Jump to content
Model Cars Magazine Forum

Paint Booths & Safe Ventilation?


Synister

Recommended Posts

It's getting colder outside and I won't be able to paint any bodies outside, does anyone have any ideas for creating an indoor paint booth? Right now I will be using spray cans to paint but soon will be investing in an airbrush and compressor. Thank you for any help you guys can give me.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Real men paint outside year round. I need to get a spray booth going myself, just too much sh** to juggle when I airbrush outside. I saw a neat one made up from a cardboard box and a stove hood that actually worked. So I'd be living on the edge with sparks from the blower motor, crossing the street every day had some degree of risk.

Bob

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I just got a Model Expo sales flyer and they show a NEW! spray booth for $119.99. It is metal and is easily transportable (so they say) as it weighs 8 pounds.

Not sure who makes it but for just over a hundred bucks, it might be worth it to check it out. It would be nice if there was a review in a magazine (hint hint Gregg) to see how it performs.

Mike

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 years later...

I made a paint booth a while ago. It's white poster board duct taped together into a 5 sided box, obviously open in the front. I have a 50 CFM cieling fan, the cheap $15-$20 one, The paint booth has accumulated dusted paint everywhere, which I'm realizing is an indication I am spraying my paint too dry, resulting in the issues I'm having.

Anyway, I see a lot of your paint booths and they are smaller, or more shallow than I have mine. I'm wondering if the exhaust fan will perform better if I make a new box?

I bought a new 80CFM fan. The box is 20x15x15 (depth is 15") I don't technically need that much space.

The Should I put a filter inside the fan assembly? I bought some dirt cheap house A/C filters, I can cut to size and put under the fan vent cover.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Possibly.

Also, the way I have the booth set up is next to the window. I made a thin wood panel that is the same size as the window. I open the window and fill the opening with the panel. The panel has a 3.5" vent hose that goes to the fan, so the fan sucks the fumes and paint and shoots it out of the window. I think everything cost about $50. $30 fan, poster board, scrap wood, and a dryer vent hose and duct tape.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What are the issues that you're having?

Even with an optimum size booth and fan, you're going to collect overspray. Unless your paint jobs are notoriously course or "powdery" the two are essentially unrelated and just come with the territory. That's why some line their booths with cling wrap or the like, or build them out of a material that can just be wiped down after use.

That 80 cfm will pull the patooey out of that size of a box. You should be fine with that and a filter. With the 15, a filter might be a bit too restrictive (especially if you've got particle buildup on your fan blades).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am not really having any issues with the booth, I just thought I'd ask if there were any recommended changes. I got the new fan and I figured I'd might as well duct tape up a new box, as it costs less than $10 Just wanted to make sure it was too big or anything. Just re-did the model room and a nice clean booth would look good.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

I've been using the very same spray booth for a couple of years now, over here the filters are around £4.50, and I usually change mine once a year, inbetween I take out the filters and using a fine nozzle on the vaccuum cleaner, give them a good cleaning, I also line the inside of mine with greaseproof paper, which keeps the inside of the booth clean, and once the paper gets too much paint or overspray on it, it's quick and easy to change.

post-2058-0-95074200-1370205634_thumb.jp

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've been using the very same spray booth for a couple of years now, over here the filters are around £4.50, and I usually change mine once a year, inbetween I take out the filters and using a fine nozzle on the vaccuum cleaner, give them a good cleaning, I also line the inside of mine with greaseproof paper, which keeps the inside of the booth clean, and once the paper gets too much paint or overspray on it, it's quick and easy to change.

attachicon.gifSpraybooth Lined.JPG

Wow, I was afraid the filters had to be changed after every spray session. That's good to know! I like that paper idea as well! Thank you for the info!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The air flow on that converts to 141.2 cu. ft. per min, which is way below the 200-300 I've heard recommended. I have a home built one with 4 fans that total 240 cu. ft/min and uses 16x20 furnace filters. I change them after every kit or so, depending. They are white and I can tell when it's time for them to go.

That's a low price as these things go.

Dale

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That does look nice, BUT it is for water base paints only.

Dang it!!!!!! I didn't even notice that! You'd think they would use an explosion proof motor on all paint booth's! Does anyone know if they offer this same setup but with an explosion proof motor?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That does look nice, BUT it is for water base paints only.

Well since I bought mine, I've used it for cellulose lacquer, automotive acrylics, humbol and testor enamel thinned out with lacquer thinners, and Tamiya acrylics, that I sometimes thin out with lacquer thinners, and have had no problems with it at all .....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

"Dang it!!!!!! I didn't even notice that! You'd think they would use an explosion proof motor on all paint booth's! Does anyone know if they offer this same setup but with an explosion proof motor?"

Probably not, when you go the external motor type the price goes up. I have the Badger and really like it.

Edited by AzTom
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well since I bought mine, I've used it for cellulose lacquer, automotive acrylics, humbol and testor enamel thinned out with lacquer thinners, and Tamiya acrylics, that I sometimes thin out with lacquer thinners, and have had no problems with it at all .....

Count your blessings, you are living dangerously. Spraying flammable liquids over an open electrical motor IS dangerous, I don't care how many hobbyist do it to a save a few dollars.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Count your blessings, you are living dangerously. Spraying flammable liquids over an open electrical motor IS dangerous, I don't care how many hobbyist do it to a save a few dollars.

I'm very familliar with the explosive properties of lacquer fumes and how much sparking can be generated by a brush type motor so I'd feel safer with an explosion proof setup. Is the Badger supposed to be explosion proof?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...