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Using air brush in the garage

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  • Member since
    July 2019
  • From: Northern IL.
Using air brush in the garage
Posted by Bob D on Friday, November 24, 2023 10:52 PM

Here's one that may sound a little strange. I want to shoot some enamel on a plane but my wife hates the smell. I was wondering if i could go out in the garage where the temp is in the mid to upper 40's and use the airbrush. Will the colder temp. affect the paint ? I usually use acrylics and no problem with the smell.

  • Member since
    July 2004
  • From: Sonora Desert
Posted by stikpusher on Friday, November 24, 2023 11:05 PM

Yes, you can airbrush in your garage in those temperatures, but you'd probably get better results with a heater in there to warm it up a bit. I've been airbrushing in my garages whereever I've lived for close to 30 years now. Although it rarely gets down into the 40's where I've lived when I'm in there airbrushing. Also, at the very least you'll want some sort of fan and perhaps a respirator mask to blow fumes away, depending upon ventilation in your garage, particularly with enamels.

 

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  • Member since
    November 2018
Posted by oldermodelguy on Saturday, November 25, 2023 6:40 AM

With enamels you will do well to get the general area where you are spraying into mid 50's to 60ish F. To me enamels go on well in that temp range. You don't have to heat the entire garage. Claim a corner and set up there.

You could play hit and run, heat the paint first, have everything ready to go, head into the garage and get your paint sprayed on and back in the house with the painted model parts quickly. You need to develop a system where you don't linger around and ponder the next step. Be ready and efficient. I've done this at times even outside @30f. Usually rattle cans though, pre heated in hot water..

  • Member since
    May 2004
  • From: Land of Lakes
Posted by cbaltrin on Saturday, November 25, 2023 7:02 AM

I never had any issues airbrushing enamels in cold temps when I painted in my Garage, in the winter time, in Ohio. It was well below 40 (upper 20's most likely) on numerous occasions and I can remember having to pour hot water over the compressor crank case to warm up the oil before it would start... Then again, my dad did have one of those jet-engine-looking Kerosene Heaters in the garage, so I can't really say for sure what the temp was when I was airbrushing...Confused

On the Bench: Too Much

  • Member since
    March 2003
  • From: Western North Carolina
Posted by Tojo72 on Saturday, November 25, 2023 7:21 AM

Just get her to leave the house when you spray enamel

  • Member since
    October 2019
  • From: New Braunfels, Texas
Posted by Tanker-Builder on Saturday, November 25, 2023 8:06 AM

Hi:

      There is some problem with smell but it is slight, as to the temp, Well, I have sprayed at that temp and the paint didn't act right, So I would be careful here. Ambiant temperature can affect how paint lays down and how well it drys.

  • Member since
    November 2018
Posted by oldermodelguy on Sunday, November 26, 2023 5:40 AM

In 1/1 if forced to paint in colder than recommended temp we used a fast dry thinner. Especially with metallics, you can watch the metallic particles slide in the paint, a weird form of run if the paint doesn/t get a fast enough initial tack.

  • Member since
    May 2023
Posted by Greysteele on Sunday, November 26, 2023 9:58 PM

I think the question of temperature has already been addressed, but there is another issue to worry about in garages: dust in the air.

I've sprayed in garages and basements and made it a habit to spray a mist of water in the air before I paint. The fine water droplets will grab a lot of the dust from the air as they fall. And a spray bottle is a lot cheaper than buying and running an air cleaner in such a large area.

"In polite society, we call our obsessions hobbies." – Stephen King

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