SCRWDRVR Posted February 12, 2019 Share Posted February 12, 2019 Ok my next project will be to build myself and in door spray booth. I have some good ideas for setting everything up using a clear tote turned sideways and a house heater filter to filter it. My problem is the fan, I'm on a budget and can't put to much out on a fan and hose (everything else I have) What do you guys think of using a small shop vac? Hook the suction up to a box under the booth and vent the vac exhaust out a window. My fear is it would be to strong and suck the paint down when spraying..... Opinions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martin9428 Posted February 12, 2019 Share Posted February 12, 2019 I saw a video on youtube where they did this. You may want to dedicate the vacuum to this as the inside will most likely get built up paint residue. You might be better off buying a cheap 4" fan and take the screen off to mount to the back off the storage been. I have been researching this very topic as I have to paint in the basement because I have two 70 lb. long haired dogs. My problem is the basement windows are new tilt in windows with permanent screens so, I need to figure out something to vent the hose into. There is a kit that goes on the end of the hose to vent your drier to which you normally fill with water as a lint trap, something like that might work. I am thinking of using foam core as my booth. Also, you might want to add a cheap LED light strip to the top of your storage container Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SCRWDRVR Posted February 12, 2019 Author Share Posted February 12, 2019 Yeah I have to do mine in the basement also, I have 4 cats but my windows slide so I'm figuring on making something to fit right in the window to hook my vent to. I have one of those bucket vacs (goes right on a 5 gallon bucket) I could easily dedicate that to this. I did plan on a light also.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOBLNG Posted February 12, 2019 Share Posted February 12, 2019 There is a sticky on this subject in the Tips, Tricks and Tutorials section. There are some good ideas there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miatatom Posted February 12, 2019 Share Posted February 12, 2019 Get a bilge blower on ebay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jantrix Posted February 12, 2019 Share Posted February 12, 2019 Before you try the shop vac, please read this. Listen, budget or no, don't halfass this. Odds are you will be venting flammable gasses so your safety is paramount. Stick a couple of bucks in a cookie jar every week until you have enough for a squirrel cage style exhaust fan. The motor is outide the air flow and is very safe in this application. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SCRWDRVR Posted February 12, 2019 Author Share Posted February 12, 2019 Awesome, thanks for the info guys, I will definitely not use the vac on it and check that sticky thread (don't know how I missed that)... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave G. Posted February 12, 2019 Share Posted February 12, 2019 Most of the shop vacs I've encountered have the motor mounted up to where the brushes and any sparks would be located outside the canister. Not sure on the Dewalt that guy used. But if you think about it, either way you are trapping fumes inside a multi gallon closed container basically creating a bomb. Especially if it didn't evacuate fully and got shut down, then later turned back on with the fumes concentrated in there. Get this, in the early 70's when I was a young mechanic I worked for a shop foreman who washed the shop floor with gasoline. He figured having the garage door open was sufficient and so did I, for me to go out through and take a walk far from the building. He never blew the place up but he did die from a heart attack at age 62. It's one thing to do spots with a little gas on a rag, another to dump 2 gallons of gas out on the floor and start scrubbing with a shop broom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SCRWDRVR Posted February 12, 2019 Author Share Posted February 12, 2019 I guess I need to figure out what CFM I need and start there, I wonder if computer fans would work I have a bunch of those Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave G. Posted February 12, 2019 Share Posted February 12, 2019 Harbor Freight sells a blower unit with external motor that might be able to be adapted somehow. We had a new store opening here a few weeks ago and saw it then, sorry no link. I was in there buying a 6x48 belt sander belt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SCRWDRVR Posted February 12, 2019 Author Share Posted February 12, 2019 I’ll check that out thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
my80malibu Posted February 12, 2019 Share Posted February 12, 2019 4 hours ago, Dave G. said: Get this, in the early 70's when I was a young mechanic I worked for a shop foreman who washed the shop floor with gasoline. He figured having the garage door open was sufficient and so did I, for me to go out through and take a walk far from the building. He never blew the place up but he did die from a heart attack at age 62. It's one thing to do spots with a little gas on a rag, another to dump 2 gallons of gas out on the floor and start scrubbing with a shop broom. The shop owner where I worked used to clean his floors this way Too. He added Sawdust to the Mix though. Once a week we would clean the floor after work and then have some Beers and just hang out after we closed. Those were some good times. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martin9428 Posted February 12, 2019 Share Posted February 12, 2019 1 hour ago, my80malibu said: The shop owner where I worked used to clean his floors this way Too. He added Sawdust to the Mix though. Once a week we would clean the floor after work and then have some Beers and just hang out after we closed. Those were some good times. Hopefully not smoking and drinking while cleaning the floors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fiatboy Posted February 13, 2019 Share Posted February 13, 2019 I used a second hand furnace fan, 150cfm. It cost about $35 with shipping. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOBLNG Posted February 13, 2019 Share Posted February 13, 2019 11 hours ago, fiatboy said: I used a second hand furnace fan, 150cfm. It cost about $35 with shipping. The nice thing about the furnace fan is that it is quiet! A shop vac is very loud. I bought a small dust collector unit at Princess auto, and it moves a lot of air too, but is also very noisy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
