Spray Booth Venting

Colonel Klink

I do my modeling work in a full size unfinished basement.  So far, the majority of my airbrush painting has been with acrylics.  However, I am thinking of doing more work with lacquer based paints such as Tamyia X and LP paints.  I am planning on getting a paint booth to use lacquer paints more safely.  My problem/question is how to effectivley vent.  My basement window well windows are sealed against weather and small critters so I can't vent outside.  Is it ok to just attach a 10 to 15 foot vent hose to the back of the booth and direct the fumes to another part of the basement? Any other thought on how to vent without being able to direct outside?

Last  thing to add: I do have a respirator.

Thanks

 

Just for the record, my wife's nail polish stinks 3 times worse than either paint you mention. And spraying in an area that large I'd wear the respirator and not worry about it at all. Unless I'm really pushing the paint out with a lot of air flow and fluid flow I don't use my booth with craft paints, acrylics and the paints you listed.. For hot lacquer yes, booth needed or go outside. I spray in a pretty big area too. The odor will be gone in less than ten minutes anyway. I regularly use both paints, the LP lacquer will smell less and level best with Mr Leveling thinner than it will with the Tamiya thinner. I also use MLT in the X series acrylics as well, or alcohol with the XF paints ( the flat colors)..

Now my preference with enamels is to either use the booth or even go outdoors weather permitting. That odor lingers and the finish cures slowly. Different matter than the Tamiya X and LP.

oldermodelguy

.. For hot lacquer yes, booth needed or go outside.

Thanks for your thoughts.

When you refer to "hot lacquers", which paints/what type are referring to. I thought Tamyia LPs were full on lacquers.

I've just gotten back into modeling after 40 years and A LOT has changed since then 

My Pace booth vents outside with a cover just like a dryer vent.  Out and gone.  

I would install a clothes dryer vent through the wooden part of the structure to the outside and vent it there.

Hi Colonel! 

I built my booth from a discarded section of shelving I found on trash day. I have a dryer vent section of tubing attached to a board that I put in the window and turn on the exhaust whenever I'm going to use the booth. When done, I remove the board and close the window. I use the booth whenever I'm painting or staining with any type of paint. It keeps the wife happy as she never smells anything. 

In appreciation of me being so thoughtfull, the wife made me the sheer curtain for the booth. When I am done painting, I shut the curtain but leave the exhaust on for a while to help drying. The curtain stops dust from getting into the booth to mess up the paint job. When the curtain gets dirty from the collected dust, I take it off and put it in the wash.

Here's a couple of pics of my booth. Any questions, just ask.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/oM4jPdYz3jHae5Ps8

If you can put the booth near a window, that's an easy set-up. If not, it's not hard to put a dryer vent fitting through the wall to the outside. Is it a cinder block wall? 

Stay safe.

Jim 

Just thought of something. If your window is easy to get to, you could just take out one of the panes of glass and replace with a piece of wood with a drier vent installed in it. They have various types to prevent animals from getting in. That way you could be hooked up all the time. 

Hope all this info I dumped on you is any help. Let me know how you make out.

Stay safe.

Jim 

I vent my booth out my basement window using a dryer vent, but mounted on a board that fills the opening when I use it. When it is not in use I have the window closed and the board and vent sitting in the corner. That way the set up is able to keep out bugs and weather when not is use and works well in my basement.

Bk

Thank you for all the ideas and replies.

However, as I originally indicated, I have no way to vent to the outside from the basement.  There is no dryer vent there.  The dryer and vent are upstairs and does not route into the basement.  I also cannot vent through the window wells since they are sealed on the inside and the wells are covered on top, not to mention my better half will not let me remove the seals.

So, I guess I am really asking if it is ok/safe enough to vent to another part of the unfinished basement by maybe directing 10 to 15' of hose away from the booth.

I am reluctant to haul the booth, airbrush and compressor and table upstairs and into the garage every time I paint with lacquers, but I suppose will if I have to.

Thanks again everyone.

I thiknj this will depend on just how long you intend to be in there.  For short bursts of lacquers you could get away with just redirecting teh booth output away from your direct area.  However, I can tell you when I spray sometihng like Alclad or AK Extreme Metals my garage STINKS like crazy and I vent my booth out under a partially raised door.  I'm not sure how well that would go in an unventialted space like a basement.  Therea re some folks that use 5 gallon buckets with water and essentially make something like a bong when they arent able to vent externally.  The combo of water and some carbon filters may take teh edge off.  Here too, I am not sure how long Id like to have those funes build up in an unventilated space.

Colonel Klink

 

 

oldermodelguy

.. For hot lacquer yes, booth needed or go outside.

Thanks for your thoughts.

When you refer to "hot lacquers", which paints/what type are referring to. I thought Tamyia LPs were full on lacquers.

I've just gotten back into modeling after 40 years and A LOT has changed since then 

You haven't smelled stink till you spray the automotive lacquers like MCW. which are thinned with automotive thinners.

The LP series is a milder lacquer, not hot won't eat plastic if you saturated the model in it. The hotter auto lacquer you need to be more careful, have a good primer etc. LP is an awesome paint by the way and the X not far behind.

oldermodelguy

You haven't smelled stink till you spray the automotive lacquers like MCW. which are thinned with automotive thinners.

The LP series is a milder lacquer, not hot won't eat plastic if you saturated the model in it. The hotter auto lacquer you need to be more careful, have a good primer etc. LP is an awesome paint by the way and the X not far behind.

Awesome!  Thanks for the info!