Airbrush in basement

I am not getting a lot of fumes, other than in cleanup.  Even then it is not a cloud or anything like that, but you can definitely see the mist floating out of the cleanup pot.

Thanks for the help!

I've lived in this house almost 24 years. We have a gas furnace and water heater which are about 12 feet from my work area. I've been airbrushing down there since we moved in using enamels, acrylics, and laquer (DullCoat/GlossCoat) thinned with either water or Ace Hardware PAINT THINNER. I have an exhaust fan on the ceiling venting outside. I've painted models as large as a 1/72 B-1 and B-2 and a 1/48 B-17. Never had a problem. Floquil tends to be a bit more smelly, but that's about it.

As others have said, if you're getting a lot of fumes and overspray with your airbrush, you're doing it wrong.

Don Stauffer

Personally I airbrush right at my building bench, which is in the basement not that far from furnace and water heater.  I do have a well filtered spray booth for rattle can work but I feel I get so little overspray with the airbrush that I don't worry about it.  If you are doing many 1:32 scale four-engined bombers it might be something else, but my workshops have almost always been in basement, and I have never had a problem airbrushing.  I use mostly enamels, with an occasional Alclad lacquer.

Remember, an airbrush is not a spray gun, it is a brush that creates a brushless finish.  If you crank pressure way up and spray from a foot or two away from the model surface you might have more risk, but then you'd get poor finish that way anyway.

plus alot of it I do after everyone goes to bed so I don't hear any complaining.   mostly 1/48 and 1/72  so not alot of paint used anyway.

John

I airbrush in the basement with a double action airbrush and compressor.  I don't use a hood or any face masks .I guess I'm living life on the edge. I mostly use acrylics, sometimes enamels.  I don't use rattle cans indoors though,  I  fact,  I have rarely used them.  On most of my projects I work real close to the surface of the kit, so i don't have a lot of over spray, if any.  So I don't have the "fog" going on.  I don't have much trouble with humidity.   It's pretty low in Colorado, but I do have a moisture trap on the compressor.  No problems here.   My  wife has no complaints. and I can work all year long.

Doug

Is this the kind of fan you are using?

http://www.amazon.com/115V-AC-Cooling-Fan-120mm/dp/B004YTSB7C/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1392305763&sr=8-3&keywords=muffin+fan

Seems like I read in another post that Don uses a muffin fan also.  I want to be able to use lacquer or enamel paints in my airbrush.  Right now I use only Tamiya thinned with alcohol.

I will be painting right next to a window, so will vent to outside, and don't mind wearing a respirator also. Mostly I want to be able to vent fumes outside during clean up.  I have a cleaning pot, but as everyone knows, there is a lot that comes out of it when cleaning.

thanks

Acrylics don't use solvents. Least of all not flammable solvents, really. I don't understand why you would even think you'd be in danger at all?

Wear a good respirator and spray in the house if you need to---but be aware that the humidity might be a problem down there if it's a damp basement. Especially if you're spraying any lacquers or enamels.

In my basement I built a small booth with venting to the outside. The booth is cut from cardboard and foam core panels. I used flexible dryer hose from Lowes and a 110-VAC muffin fan I ordered from www.sciplus.com.   I shoot mostly acrylics and have had no problems. I do not recommend this setup for shooting solvents or urethanes or rattle can paints. Total cost ~$30.  

  I airbrush with acrylics all the time in my basement room next to a propane furnace and hot water heater.  No problems at all.  I've occasionally worked with enamels but they are a bit more pungent.  Won't spray lacquer based paints; the fumes are just too much.

Don

In my last house I airbrushed in the basement. My bench was literally right NEXT to the water heater & furnace. Like, within five feet. I shot acrylics and never had a problem, and I stank that basement up sometimes. YMMV though. Just my .02.

Chris

Phantom Guy, do you dislike the garage because it's too cold this time of year, or just too much of a pain to haul everything up there?  It might be worthwhile to just buy some rolls of insulation and put it in the garage if the studs are still exposed.  If not, then that's certainly out.  

Making a paint booth is pretty easy, and I use mine in my basement near an oil furnace.  It really doesn't cloud up enough to concern me, but my brushing sessions are generally pretty short.  I also made my booth to fold up so I take it outside when the weather is nice.

Groot

I use mostly acrylic in my basement. I open 2 windows, and put a electric fan pointing out of one, creating an fresh airflow from t window to another. I also use a repirator, figuring better safe than sorry. My wife is very senstitve to these smells, so I tried to be careful.  If its Alclad or enamel, I make sure the room is sealed off and let it ventilate for 30 minutes or so afterwards, otherwisee even I can smell the it.

Personally I airbrush right at my building bench, which is in the basement not that far from furnace and water heater.  I do have a well filtered spray booth for rattle can work but I feel I get so little overspray with the airbrush that I don't worry about it.  If you are doing many 1:32 scale four-engined bombers it might be something else, but my workshops have almost always been in basement, and I have never had a problem airbrushing.  I use mostly enamels, with an occasional Alclad lacquer.

Remember, an airbrush is not a spray gun, it is a brush that creates a brushless finish.  If you crank pressure way up and spray from a foot or two away from the model surface you might have more risk, but then you'd get poor finish that way anyway.

I made a spray booth out of a recycled kitchen cabinet, a furnace filter and an exhaust fan. Hooked dryer vent tubing to the fan and mounted the exit on a board that fits in the window when opened about 1 foot. It is in my workroom which is a converted bedroom. I can paint no matter what the weather. It only takes a few seconds to open the window, put the board in and close the window on it.

When the kids go off to college, change the locks on the front and back doors so they can't get back in and take over the rooms. That's what we did. None of them (3) moved back. Only one of the rooms has a bed in it for when the grandkids want to come and stay overnight.

Jim 

It shouldn't be a problem,I do it all the time.if your subject isn't too large or if your pressure is right,you won't be producing large clouds of overspray,very little in fact.But to be safe you can wear a respirator and open a window if possible.

I also work for the gas company and although every situation is different,your newer water tanks are sealed so at he flame isn't exposed,and the heater shouldn't be a problem either

I have the same dilemma. This time of year is too cold to paint in the garage or outdoors. But I have seen many ideas on using a cardboard box, a computer fan, and a furnace filter to make your own paint booth. Can you use dryer duct to vent outdoors?