my DIY spray booth failure

mgh

 Probably a good thing I didn't know 3 years ago that this hobby would turn into this 

The universal modelers lament     

Thanks for the responses.  I am going to go with the muffin fan(s?).

I am looking forward to having a dedicated painting station.

Probably a good thing I didn't know 3 years ago that this hobby would turn into this 

I couldn't get the link to work, but the 120 mm and 110 cfm is the size I now use.

My first two booths were cardboard boxes.  I cut a rectangular opening in top, that was covered by a sheet of quarter inch plywood with a circular hole cut in it to fit the size of the fan opening. I fastened an auto air cleaner to bottom of plate with duct tape, a muffin fan to top, and dropped it in the hole to have a filtered both with fan.  Worked great and was sure easy to make.  

My booths kept getting more sophisticated with each design.  Latest has lamp on top, and filter is on back.  But it is made of particle board and too heavy (I hang it on wall and have to take it down to change filters  (uses furnace filter).  I am working up design using thin plywood, and a much easier mounting for the filter to make them easier to change.  I use a full bodied primer and the filters clog up fairly fast.

The 89 buck booth works very well. I have that one as do other's I know. I think the fume warning is there primarily to ctb - cover their backside. I can't imagine getting to a air/vapor mix that would ignite. See the mythbusters episode on the legend of the exploding bug-spray. this booth is cheap, functional and easy to set up.  

I made a small spray "booth" (really just a box) out of a medium sized cardboard box that I had laying around and a lot (a LOT) of duct tape. It's pretty neat and holds up well. Sadly no fan

I built my SB out of a recycled kitchen cabinet with a Dayton blower (around $90) and switch mounted outside the cabinet. It pulls through a cheap heater filter, dryer vent tubing and out the window on a board that is taken out when not in use. My wife made a shear (see through) curtain for the SB from a scrap she had that I pull closed when finished spraying and leave the exhaust on to help dry the paint. The curtain keeps the dust out while the paint drys. Once a week, I pop the curtain off and toss it in the wash. Works great for me.

Jim 

Google says thats a mufin fan mgh, brushless fans work on a magnet field, there is no ignition source.

I use a 240 volt 12 inch exhaust fan on a speed controller, only need it low for spraying but "wind tunnel" mode is handy for clean up time in my situation,

wjbwjb29

This one is similar to the one I used. I have to check for the exact number. The motor is on the outside away from any fumes and it brushless.

www.amazon.com/.../175-5254004-6148969

I have looked around and found a few similar to that one:

http://www.globalindustrial.com/p/hvac/blowers/draft-inducer/shaded-pole-blower-1-25-hp-148-cfm

or a Dayton:

http://www.zorotools.com/g/00011665/k-G0995732?utm_source=google_shopping&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Google_Shopping_Feed&kw={keyword}&gclid=CKKbtI3u2LwCFe87MgodaHgAUw&whence=

It does seems as though they would take some work to get in place.  Yesterday I found this video on Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qii2fiaeiLs

The flange on the exhaust is certainly going to have to be worked around, and finding a good way to seal the side of the fan that connects to the booth.  I might have to try it a couple of times to make it work, but it would be a nice booth if I was successful.  

Don Stauffer

I use muffin fans.  They are easy to mount, and explosion resistant.  Come in a variety of flow capacity.

Something like this Don?

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004YTSB7C/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A2AW0W4FKP16S5

120 mm and 110 CFM is the biggest and highest airflow I can find.

I use muffin fans.  They are easy to mount, and explosion resistant.  Come in a variety of flow capacity.

riptide

i looked on amazon they decent ones on there. i may get one its 89 bucks.

www.amazon.com/.../ref=pd_sim_sbs_t_1

It is a very nice complete looking unit...but like most of its style still says "Full 1-Year Warranty: Not intended for use with Hazardous Materials, Flammable or Explosive Paints or Materials "  which was the problem many have had with this style of paint booth.  

wjbwjb29

This one is similar to the one I used. I have to check for the exact number. The motor is on the outside away from any fumes and it brushless.

www.amazon.com/.../175-5254004-6148969

This type of  fan/motor keeps the motor out of the airway so is inherently safer, than the in line type. It costs more and that is the quandary:  possible danger to self and property or confidence you have the a more functionally safer unit.

i looked on amazon they decent ones on there. i may get one its 89 bucks.

www.amazon.com/.../ref=pd_sim_sbs_t_1

This one is similar to the one I used. I have to check for the exact number. The motor is on the outside away from any fumes and it brushless.

www.amazon.com/.../175-5254004-6148969

wjbwjb29

Build a booth with a Dayton blower and you will be happy. Mine sucks all the fumes out through a panel I place in the window. Works great. I could post some pics if anyone is interested.

Bill

Unfortunately, I do not have a good idea how a blower fan is applied to my situation.  Here is a Dayton blower:

http://www.zorotools.com/g/00011665/k-G0995732?utm_source=google_shopping&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Google_Shopping_Feed&kw={keyword}&gclid=CKKbtI3u2LwCFe87MgodaHgAUw

So I would guess the rectangular opening is the exhaust.  So the fan is simply open to the atmosphere? How do I apply that in order to get it to draw from the box of my booth?  Is this a type of blower fan on this spray booth? http://pacepaintbooths.com/pace/

Sorry, I know I am missing the basic functioning of one of these fans.

Don:, this is something like what you have used?  Maybe use two of these to get very good airflow?

 http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004YTSB7C/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A2AW0W4FKP16S5

Thanks for all the help!

I have built several spray booths. I found through experience that you need about 100 cfm or more of flow. It may well be the fans you used were not powerful enough.  

wjbwjb29

I could post some pics if anyone is interested.

Bill

I built a booth using a 120 volt 6" dia in-duct fan, with 6" flex duct to a reducer to connect to a 4" thru wall dryer vent.  You can get them at any big box hardware store. The fan is rated 250 cfm.  It does a great job of removing fumes.  I installed the fan at the wall exit and ran the flex duct to the booth.  I also installed an on-off switch on the wall below the fan.   I just used a large clear plastic bucket for the booth and put some brackets on to hold a furnace filter in front of the duct.  If you want some serious suction, they also have an 8" dia fan rated 500 cfm.

Build a booth with a Dayton blower and you will be happy. Mine sucks all the fumes out through a panel I place in the window. Works great. I could post some pics if anyone is interested.

Bill

Look in the archives as Don Stauffer had a description of his DIY model-seemed to work for him.

I used to own the Paasche model, and I recall it said in the directions it was NOT to be used with flammable paints. Perhaps they have changed the motor to a sealed one, or one that is not in direct line with the flow of flammable paints. The inexpensive price might help to answer that question though.

My experiment looks similar to yours.  I haven't found  a reasonably priced fan that will move enough air yet.

All the Paasch hobby booths come with this in the description: "Not intended for use with hazardous materials, flammable or explosive paints or materials".  Maybe that is to limit their liability?

As long as the fan is brushless you should be ok, Here's mine I use with solvents all the time without any filtering but it would be easy to ad.

snibs.net/spraybooth.html

This is what I bought. Totally happy.

http://tinyurl.com/nrr4kep

Yes sir.

So far, the inexpensive booths I have looked at all state that they are not to be used with flammable solvent based paints.  This is important to me.  If I go to the trouble of building one, or expense of buying, I really want one that I can use lacquer ans enamel based paints with.

Is your Paasche designed for use with solvent based paints?

Thanks for the help.

I think you could find one for $ 100- $ 150. I have a Paasche that I spent a little more on, but they make some smaller ones and they are a good brand.