my80malibu Posted February 13, 2019 Share Posted February 13, 2019 (edited) 16 hours ago, martin9428 said: Hopefully not smoking and drinking while cleaning the floors. Oh yeah all the time. The only restriction we had was we couldn't an Oxygen/Acetylene torch, because the front side was a gas station. I don't smoke "never did" The shop Owner did, and the sawdust mix resembled Oatmeal. It worked amazingly well. He lived to be in his 90's a Tough little Guy he was. Edited February 13, 2019 by my80malibu Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SCRWDRVR Posted February 13, 2019 Author Share Posted February 13, 2019 12 hours ago, fiatboy said: I used a second hand furnace fan, 150cfm. It cost about $35 with shipping. Hmmm another good idea and quiet like stated.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casey Posted February 13, 2019 Share Posted February 13, 2019 1 hour ago, SCRWDRVR said: Hmmm another good idea and quiet like stated.... No, it's a bad idea. A furnace fan (essentially a large, squirrel cage type fan setup) moves air though the system ahead of the combustible materials, so you don't want to use it after the combustibles in a paint spray booth. Purchase an explosion proof fan, period. You're likely going to be exhausting highly volatile and flammable fumes, so don't risk an explosion (or worse) by being cheap and relying upon "I've been using this old fan for years and no explosions yet!" advice/comments. You don't want to be the person who does get injured or maimed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Haigwood Posted February 13, 2019 Share Posted February 13, 2019 Ibuilt one using a clear plastic bin turned on it's side. Built wooden frame work around the back side and mounted a 4" ventilation fan. Attached a dryer vent hose and run it thru an opening to the outside, I a furnace filter inside the bin and put a light on the top. As an afterthought I should have made the vent opening on the top as it draws all the dust across the painting parts. Still need to use a mask. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SCRWDRVR Posted February 13, 2019 Author Share Posted February 13, 2019 52 minutes ago, Casey said: No, it's a bad idea. A furnace fan (essentially a large, squirrel cage type fan setup) moves air though the system ahead of the combustible materials, so you don't want to use it after the combustibles in a paint spray booth. Purchase an explosion proof fan, period. You're likely going to be exhausting highly volatile and flammable fumes, so don't risk an explosion (or worse) by being cheap and relying upon "I've been using this old fan for years and no explosions yet!" advice/comments. You don't want to be the person who does get injured or maimed. Yeah I don’t want to be a statistic, I’ll have to save a few pennies and just buy a fan... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
espo Posted February 13, 2019 Share Posted February 13, 2019 There have been many articles on this in the past. The main problem is the fan motor that you use. This is one area you really need to be carful with as any spark has a potential of a fire. The box /booth it's self can be put together with what ever you have at hand. Very inexpensive vent tubing from Home Depot that is used for venting a hot water heater will give you enough hose for a life time. No mater how good of a filter you use some paint particles that will pass thru and reach the fan motor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tommy124 Posted February 14, 2019 Share Posted February 14, 2019 (edited) 19 hours ago, espo said: There have been many articles on this in the past. The main problem is the fan motor that you use. This is one area you really need to be carful with as any spark has a potential of a fire. The box /booth it's self can be put together with what ever you have at hand. Very inexpensive vent tubing from Home Depot that is used for venting a hot water heater will give you enough hose for a life time. No mater how good of a filter you use some paint particles that will pass thru and reach the fan motor. I basically agree, yet I guess that when we're talking about the dangers of a spark and possible ignition, we are not talking about paint particles, but the solvent (flammable?) fumes?? And those will not be stopped by filters. Then again I have used flammable colors, thinners and cleaners for some time now along with my spray booth and I assume that the concentration is not high enough for the worst case to happen. Just have to make sure of good fresh air ventilation and not to sit in a "bowl of flammable fumes" which will turn out to be unhealthy in any way... Edited February 14, 2019 by Tommy124 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fiatboy Posted February 14, 2019 Share Posted February 14, 2019 What exactly is an explosion-proof fan and where can one be obtained? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mchook Posted February 14, 2019 Share Posted February 14, 2019 Years ago I built one using an old over the stove range hood. I worked at the place delivering & installing appliances & we would get some good stuff that just needed to be cleaned up or there was nothing wrong with at all , people just wanted to update their kitchen. But it has everything you need but the box, it has the fan, light, filters & switches, just hook the vent hose to the back. I mounted mine upside down so the light & fan were on the bottom so I had to put anther light in the top but that's no big deal. You could find these things all over if you keep your eye out for them. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Haigwood Posted February 14, 2019 Share Posted February 14, 2019 2 hours ago, fiatboy said: What exactly is an explosion-proof fan and where can one be obtained? Bearings are sealed, not sure where to get them but they are not cheap Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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