Spray Booth

Wouldn't do it. First, those hardware store fans aren't rated to remove volatile fumes (ka-boom!). Second, the filter will weep vapors eventually, once it becomes saturated. Ducting is really the way to go.

I built my own a while back and used a bathroom vent fan for the exhaust. I also work in the basement. I cut out a 4" hole just above the block (basement wall), and under the subfloor, and used a dryer vent with some screen to keep bugs and little critters out.

Is your washer and dryer also in the basement? If so, you could make a section of the dryer hose seperable, to attach the booth vent when you paint.

There should be a rating on the airflow.  I have found through building several homemade booths that the fan needs to be at least 100 cfm to do a decent job.  And even that requires a free flowing filter (I use furnace filters).

Is there a window in the basement you could build a terminal for a duct in?  I use clothes dryer hose for a duct.

Made mine out of cardboard and shipping tape. Installed the largest computer fan I could find. I use a dryer duct to shoot the exhaust out my window and into a filter.

For safety's sake you should use an "explosion-proof" fan.

I whole heartedly agree with the assessments of the others.  Find a way to duct out the fumes. 

I built my own spray booth out of an old computer table, some pieces of 1/4 inch "chipboard?", a 20 inch florescent light, and a 6-in, inline duct fan like this one:

http://www.suncourt.com/Inductor_Pro.html

I wired all of that together with a plain old junction box, a power tool replacement 3-prong cord, a light switch, and hooked a long dryer vent hose out the back.  I lived in a condo at the time and I had to crack a sliding door and run the hose out onto the patio so I didn’t gas myself, the wife, or the dogs out of the place.  I know everyone says you should also use a fan that won't spark on you but I have never had an issue with the one I chose.

 I know everyone says you should also use a fan that won't spark on you but I have never had an issue with the one I chose.

No one ever has a problem, until they do!

Guess im going to be the odd one out...

My spraybooth consists of a large xl size cardboard box with the lid taped inside as a back board. It keeps the overspray where i want it: inside the booth.

My ducting/ venting consists of the window above it. Whenever i spray i open the window to let fumes out. Whenever i am done spraying enamels (not too much anymore as i am using acrylics most of the time) i just let the fumes evaporate through the window and go outside of the room for a little bit and have a coffee.

Poor mans solution but it works for me. Just needs patience...

Richard

Griffin

For safety's sake you should use an "explosion-proof" fan.

While that would be ideal a real "explosion-proof" fan is out of the price range of most of us.

Any good squirrel cage blower fan with the motor outside the airflow is perfectly safe as long as it is used properly. None of the commercial made spray booths I have seen use true "explosion-proof" fans.

My spraybooth consists of a large xl size cardboard box with the lid taped inside as a back board. It keeps the overspray where i want it: inside the booth.

Sounds more or less like mine.

GreenThumb - I totally hear what you're saying. I was just stating a 'best-case-scenario' I guess.

Griffin

 

GreenThumb - I totally hear what you're saying. I was just stating a 'best-case-scenario' I guess.

Nothing wrong with being cautious my friend.

Reality check: if you value your lungs  there is no way you can use just a filter with enamels, you MUST use some type of exhaust system.

I use this exhaust fan. Its basicly a squirrel cage,  917CFM.

Take off the bag and attach dryer duct (to the outside). That black connection on the side sucks air from you spray booth. Both connections are 4in diameter, the same as dryer duct. You can see the motor is on the outside and never comes in contact with the fumes. This will handle a rattle can full blast.   I also removed the stand.

For a squirrel cage fans/blowers, also called shaded pole, check Grainger. I'm not sure if you have to be a business to buy from them. Some people say yes others say no.

Also do an Internet search for places that sell hydroponic equipment. Look for exhaust fans/blowers. Generally much cheaper than Grainger.

Perhaps a cost effective alternate would be to use a bilge blower fan found on most boats with an I/O motor. They are used to evacuate the bilge of gasoline vapors prior to starting up the boat. Just an idea....

The flat plastic fans used in computers and stuff, called muffin fans, are brushless, and should be pretty explosion proof.  They come in a wide range of flow rates, though, so you must check the CFM.  I am using one of those in my homemade booth- it is 120 cfm.

I built my own booth out of a salvaged overhead kitchen cabinet with a heater filter in front of the Grainger exhaust fan. Didn't have to be a business to get the fan and it has worked great. When in use, I have a board with the outlet duct of the fan placed in the window frame and close the window to hold it in place. It only gets a little chilly in the winter  for a minute when I open the window to put the board in place. Fan is VERY quiet. Total cost of the booth was around $100. Cabinet was free. Switch was an extra that was laying around in the workshop. Light is a fold-up that is swapped back and forth from the workbench. My wife even rigged up a sheer curtain in the front of the cabinet so that I could keep the fan on for a while when done painting to aid in drying without dust getting on the model.

Jim

I use a ModelExpo’s Compact Spray Booth (HSE420 - actually the Compact Spray Booth, Exhaust Hose, & Filter Combo #HSE420PRO). What I like is the way this beast folds-up into a 16-1/2" × 6" × 9-1/2" box (the spray area is 16" wide × 13" high × 14" deep). Available @ http://www.modelexpo-online.com/

Here's mine. It's made with 1/2 foam core boards, (Which makes it very light  ) doubled up for stability. It's 20" wide and 12" deep. I used a 4" computer fan which, if I remember, is rated at 120 cfm, and a dryer duct to go out the window. I think I got the fan for about $12. It works pretty well. I may add a second fan one day just to increase the outflow. I think the total cost was around $60, with most of the cost coming from the foam core at $4.50 a sheet. It's held together with liquid nails to seal it and drywall screws for strength. That is a clear piece of plastic at the top to let more light in. I got that from an old cheap poster frame I had lying around. I use an A/C filter from Home Depot at the back. 

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No offense jcbreslin but a 4" computer fan is woefully underpowered for a spray booth.

None taken.  

I went back to check specs. It's a 4.72" with a 133 cfm rating.

It hasn't actually been too bad. I knew it would be on the low end for power, but since I'm using mainly acrylics it gets the job done. The fact that my duct hose is about a foot long probably helps. But like i said, another fan is probably in the future.

jcbreslin

 

I went back to check specs. It's a 4.72" with a 133 cfm rating.

Those numbers have to be inflated. My Badger spray booth has a squirrel cage fan that is fairly powerful and it's only rated at 165 cfm.

Hmm, I'm not sure, but maybe. Here's a pic of the fan I bought. The package lists it as 133.60 cfm. 

Here is a link for newegg.com, they list specs as the same too. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835185054

Either way, it serves it's purpose. Like I said, I may get a second eventually. 

I think they are probably rated in a different manner. Where is Gip when you need him?

He knows all about this subject.

I made mine from an old desk and Lexan battery shields..2` x 2` clear squares, and use a bathroom "fart sucker" for an exhaust, 3 " flex hose. Works great...hardly have any dain bramage..

GreenThumb

No offense jcbreslin but a 4" computer fan is woefully underpowered for a spray booth.

Those muffin fans come in a wide variety of flow rates.  You need over 100 cfm, but the more powerful ones are in this range. The one I use is 120 cfm, and works fine.  I use a furnace filter, which does not have too bad a pressure drop.

I have two of these lying around that would make a great fan for a window type application.

This is a Comair 10" fan.

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Len