn't shut off properly so this highly volatile fuel is leaking out the bottom. Forget that I said, what else have you got? That's when they bought out the big guns. This huge can with a brass pipe that you attach to the top, turn on the gas and light with a match. The box insisted on using a 'sparker' to light it. I'm nervously walking home with this contraption under my arm wondering if I really want these special effects that much??

Yes!..it turns out I do.

Bear with me if you are planning to do Encaustic because this info will safe you some time and trouble but not $$ unfortunately.

When I went back to my trusty encaustic books I saw the attachment on the gas bottle had a gun with a trigger on it, to stop and start the flow of gas which suited me much better. So, back to the store in Beverley to return the one I had and had to go to York to get the one I wanted. This third, most expensive and last purchase was identical to closer to the one in my book. 

My main concern was the warnings about NOT tilting the cylinder while working but apparently no more than 45 degrees is a safe angle to tilt. It doesn't say that on the instructions it just says don't tilt!  I will work on a level that is higher than the propane gun and place my artwork on a fire resistant surface. I invested in some protective gloves too. Managed to find a pair that don't feel like they are made out of cardboard and would fit the hand of a gorilla! Now, I am pretty much set to go....just got to light the bloody thing. It is good to be extra careful but I have read so many instructions with all the flash fire warnings and hazards that I'm likely to do sweet nothing for a few weeks till I have built up the courage to have a go! At least that is what happened with melting the wax. I get there in the end though!