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Posted

For me it is about the time. I often do multi layer/colour paint jobs, having a dehydrator will speed the process up big time. 

 

  • 6 months later...
Posted

Is it OK to use a dehydrator if the body has body work(i.e. -  modifications, added plastic, putty...)  

The reason I ask is I once tried using a hair dryer on a part that had putty and some plastic added and an impression of the puttied area came through the paint layers. 

  • 3 weeks later...
Posted

Reading through this thread and have been hearing about dehydrators for years. Even seen a few people in Phoenix and So Cal desert area recommending them. Really? Granted haven't been doing much painting (that implies you're almost done with something) and as someone mentioned it may be a week before I get back to something so drying time isn't a problem. But is there a actual difference in the finish from the paint maybe flashing off quicker? Which here would mean I could just set it out on the patio with something over it to keep dust off (big problem here, keep threatening to duct tape all the doors, already done the windows). I've seen the thermometer on my patio pegged at a 130 degrees on an August afternoon when the sun is hitting that wall.

Posted

With dehydrators you have control of the temperature and it is a pretty much dust-free enclosure.  Leaving your car outside - not so much.  I live in New England where we have cold and humidity - dehydrator comes in really handy. But I can see one being used in warm and dry climate too.  It does speed up the paint drying time, but I also use it to accelerate hardening of urethane or epoxy resins, RTV and whatever else kicks over faster when heated.

Posted

 But is there a actual difference in the finish from the paint maybe flashing off quicker?

Wayne, for me, I cannot say that I have noticed any difference in the finish.  I use a dehydrator almost every time I paint a body or chassis.

Posted

Thanks, John. That was what I was really trying to find out. As I said, don't do much painting and time isn't a factor so with the temperatures and lack of humidity (actually have to run a humidifier at night some) one less thing I need to buy and figure out were to store.

Posted

Thanks, John. That was what I was really trying to find out. As I said, don't do much painting and time isn't a factor so with the temperatures and lack of humidity (actually have to run a humidifier at night some) one less thing I need to buy and figure out were to store.

I've never used a dehydrator and just let my model car bodies air-dry. This seems to work well for me as I'm not a "fast" builder and I really don't have the room for a dehydrator, or even a spray booth for that matter.

Posted

... Even seen a few people in Phoenix and So Cal desert area recommending them. Really? .......

Today we might need re-hydrators. My patio temp/humidity thing claims it's 2%, and the announcer on the Dbacks game said the same level a while ago, and a couple of the online weather sites put it at 7%. I'm thinking all the cracking noise going on outside is the wood and rubber and plants and animals drying out.

Posted

Hey Russell, they're saying its supposed to cool down to the mid-90s by Friday for a couple of days. Then after that it will probably get serious about hot and dry.

Posted

Is it OK to use a dehydrator if the body has body work(i.e. -  modifications, added plastic, putty...)  

The reason I ask is I once tried using a hair dryer on a part that had putty and some plastic added and an impression of the puttied area came through the paint layers. 

Michael, I would not put a body with any kind of filler in a dehydrator if it's already finished. It will cause shrinking, I learned the hard way. 

I've thought about trying it before the filler has been sanded to pre-shrink it, but always forget until after I'm done sanding. 

Posted

Michael, I would not put a body with any kind of filler in a dehydrator if it's already finished. It will cause shrinking, I learned the hard way. 
I've thought about trying it before the filler has been sanded to pre-shrink it, but always forget until after I'm done sanding. 

Thanks for letting me know!

  • 7 months later...
Posted

Tried something new im way happier doesnt matter if its 10 below or 100 over, it always dries, 20W LED UV light costs around 50$ for a chinese one or 200 used for an LAB grade one. The one im using came from a dental lab. Only works on Enamels,Laquers and some Urethanes. Its near instant with rattle cans.

25994771_539514489749103_2720707527333431367_n.jpg.aaedf86df80e27579d60671442d4f917.jpg

Posted
On 12/30/2017 at 12:09 AM, Lownslow said:

Tried something new im way happier doesnt matter if its 10 below or 100 over, it always dries, 20W LED UV light costs around 50$ for a chinese one or 200 used for an LAB grade one. The one im using came from a dental lab. Only works on Enamels,Laquers and some Urethanes. Its near instant with rattle cans.

