In house spray booth

[m408]

Let me set the scene. I live in a townhouse complex which has restrictions about mechanical vents or such through the outside walls. I do my modeling in a spare bedroom/den. I would like to do my painting in the room as opposed to a cold garage. Does anyone have plans or ideas for an "in house" paint booth? Fumes are not a problem ( I live by my self ). Also, what about incorporating a light bulb in it to speed drying times? My first thought was a cardboard box with a small computer fan for exhaust with one of those face masks for a filter and a small lazy suzan thing to rotate parts as I paint.

[MrObsessive]

I'm not an expert on building a homemade booth........but I can tell you that a regular face mask WILL NOT cut it against potentially dangerous paint fumes! You definitely want to invest in a full dual chamber respirator that will fend off the toxic fumes as well as the paint particles.

I myself have a paint booth I bought at a local hobby shop.........but it was pricey so that may not be the route you want to go................

As far as speeding up drying times a light bulb might get a little dangerous around a cardboard unit ..............I use a food dehydrator that I picked up at the local Wally World for around 40 bucks. It's really great because you can set the temp at 105° and you're all set. Within 24 hours I'm all set to rub out and polish the paint.

Some other guys may chime in on homebuilt units that they may have built.....................they can give you some pointers.

[Jairus]

Why is that cat always in the picture? Hmmmmmm....

[MrObsessive]

Why is that cat always in the picture? Hmmmmmm....

That's a pic I recycled of my model room...........but even if I took a pic right now he would be in it! He's the only cat I've ever had that has to be wherever I am!

[stevehansen]

I did a kitchen remodel and this old cabinet looked to be better served as my new spray booth. Silicone sealed the bottom edges of the top shelf to reduce overspray drift. Bought a lighted bathroom fan and dryer vent.

Do you think you could sneak a dryer vent out the side of your townhouse?

[m408]

I did a kitchen remodel and this old cabinet looked to be better served as my new spray booth. Silicone sealed the bottom edges of the top shelf to reduce overspray drift. Bought a lighted bathroom fan and dryer vent.

Do you think you could sneak a dryer vent out the side of your townhouse?

Nope. No dryer vents, no anything that goes through exterior walls that aren't allready there. O.K. so a light in a cardboard box isn't such a great idea. Maybe I'll make the box out of plywood. My budget doesn't allow for food dehydrators. Nor does it allow for sending parts out to be re-chromed, (see previous entry under "old dog".) I'm just an old school guy trying to take advantage of the new technologies. I do not intend to build "show" quality models, just some that are better than what I used to make.

[hookedonplastics]

You HAVE to vent to the outside!!! It is so easy to build up an "explosive" atmosphere in a confined space! Also, all of your solvents when airborne are heavier than the air in your apartment and will travel along the floor to a heat source (pilot light, etc) There cannot be any leeway here. Also, like Bill said, you must use a respirator with a filter (charcoal or equivalent). There just cant be any scrimping.

[ramonesblues]

You HAVE to vent to the outside!!! It is so easy to build up an "explosive" atmosphere in a confined space! Also, all of your solvents when airborne are heavier than the air in your apartment and will travel along the floor to a heat source (pilot light, etc) There cannot be any leeway here. Also, like Bill said, you must use a respirator with a filter (charcoal or equivalent). There just cant be any scrimping.

Also, remember that when using urethane paints that even after the vapors and overspray are evacuated, it will still be releasing isocyannates into the air until the paint is completely cured.you don't want this stuff floating around inside your house.

[m408]

You HAVE to vent to the outside!!! It is so easy to build up an "explosive" atmosphere in a confined space! Also, all of your solvents when airborne are heavier than the air in your apartment and will travel along the floor to a heat source (pilot light, etc) There cannot be any leeway here. Also, like Bill said, you must use a respirator with a filter (charcoal or equivalent). There just cant be any scrimping.

Thanks for your inputs guys, and I appreciate your concerns for my safety. But, it's not an apartment, a townhouse. No commen air or heat systems. My closest source for exposed flame, pilot light, is three floors down, in the basement. Please accept this as a caviate to release all who respond from any responsibility for my wellfare. Just give me some ideas or specs. about an in house paint booth.

[935k3]

You really do have to vent outside. Get a laundry vent kit and mount it on a board that fits in a window and just put it in the window while painting.

[crispy]

Just like 935k suggested, get a board that would fit in your window and a small dryer hose(6 ft. should cover it) and get it all mounted.

The trick with the board fitting in your window is make sure it can be removed when you are done venting. This way it's not a permanent thing in your window. Only use it when you paint.

I'll even send you a dryer hose if I have some extra around here. You can find scrap boards anywhere. Filters are cheap.

I even have a fan I could send you to help out. Let me know.

I did the same thing as Bill did and bought a Paasche booth. Best model investment I ever made. I had to wait another year before I bought a dehydrator, and just like Bill, purchased at Wal-Mart for $38.00.

It all takes time, but start off with a home-made booth first but at the very least vent it out. Save some money for a nice booth and keep the removable board, nobody is the wiser.

I hope this helps, and let me know if you want these items. I'll send them gratis.

Chris

[dptydawg]

I used the booth pictured here for several years and just recently built a new downdraft version that also vents through the window. This booth is built from plywoood wall paneling and a pair of bathroom fans that are ducted via dryer ducts to the window. The overhead fan causes dust to fall on the models so I recomend either side or downdraft fans.

The organic vapour mask is not an option, It is a must!

My new booth vents through the same window but the unit is now portable and I used a piece of P;exi with a couple vent louvers to hold the hoses in place in the window. I use this setup all year round and it seals well against the sub-zero temps we get up here

Thanks

Carl Avis

[MonoPed]

You really do have to vent outside. Get a laundry vent kit and mount it on a board that fits in a window and just put it in the window while painting.

