Spray Booth Questions

[Callista]

I have recently had built a simple box for using when I start airbrushing as well as using spray cans. It's nothing special, just a straightforward box with masonite on the outside.

I plan on using computer case fans for the air flow, powered by a PC power supply. That way I can turn them all on with a single switch.

The second image shows areas where I thought it could be good to place fans.

I'd love to hear suggestions from anyone who has a spray booth and could offer insight into making this box work well.

 

[youngwm]

Callista,

I did the same thing when I built my first spray booth. You can jumper a PS for a pc by sticking a paperclip in the green and one of the black main plug that goes to the motherboard of the PC. This way just simply plug and unplug for on and off, just one way of doing it.

I found that these little fan's do a pretty good job but the second time around I used a box fan with the back cut out the size of the fan and put a filter from walmart in front of the fan attached to the back of the box. (air conditioner filter $3.00) It seems to work a little bit better.

My PC fan, I had two ended up clogging and did not pull the air like a box fan on low speed but give it a shot you can always change it up..

One other thing is that if you have fan's in the back and bottom that will move paint/fumes to the back and bottom you want some sort of filter process and something to catch the paint. I have a pretty ventilated room but still want to some day run a tube for fumes to the outside.

I hope to purchase an actual booth this year sometimes paint which ends up like dust clings to the wood I made mine out of and is hard to clean.

Mike

 

[Too Much Garlic]

I've been thinking about adding fans to my cheaply made spray booth. Those box fans sound promising, but I have no clue what they are. Think I'll have to look those up as computer fans always sounded too... well... insufficient. :thumbsup

 

[youngwm]

This is all a box fan is nothing real fancy.. Shop for the Holmes Box Fan, HBF2010A-WWM at an always low price from Walmart.com. Save money. Live better.

 

[Callista]

A box fan is bigger than what I thought I would need for that, but I am considering doing that.

Thank you for the tip.

Callista

 

[youngwm]

Hi Callista,


They make fan's in so many sizes. Where I live now it would be hard to go fan shopping as its been less than 17 degree's here all week. Fan's aren't in season here at the moment but you should be able to cut a little larger hole in what you have built and use that. The filter you cut to size. Here is a pic of my homemade booth I put fresh paper down to keep the dust down. I also use a lazy susan you see in the center then you can spin your work with out touching it and getting all sides. Do you have an airbrush? I keep all my paints on a shelf in reach and try to keep them in order somewhat I snapped a pic as well.. I had a hard time finding a certain color a shelf like this helps.

Hope this info helps you some.

Mike

 

[Callista]

Thinking I need to look into getting a lazy susan for my paint box. Pretty kewl idea

Fans are not in season here as well with the cold temp's we have been having.

Appreciate the ideas guys. Hopefully I will figure out what to do this weekend and have it done

 

[Hobo Wan Kenobi]

Edit: Never mind you answered my question a few post above.

I've been looking at Harbor Freight at a booth for awhile now myself. I was thinking about setting one up on a dolly so I can just wheel it outside when I want to use it. Instead of cutting a hole in my wall or door in the garage.

 

[b26354]

I'm using a 1 horsepower dust extractor - like this one:

1 HP Mini Dust Collector

outlet goes though a hole in the wall (instead of into the bag) - the inlet connects to a flexible 4" hose which goes to a box behind the filter material which creates a constant suction over the entire filter.

 

[robn1]

I have a window in my shop, so I pit a window fan in and paint there. It also provides cooling and general ventilation. A pedestal oscillating fan on the opposite side of the room increases the air flow toward the window.


I place an ac filter in front, but a little paint still gets through. I plan to replace the window for one that will hold a box fan, this one doesn't open high enough.

Get the cheapest Wal-Mart fan you can, so if it gets gummed up with paint you can toss it and replace.

 

[Mockle]

I have recently had built a simple box for using when I start airbrushing as well as using spray cans. It's nothing special, just a straightforward box with masonite on the outside.

I plan on using computer case fans for the air flow, powered by a PC power supply. That way I can turn them all on with a single switch.

The second image shows areas where I thought it could be good to place fans.

I'd love to hear suggestions from anyone who has a spray booth and could offer insight into making this box work well.

you might want to add filters to protect the fans..

 

[star-art]

You guys know fan motors produce sparks, right? It's not safe to spray flammable vapors and let them get sucked into a fan. They might ignite.

At a minimum, you need a filter to collect the spray particles. But filters don't extract the flammable vapors in the paint stream.

