DIY paint booths...post what you are using!

[brodie_83]

Im in need of a paint booth (roommate is sick of smelling spray paint in the house) and would like to see some designs so I can get an idea of how I want to build one. Thanks guys!

[Prostreet]

Here is mine, nothing special. Use a Grainger squirrel cage fan. I have about $165 in it. Here's a link to the thread.

http://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=54848&hl=%2Bpaint+%2Bbooth

[CadillacPat]

Plenty of Paint Booth threads here.

Just use the Search feature.

CadillacPat

[Gothic Kustomz]

I built mine for like 30.bux, most the stuff I got at the hardware store, (home Improvement), yeah it vents right outside, there are some youtube how to's on this, but here is what mine looks like, works great for me, took me all of about to hours to put together, OH1 yea theres a 50 CFM vent behind the blue filter, I dont think it's enough, but when you turn that puppy on, you fight like hell to get it open, and please man stay away from the shop Vac, version, it will go POOF!...

Edited February 3, 2013 by Gothic Kustomz

[Guest]

I don't have a spray booth. I just have a small stand that sets in front of a window with a box fan in it. When I primer and paint, I just open the window and turn the fan on. I allow the fan to run a few minutes after I'm done to make sure all of the fumes are out. It works very well because my wife hasn't complained a single time and she has a very sensitive sense of smell.

[rhs856]

I built mine from a half sheet of plywood and some pegboard to cover the filter. It currently resides in my basement with some PVC pipe venting it out a window.

[sjordan2]

It's true that this forum has seen a multitude of threads on building a spray booth, but the search function here is totally useless. You're better off just using Google or the scaleautomag.com search. I think that more than half our members would tell you to just buy a commercial spray booth like those available from Pace, typically around $200 (why spend $165 to build your own?). The only reason I can think of for building your own is if you specialize in large-scale models that are too big for these booths.

http://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=28124

Edited February 3, 2013 by sjordan2

[Mr.Bill]

I seen this on E-Bay the other day,

Has anybody seen or used this unit(s)?

I have done a little research on this unit but can not find much on it.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-Portable-Airbrush-Spray-Booth-Kit-Hobby-Craft-Paint-w-Exhaust-Filter-Set-/320944620280?pt=Model_Kit_US&hash=item4ab9ca42f8

Here is the Paasche Hobby Paint Booth,

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Paasche-HOBBY-PAINT-SPRAY-BOOTH-Airbrush-Crafts-Models-/390530120654?pt=Model_Kit_US&hash=item5aed68bbce

Thay look the same just wonder if thay same booth just renamed? Or a cheap clone?

any thoughts or help!

thanks

Edited February 3, 2013 by Mr.Bill

[Prostreet]

I think that more than half our members would tell you to just buy a commercial spray booth like those available from Pace, typically around $200 (why spend $165 to build your own?).

http://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=28124

I see what you did there, Or because you like to build things. The cheapest Pace is $265 + $25 packing and handling.

[sjordan2]

I see what you did there, Or because you like to build things. The cheapest Pace is $265 + $25 packing and handling.

Huh? What did I do there? What are you talking about?

If you think I'm shilling for a manufacturer, I don't have a paint booth. I paint outside. I'm just passing on what I've learned from the 230,005 posts on this subject.

Edited February 3, 2013 by sjordan2

[Hollywood Jim]

Mine is one of those closets that you put together yourself. I modified it and installed a squirrel cage fan on top.

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[Gothic Kustomz]

You can also go to TCP global . com, or on ebay, I found a potable one on ebay for 49.99, with free shipping, it really all comes down to, what your looking for, like I said, I built mine for 30.00, and gas, to get to town, and 2 hours of time, or like its stated on here, before this got hijacked, you can go all out and spend ooodles of $, none the less, wish you the best on what you decide, and remember have fun, build on.

Edited February 4, 2013 by Gothic Kustomz

[uncle potts]

Im in need of a paint booth (roommate is sick of smelling spray paint in the house) and would like to see some designs so I can get an idea of how I want to build one. Thanks guys!

Hey I'm with you. Some of us missed the previous threads and need a little help. I personally can't afford a pace unit.

So lets quit the arguing and get back to the point of this thread, please.

[mikemodeler]

In regards to building versus buying, it comes down to what you can afford and what you are comfortable doing. Some members here have some serious carpentry skills and can whip together a booth with a sheet of 4x8 plywood and a simple fan and others would rather go to a website and whip out the Visa card.

If you have the time, tools and ability to build your own booth, you can do so for less money than a ready built one. There are many posts here about building your own (including some pros and cons) so research them and decided for yourself. The forum members here are a helpful bunch so if you see one that you like, I am sure if you PM them they will help you.

Years ago Fine Scale Modeler did a feature article about building your own that was very detailed in what all was needed. Can't remember exactly which issue but it was about 12 years ago and not much has changed since then. You might be able to find it in their archives or maybe someone here can post it if they have it. I think I can find the magazine but it might be a couple of days.

In the end, let yourself decide what you are comfortable with. I do advise to think about the safety and research the components you use to make sure there won't be any problems down the road. If your roommate hates the smell of paint, imagine how much he would hate the smell of a burning house!