Exactly!! Enamals and lacquers are bad enough, but catylized urethanes are a whole new ballgame. These materials will absolutely wreak havoc on your lungs in a way that makes enamals and lacquers seem harmless (they are not!). As you spray this catylized material, the vapors floating around are still in liquid form, and you end up inhaling them. After they are firmy planted in your lungs, they catylize and harden, just as they do on your model, and are there forever. This isn't something to play around with. It can kill you. Be smart, find a way to exhaust these fumes outdoors, andwere a friggin respirator.

[MikeBoyle]

You really do have to vent outside. Get a laundry vent kit and mount it on a board that fits in a window and just put it in the window while painting.

That's exactly how I have my booth vented in my apartment and it works great.

[kurth]

Here is what I did:

I have these old windows that open out instead of up. I bought a piece of thin plywood and had it cut to the size of the screen. Then I cut a hole int he wood and mounted just the flange from a dryer vent kit. I hook up the hose from my spraybooth to it when I am going to paint. I leave the wood in the window all the time, but it looks pretty ugly from the outside.

before I built that contraption, this is what I did.

not recommended

Edited August 25, 2008 by kurth

[m408]

Here is what I did:

I have these old windows that open out instead of up. I bought a piece of thin plywood and had it cut to the size of the screen. Then I cut a hole int he wood and mounted just the flange from a dryer vent kit. I hook up the hose from my spraybooth to it when I am going to paint. I leave the wood in the window all the time, but it looks pretty ugly from the outside.

before I built that contraption, this is what I did.

not recommended

Great ideas guys. I have a window available. I'll check out some booths on line, get the specs, and build my own. I'm thinking a lazy susan kind of turntable with addable fixtures for small parts, maybe alligator clips inserted in holes, as well as bodies.

[BIGTRUCK]

These Tamiya paint stands are the best way to go for under 20 bucks , and it rotates too...

holds parts or bodies securely

[MrObsessive]

These Tamiya paint stands are the best way to go for under 20 bucks , and it rotates too...

holds parts or bodies securely

That's what I've been using Ken and I swear by them! I also use the temporary window insertion for my spray booth. I can't bring myself to cutting a hole in the wall..........probably because it's in a spare bedroom that I build...........might turn off future buyers if I decide to sell the place someday!

Here is the link for the paint stands BTW...........

[crispy]

I'm with Ken and Bill on those Tamiya paint stands. Those things are great! I have a couple of them and swear by them. The body stand is adjustable too.

I have also picked up some helping hands from Menards for about $5.00. These are the alligator clip ends that are also adjustable.

Chris

[hookedonplastics]

m408 (I would use your real name if it was posted ):

Here is a photo of my set-up:

And here is the layout for 2 booths cut from one 4x8 sheet of plywood:

I used an 80cfm bathroom fan for the down draft exhaust. The booth itself is made out of 1x2 pine furring strips and 1/4" underlayment plywood for use under vinyl flooring. The 1/4 ply helps keep the weight down. After I made the layout plans and built the booth, I added a cut-out at the top for an aquarium light. I covered the hole with thin Lexan.

I hope this helps. If you have any questions, please feel free to e-mail me!

Russ

[didgeytrucker]

The computer cooling fans won't flow enough air to remove the fumes. And the fumes are flammable (explosive!) Be careful with a fan with the motor in the airflow such as computer fans. The best is what is known as a squirrel cage where the motor is outside the airflow. Look at the fan on your car's heating A/C system for an example (if you have ever replaced it you know what I'm talking about.

Tracy

[cruz]

This is the set up I made about 3 years ago. Went out to Home Depot and bought an inductor which is an 8" fan inside of a duct. These are used when you have a big house and one of the rooms is not getting enough heat because is far away from the basement or heat source. It has the wiring for electrical and thermostat connections. I reduced the size from 8" to 4" using a reducing coupler also sold at Home Depot and installed a flexible dryer vent routed towards the outside of the house. It has been pretty useful to me.............

[Mr. Metallic]

Board Moderators, i hope this is ok to post. if not just delete it...

In SAE issue # 135 in Pat Coverts Tips and Tech column someone submitted a design for a fully self contained in-home spray booth. it doesn't need to be vented outside, so this is especially good for renters. The air flows thru a tube into a bucket containing activated charcoal and water. This filters out any paint fumes and the air is allowed to return into the room thru the top of the bucket. I'm curious if anyone has actually tried this setup, as i was skeptical when i read it. Seems like a geeat idea, in theory.

[cruz]

Board Moderators, i hope this is ok to post. if not just delete it...

In SAE issue # 135 in Pat Coverts Tips and Tech column someone submitted a design for a fully self contained in-home spray booth. it doesn't need to be vented outside, so this is especially good for renters. The air flows thru a tube into a bucket containing activated charcoal and water. This filters out any paint fumes and the air is allowed to return into the room thru the top of the bucket. I'm curious if anyone has actually tried this setup, as i was skeptical when i read it. Seems like a geeat idea, in theory.

Hey my friend, I actually did try that method but what I didn't like about it was that it didn't suck enough air into the bucket. I tried different size and strenght fans but was still getting the same results...........

[mikelo]

Yes, I work for a carbon filter company, so I tried one myself. While it will remove most solvents, some fumes still get through (I found primers and black paint). The water does nothing at all but provide back pressure for the fan. I still use mine, but being in the garage, I just leave the door open, and in about 1.5 hours even the worst fumes are gone. I would still vent outside.