I built a fume extracting booth because I do a lot of gluing with toxic solvents. I chose marine bilge blowers because they are pretty much spark proof. But, they run on 12V and draw a lot of current. So, the wiring can be a bit tricky.

Be careful!

 

[r a venlos]

I don't think I have ever seen a fan that did not use a brushless motor.
I know the computer fans are all brushless.
I would be surprised if box fans are really different.

 

[Gigatron]

Having spent months designing a spraybooth that would A) move enough air, B) not be a fire hazard, and C) not clog with particulate, I can honestly say the only real answer, is a squirrel cage shaded pole blower.

Box fans / PC fans just don't have the CFM to be efficient. The motors and running gear are all exposed. Filters do a decent job of capturing particulates, but not enough. After a month of usage, the running gear will be caked in paint.

Pole blowers can be expensive, but not dying from paint drying in your lungs, is priceless. Here's one on Amazon Squirrel Cage Fans (180 CFM) - Amazon.com I'm sure you can find them cheaper, if you do the research.

Trust me, I've tried to cheap-out on this, and this is the best, long-term solution. Just take a length of dryer duct, and run it out a window. For the colder months, I made a window adpater. I took a piece of MDF and cut it about 12"h x width of the window. I cut out a hole, and installed a dryer vent. Now, when the weather is nasty, I put the board in the window, and connect the duct from the blower to the vent. I stay warm, and the paint stink goes bye-bye.

-Fred

 

[EvanW]

I know they are pricey and money may be an issue but I saved and saved and finally bought an Artograph 1530. The dual motors and exhaust push all the air out through dryer vents I installed in the wall. I tried the box fans and built a few wood ones but in the end my fan caught fire after about 6 months and I decided that was it. By the time you invest in wood, blowers, and other materials you are already half way there to buying something new and engineered to do the job you want. And should last for years. Others have come up with excellent setups and I am not knocking them, just sharing. Another option is to check your local classified adds, and Craigslist. There are numerous auto body shops that sell of their small industrial booths all the time.

Evan

 

[masterjedi322]

Does anyone know what that straw-looking stuff is that goes over the filter? I have a Paasche spray booth that's pretty gunked up with primer, so I'm looking to replace it.

Sean

 

[Callista]

Wood supplies = $16
Pack of Screws = $4
PC Fans = $1 each x3 = $3
Used power supply = Free
Used light = Free

Paint Booth = $23

The cost for doing this paint booth was fairly cheap and for what I will use it for I feel its more than enough for me.

I'm not a hardcore modeler as most ppl here, but I will be getting into using an airbrush and I know that the paint booth would be a good place to do my airbrushing at.

 

[b26354]

The dust extractor from HF I linked to has the same type of squirrel cage fan. The motor is outside the airflow so can't be afected by fumes.

Having spent months designing a spraybooth that would A) move enough air, B) not be a fire hazard, and C) not clog with particulate, I can honestly say the only real answer, is a squirrel cage shaded pole blower.

Box fans / PC fans just don't have the CFM to be efficient. The motors and running gear are all exposed. Filters do a decent job of capturing particulates, but not enough. After a month of usage, the running gear will be caked in paint.

Pole blowers can be expensive, but not dying from paint drying in your lungs, is priceless. Here's one on Amazon Squirrel Cage Fans (180 CFM) - Amazon.com I'm sure you can find them cheaper, if you do the research.

Trust me, I've tried to cheap-out on this, and this is the best, long-term solution. Just take a length of dryer duct, and run it out a window. For the colder months, I made a window adpater. I took a piece of MDF and cut it about 12"h x width of the window. I cut out a hole, and installed a dryer vent. Now, when the weather is nasty, I put the board in the window, and connect the duct from the blower to the vent. I stay warm, and the paint stink goes bye-bye.

-Fred

 

[Gigatron]

The dust extractor from HF I linked to has the same type of squirrel cage fan. The motor is outside the airflow so can't be afected by fumes.

The 1 big problem I see with the dust collector (other than being a harbor freight special), the amount of floor space that the thing occupies.

Building a collection system (assuming it has some sort of intake nozzle that can be adapted to a dryer vent hose) isn't that problematic. But at 914CFM, that thing might pull in the paint, before it has a chance to land on the model, or at the very least, dramatically decrease the drying time of the paint, making for some rough finishes.

The SPB is a fairly compact system, easily mounts to the back of the booth, and won't suck the eyballs out of your head :lol.

-Fred