[Erik Smith]

I paid $115 for a fan. Used scrap plywood. About $35 worth of ducts. An electrical box, switch and end of an old extension cord. I have a 265 CFM downdraft booth. Give me a minute and ill post some pics.

Here is my fan number from grainger

Item #: 6FHX9

Edited February 4, 2013 by Erik Smith

[charlie8575]

I like Jim's idea. Plus, you get some storage out of the deal.

That, and all things considered, you can get a used particle board wardrobe cheap, new ones reasonably, and used squirrel cage blowers for not a lot of money.

I might seriously consider knocking something like that together.

Charlie Larkin

[michael1969]

I made one that is roughly 2.5 x 2.5 x 2.5 feet maybe even 3 feet cubed. four sides are thin plywood and two are plexiglass. I made a rough squirrel cage fan I need to replace. total cost right at $10 dollars for the glass. It has a furnace filter and the front and top are clear. If I want a light I can use a lamp or I may buy a light. All the rest was what I had around or I got from friends or relatives remodeling. You can go with a manufactured booth or challenge yourself and see what you can come up with. I for one am a rather cheap person, I'd rather find a no or low cost alternative. The important thing is research so that you don't compromise your safety. The rest is up to you.

[AzTom]

I seen this on E-Bay the other day,

Has anybody seen or used this unit(s)?

I have done a little research on this unit but can not find much on it.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-Portable-Airbrush-Spray-Booth-Kit-Hobby-Craft-Paint-w-Exhaust-Filter-Set-/320944620280?pt=Model_Kit_US&hash=item4ab9ca42f8

Here is the Paasche Hobby Paint Booth,

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Paasche-HOBBY-PAINT-SPRAY-BOOTH-Airbrush-Crafts-Models-/390530120654?pt=Model_Kit_US&hash=item5aed68bbce

Thay look the same just wonder if thay same booth just renamed? Or a cheap clone?

any thoughts or help!

thanks

Here is the down side: Note: Not intented for use with hazardous materials, flammable or explosive paints or materials.

If you are spraying flammable material, you don't want the type of fan that the fumes will pass over the motor. Go with the squirrel cage type fan.

[lanesteele240]

i made mine and i am glad I did.

i used a 6x10 air conditioning duct part and hot glued the fans in. yes, the fans are intrinsically safe.

the bottom of the booth is slanted to the fans. i used duct sheet metal for that. some green cut to size filter catches all the overspray and i use the grate off a screen door as a floor. as seen in this pic

the duct was less than 30 bucks. the light and grate was like 40 and the fans were free

the out side can be made with painted plywood or what ever. if you cant find or just dont trust brushless fans then ebay

jenn-air fan.

these suck in a good way. for around 50-75 bucks you cant lose. for 120-150 bucks, you can build a way better booth than can be bought.

Edited February 4, 2013 by lanesteele240

[Rob McKee]

Another option is to find a range hood for your exhaust fan. I was lucky to find a brand new suitable range hood with dual squirrel cage motors on craigslist for $40.

Here are a couple of shots before i built it into a box.

This has worked very well for me.

[Burnout]

Here's my 'disposable' paint booth. When it gets dirty, I throw it away. Garage door is my ventilation.

(Sorry, couldn't resist.)

[Tom Geiger]

Here's my beauty, photo is in my old model room back in New Jersey. I built this something like 20 years ago and it's been in operation ever since. It started life as a Tucker brand recycling bin. The cover was two part and hinged upward at the mid seam. I don't know where it ever went! I have a good bathroom fan mounted in the back of it. It is lined with newspaper and I clean it out and change the paper once in a blue moon. I take it out in the yard to clean and vacuum out the entire assembly, fan and hose.

When I'm ready to use it, I toss the hose out the window, when weather is bad or cold, I just fill in the opening with a towel or two. The lights are just standard clip on units. I have the lights and fan plugged into a power strip so I turn it on and off with a flick of a single switch.

I am hoping to build a new and better one in the near future. When I sold my house in NJ, I had to replace the kitchen appliances and the set came with a matching hood. So I have the old hood, which was only a year or so old, set aside. Once I build a better booth, I'll drill a hole in the house and permanently mount the hose!\.

Edited February 5, 2013 by Tom Geiger

[Shelby 427 1965]

I'm rather spoiled in this department!

I do my spraying in my da's metalwork/woodshop/whatever you guys call it/ classroom in his high school. Nice warm temperature, ventilation system on the roof that links to outside that takes the smell, and a cleaner lady that dusts the overspray later on in the day!

[Erik Smith]

One thing I have noted - if you are getting lots of overspray inside your box, it's probably not pulling enough CFMs. I replaced my little fan with a 265 CFM fan and have very little over spray hitting the back or sides of my booth now - previously, it would pull the cloud down but wouldn't quite suck down spray from the can or AB.

[zenrat]

Is a kitchen range hood likely to have an explosion proof fan? I wouldn't have thought so.

I'm in the planning stages of building my own spray box (thinking of making it as big as I can from two 8' x 4' sheets of ply) but i'm wondering about the design. Where do we feel it is best to have the suction - floor, back or top?

Also, would there be any disadvantage in having the fan built into the shed so it can extract the shed when it's not extracting the spray box?

Thx