25994771_539514489749103_2720707527333431367_n.jpg.aaedf86df80e27579d60671442d4f917.jpg

UV light?  Why?  Are hobby or automotive paints UV-curable?  I never heard of that.  My dehydrator uses a 40W heating element. Wouldn't a plain 40W incandescent bulb generate same amount of heat (IR, not UV energy)?

  • 2 weeks later...
Posted

Iam using incandescent light bulb with ceiling fan speed controller potensiometer to adjust the dim.... so i can adjust the temp inside the box....

Simce the light itselft radiate heat itself

Usualy iam set to 40 to 43Celcius inside the box.....

 

  • 6 months later...
Posted
2 hours ago, porschercr said:

For epoxy putty, (Milliput) yes. 

So it doesn't work on the normal solvent based? I was hoping  it would work better for the solvent based fillers like Squadron's putties.

Posted
29 minutes ago, Joe Handley said:

So it doesn't work on the normal solvent based? I was hoping  it would work better for the solvent based fillers like Squadron's putties.

That I don't know. I don't use Squadron putty. I find it shrinks too much, even in light applications.

Posted
13 minutes ago, porschercr said:

That I don't know. I don't use Squadron putty. I find it shrinks too much, even in light applications.

That shrinkage is what I was trying to accelerate, if I could bake it dry, and work the shrink out before laying paint and maybe even primer, I won't need to worry about it on down the road after the model is done.

  • 5 months later...
Posted (edited)

I bought this dehydrator last year because it was on sale for a good price. I finally got around to modifying it to work for drying paint. I didn't want to hollow out all the plastic trays, as I might want to use it for making Doggy Treats also.:) I made a 4" spacer from 26 gage metal to raise the tray  up away from the heat a bit. Then a 6" spacer for the main compartment.

Edit: I changed the upper section to 8" tall. This way I can put a full size spray bomb in there to warm up. It is -30C here right now. I have 2 electric heaters going in the garage and they barely keep up!:o

 

 

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Edited by NOBLNG
change pics
  • 2 months later...
Posted (edited)
On 7/22/2018 at 6:52 PM, Joe Handley said:

That shrinkage is what I was trying to accelerate, if I could bake it dry, and work the shrink out before laying paint and maybe even primer, I won't need to worry about it on down the road after the model is done.

Honestly, if you're using that much filler that you need to worry about shrinkage, I would switch to a two-part filler. It cures, rather than waiting for solvents to evaporate like you have to on "1 part" fillers.

Search for U-Pol "Dolphin Glaze" filler on eBay or elsewhere. The right deal on eBay should cost about $20, and often you can find free shipping. Fully cures to sandable state within an hour, sands and feathers well. 

I use Tamiya grey "1 part" filler for minor imperfections and final surface smoothing. It does shrink if applied to heavily, so I've learned the limits of what to use it on

Now, back to the dehydrator discussion :)

Edited by Mr. Metallic
  • 1 month later...
Posted
On 2019-01-11 at 4:45 PM, NOBLNG said:

I bought this dehydrator last year because it was on sale for a good price. I finally got around to modifying it to work for drying paint. I didn't want to hollow out all the plastic trays, as I might want to use it for making Doggy Treats also.:) I made a 4" spacer from 26 gage metal to raise the tray  up away from the heat a bit. Then a 6" spacer for the main compartment.

Edit: I changed the upper section to 8" tall. This way I can put a full size spray bomb in there to warm up. It is -30C here right now. I have 2 electric heaters going in the garage and they barely keep up!:o

 

 

IMG_5689.JPG

IMG_5690.JPG

Cool set up.

What temp do you set when using it in the summer and how accurate is the setting? 

Posted
5 hours ago, Rider said:

Cool set up.

What temp do you set when using it in the summer and how accurate is the setting? 

I have read on here that 105F is OK and will not damage styrene, so I set it at either 95 to warm the paint or 105 to dry it. I have never checked it for accuracy, but have not melted anything yet.:unsure:

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