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Building a Spray Booth

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  • Member since
    July 2016
Building a Spray Booth
Posted by MigMan on Saturday, February 25, 2017 12:30 AM

Gentlemen,

After months of shopping around for the right spray booth, I have finally concluded that I need to build my own.  I have a question for those of you that might already own one: What sort of exhaust fan should I buy.  I am concerned about how much air it should draw, and whether or not it should be explosion proof.  I use acrylic paint almost all of the time but hope to start using enamel and cellulose (lacquer) based paint some day.

Also, what should I know about air filtration?  I assume I can use almost any central air filter placed in front of the fan, but I am not sure about that.

Thanks in advance for your sage advise!

Joe

  • Member since
    November 2009
  • From: Twin Cities of Minnesota
Posted by Don Stauffer on Saturday, February 25, 2017 9:53 AM

I have  built five or six, and finally have one that I really like.

I started by using cardboard boxes with a rectangular opening cut in the top.  I cut a piece of thin plywood just a bit larger than the opening, which was the size of a rectangular auto air filter.  I cut a four inch hole in the plywood to match a muffin fan I had bought.  Screwed fan on top of plywood, duct-taped the filter to the bottom and dropped it over the hole.

It worked, kinda, but the fan was not powerful enough. I found you need at least 100 cfm.  Bought bigger muffin fans.  These plastic cased fans are available in quite a range of airflow, are brushless (no sparks), and not that expensive.  I buy them from electronics parts suppliers like Jameco- they are used to cool electronics.  I buy the 110V AC models so I can just solder on a cord and plug it in.

Decided I wanted a permanent cabinet- no more cardboard.  Made one from particle/fiberboard, around a 16 x 20 furnace filter- less pressure drop and cheaper filter, widely available at hardware and home improvement stores.  Worked fine, but very heavy when it came time to change filters.  I have it hanging from two hooks on wall, so have to take it off hooks and put it on bench to change filters.

Latest model, a keeper, is much lighter.  I made a frame from 3/4 x 3/4 pine (with a few wider pieces), and covered frame with 1/4 inch plywood.  Also made a hinged back that made changing filters much easier.  I think I have a photo of it somewhere on photobucket- if I can find it I will post photo.  This one has a 125 cfm 5 inch muffin fan.

 By the way, there have been several threads on homemade spraybooths in the Tools, Techniques and Reference Materials area of the forum- be sure to check out that area.

 

Don Stauffer in Minnesota

  • Member since
    July 2016
Posted by MigMan on Saturday, February 25, 2017 12:33 PM
Thanks Don for all the great info!! I really appreciate it!! I am new to this forum/web site. I will look for the reference material you mentioned. Thank again Joe
  • Member since
    March 2013
Posted by patrick206 on Saturday, February 25, 2017 3:43 PM

Hi, MigMan - Just a thought, even if acrylics are your usual paints, some brands have thinners that may use alcohol or other agents that could cause an ignition. Even though Tamiya is my usual brand of acrylic, their X-20A thinner smells just like alcohol to me. I do my AB rinse spray through the booth filter using alcohol and/or lacquer thinner.

I also use Alclad products, lacquer base for the most part. So I'd say explosion proof would be the best overall decision. My home made spray booth,(three versions,) uses a large furnace filter, very common size, only three bucks at hardware store.

Explosion proof fan was another matter, about $80.00, but moves LOTS of air. Not all that noisy, either.

Patrick

  • Member since
    July 2016
Posted by MigMan on Saturday, February 25, 2017 11:11 PM
Hey Patrick206- Those are my concerns exactly! I am also interested in using Alclad paints some day so, explosion proof is the way to go. Thanks for the advise!
  • Member since
    September 2012
Posted by GMorrison on Sunday, February 26, 2017 12:20 AM

I have had my Paasche for 25 years.

Two moves.

Breaks down, dependable.

Any filter is fine.

 Modeling is an excuse to buy books.

 

  • Member since
    July 2016
Posted by MigMan on Sunday, February 26, 2017 10:55 PM
which spray booth do you have?
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