Spray Booths

I'm not sure to what book you are referring. Perhaps they felt that something is better than nothing.

However, I worked in the aerosol paint industry for a number of years, and I've either been or worked with chemists all of my professional life. I've been a "lab rat" for much of that time.

Cardboard just doesn't cut it.

Look at it this way: Accidents are relatively rare—that's why they are called accidents. Your chances of getting hit by a bullet while standing down range at a shooting range are statistically tiny—are you going to do something that stupid?

Intelligence and wisdom minimize risk—and therefore have a much greater chance of survival, intact.

Which would  you rather be, the small statistic that gets seriously injured or dies, or the large statistic that never has a serious problem?

There are times to place  your mortal body in harm's way. Your hobby is NOT one of them. 

Triarius wrote:

Cardboard just doesn't cut it.

This just doesn't make sense.  Maybe I'm missing a key component of the spray booth theory, but the material the booth is made out of shouldn't make that big of a difference as long as you're not making it out of duraflame logs or oily rags. 

The biggest concern with a spray booth is whether or not the fan motor will cause the fumes to ignite.  Now granted, the carboard will burn if your motor explodes, but cardboard burns, it doesn't combust.

But I'm always open to hearing different opinions or learning something new...

-Fred

This is a copy of a reply to a similar post, elsewhere.

The fan motor, like all electrical motors, generates heat. That heat needs to be disappated, which is why all large electrical motors are piercd by numerous ventilation holes. The air  flow from the fan  cools  the motor, at least in every breeze-box type  fan I've ever seen.  Furthermore,  I have never seen such a fan with a shaded pole motor. There are two sources of potential ignition in an electrical fan. One is the carbon brushes that conduct current to the armature. The other is static electricity, which can be substantial in dry winter conditions.

No spray booth used for flammable aerosols should be constructed of a combustable material, especially a flimsy one that will not only burn, but will do nothing to contain a fire or explosion.

There are a lot of things that one can do and get away with. These are usually the same things that, when one does not get away with them, result in saying things like: "How could I be so dumb!" and "I wish I had______!" Or worst of all, something like: "so what if I smoked two packs a day, it's not my fault I got emphysema and cancer!"

Gigatron wrote:

This just doesn't make sense.  Maybe I'm missing a key component of the spray booth theory, but the material the booth is made out of shouldn't make that big of a difference as long as you're not making it out of duraflame logs or oily rags.  The biggest concern with a spray booth is whether or not the fan motor will cause the fumes to ignite.  Now granted, the carboard will burn if your motor explodes, but cardboard burns, it doesn't combust. But I'm always open to hearing different opinions or learning something new... -Fred

Spray booths are constructed for two reasons: to control inhalation exposures, and to prevent fires.  In order to do the latter, spray booths are designed, constructed, and expected to perform as a system, not just individual components thrown together with the hope and prayer that a failure with one component will not affect any other.  All the hazards of a system have to be identified and controlled, including those inherent with the system itself, and those that impact upon it.  If they are not controlled, and the system fails, then the potential for catastrophic results is greater than if the system fails together as a complete, properly designed system.  If a booth is cobbled together without thought to the hazards, then the potential for loss is greatly increased and includes loss of the system itself and everything that is directly or indirectly responsible for its operation, even the human element.

Cardboard burns. Period. It doesn't matter if it's flammable or combustible.  Couple that with a range hood, bathroom, or other similar fan, and the hazard potential (or risk) increases exponentially. And as an anticlimactic statement, it also does not provide adequate structural rigidity or integrity. 

Fred, no insult, offense, or mocking of your post is intended here, my friend, but designing a system by controlling the hazard of only one aspect of it ("The biggest concern with a spray booth is whether or not the fan motor will cause the fumes to ignite") is foolhardy at best, moronic at its worst.  I guess the next question would be to what extent do we extend our designs to be as safe as possible? Do we "overengineer"? I think the short answer is "No." There is a balance where design and construction influence overall benefit. Looking at commercial booths should provide some semblance of what that balance is.  For starters, none of them are constructed of cardboard...

I've only seen a couple spray booth fires in my career, and I can state emphatically that I'm glad they were designed and constructed correctly.  The fires were contained and extinguished quickly, with no appreciable losses noted.

Fred, I hope this helps your understanding a little better.

Gip

Thank you for the suggests on the spray booth.

I been thinking about purchasing a spray booth.

Has anyone heard about the Artograph 1530 Spray System.

Dimensions 15''x30''. Will this be enough for spraying planes.

I usually build 1/48 scale aircraft or smaller. Does anyone else

know any other types of spay booths that would work for what

I plan on doing? 

I own an Artograph 1520; here's a similar post where I give a more thorough answer.