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    • #13965

      It’s cold outside so those of us who have cars to build need to paint indoors. Here are some pictures of a simple portable spray booth I put together that helps to keep the air fresher in my home. It was made using a clear polypropylene tote that I got on sale from Canadian Tire. This material is fairly easy to cleanup after painting and it allows in outside light for greater visibility.

      It uses a box in box design that allows for perfect sealing and easier portability.

      It uses an equipment rack fan that I bought on Amazon for just over 20 bucks. This fan runs on house voltage, is brushless and sparkproof and moves 110 cfm of air.

      this type of fan allows you to use any normal hobby paint including nail polish and automotive lacquers.

      The filter consists of lighting grid cut to fit  and fine aquarium floss built into a dollar store food saver. The fan is bolted through both boxes and the exhaust fitting making for a leakproof seal. I also added an on/off switch for convenience.

      The exhaust uses 4″ semi flexible metal tubing attached to a woodworking exhaust fitting at one end using a 4″ hose clamp and a dryer vent quick connect at the other.

      This is attached to the other half of the  quick connect that I have bolted  to a wooden window insert.

      As the main box was originally a tote the hose clamp can be loosened and the entire exhaust be put inside ready to be moved.

      My wife was painting a C4 corvette for Group 25 that Ken kindly gave her so we had a chance to test out the design. It worked flawlessly.

      It’s best to start the fan before painting and to leave it on for a few minutes after you finish to make sure no solvents escape back into your home. Please remember that you should also be using appropriate safety equipment for the type of finish you’re spraying. As I tend to use lacquers that means a respirator , gloves and eye protection. The whole project went together for about $75.00 worth of materials.

      I hope some of you find this useful. Let’s get building!

      Cheers

      Steve

       

    • #14000
      Avatar photoKen

        Nice job Steve!

        Great ideas using a small tote, in a larger clear tote, and 110VAC PC-fan. Thanks for posting.

        I also hope to see your wife’s C4 Corvette at the next Group-25 meeting.

        Cheers,

        Ken

      • #14239

        A very good portable solution racer68!

        The Happy Canadian Scale Modeler!

      • #14275

        Nice job Steve! I build one similar with a bathroom exhaust fan. It works great!

      • #17428

        Hey gang, hope all are well! STeve(or Bill), I’m planning on building(or at least try), and want to know, how efficient is odour removal(on a Wife scale), and also, do you know what mfg/part number you purchased? There are a TON on AMAZON.

         

        Thanks!

      • #17429
        Avatar photoKen

          Hello Porsche911. Asking Steve if his wife minds the odour is an unfair question because she uses the paint booth too. I think more than Steve.

          Create a need for your wife to use it, and everything will be fine after that. :good:

          • #17431

            Hi Drew

            I think that this sort of simple spray booth is a great return on investment and an excellent way to keep painting through the winter. Sourcing parts can be really confusing but Amazon is still a great source of to your door parts. The fan I used is: https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B009OWRMZ6. When I bought this fan it was only $18.99 plus tax and it’s a great little fan, but now it’s over 50 bucks and no longer meets my budget hobby criteria. There are tons of suitable alternatives though. The things to remember while searching are to get one that runs off of household current or comes with a transformer or speed control and that it has a brushless motor (most computer and equipment fans on Amazon do) so that there is little chance of ignition when using solvent based paints. I would also recommend that it move at least 110 cfm of air, which is equivalent to your average bathroom fan. You can buy single, double or even triple fan arrays allowing for some very substantial air flow. The more the airflow the less chance of vapors getting into your living space but the greater chance that dust may get sucked into the booth  unless the room you work in is immaculate. I am thinking about a an upgrade to my fan: GDSTIME Big Airflow Dual 2 * 120mm Fans DC 12V Powered Fan with AC 110V – 240V Speed Control, Cabinet Chassis Cooling Fan, Server Workstation Cooling Fan which would allow me a little more power and flexibility and is still only just a shade over 30 bucks.

            I have some observations on the effectiveness of the odor removal. I would say that using an airbrush that it is close to 100% effective. When using spray cans it depends on the type of paint and the can. Hobby acrylics are probably undetectable after 5 to 10minutes, hobby lacquers maybe another 5 minutes more. I think that it would certainly pass the wife test if your workshop is in a different room. Automotive spray cans and the large rustoleum type spray bombs heave a lot more paint into the air and would require both more airflow and and a little more tolerance.

            I hope that this has been helpful.

            Cheers

            Steve

        • #17433

          Hey Drew

          I just used a spare fan I had kicking around the house. The only thing I did different is I mounted the house on the wide side of the box so it sucks air out the top when the box is on its side and when I store it I toss everything in the box. There will still be some odour when spraying depending on the volume of spray as Steve described. Good luck with the project!

        • #17437

          Hi gents and thank you, very helpful Steve(And Bill) the fan I’ve looked at is this:

          GDSTIME AXIAL Fan 12038, 110V 120V AC 120mm Fan, Ventilation Exhaust Projects Cooling Fan

          Would appreciate if you’d peruse, give the benediction if worthy?

          I also did look at what you’d suggest” GDSTIME Big Airflow Dual 2 * 120mm Fans DC 12V Powered Fan with AC 110V – 240V Speed Contro” for your upgrade, just not sure how I’d ‘funnel’ into exhaust, guess it would have to be a ‘Dualie’ :>)

          And I also would plan on partial disassemble for storage when not creating a Masterpiece (LOL)

          Hey Ken, some of those HO’s look VERY familiar…Dini, 917/10, 2 917’s(especially the Green 1, can’t believe I sold it!!), McLaren body, a few others…

          Thanks in advance, stay well!!

           

           

        • #17438

          Drew the fan looks fine, good specs, good price, good reviews. Using twin or triple fans does need either a custom box or vent but it’s all just bench racing until you actually have to  do it and I haven’t done it yet. If I get around to the upgrade in the next few months I’ll post photos. My original booth was designed  for easy disassembly and storage, that’s why I used the box in a box idea. The rear exhaust assembly is attached with a hose clamp which can be loosened and the whole thing stored inside the tote with it’s lid on. None of us ever have enough room for all our toys!

          Cheers

          Steve

        • #17439

          This one actually may be better? 2 fan guards, speed control, much more robust looking plug, $40…

          AC Infinity AXIAL S1238, 120mm Muffin Fan with Speed Controller, UL-Certified for, who knew so stinking many!!!

        • #17697

          Hi lads, getting close to completion, however, some design concerns are leading to McGuyveresque adjustments…Final stage is to install fan to ‘booth’, and 1 would have thought that a fan allegedly designed to ‘Aid air flow in roofs/attics’ would have coupled easily to a 4″ duct/exhaust fitting, but Enhhhhh WRONGO, and there is no ‘flange’ on the fan housing(what to bolt to??)! My ‘design was to put the fan on exterior/back of box, allowing for a little more ‘depth’ in the box, but regardless, curious how Steve, you clamped the  hose on to back of fan, not clear in picture? I purchased  a ‘dryer vent’ piece, that you place on exterior of house, and the fan is just a ‘CH'(Carpentry term) to fit within housing of bracket, but think I should be able to dremel out a wee bit so it’ll fit in housing, then as you did, bolt both to box. Not sure if better though to put as you did, ‘fan in the box’, or back, as I think when bolted in, will make no difference on airtightness(and will seal with silicone as well).  I also added a few things, hopefully enhancements, cut a rectangular hole in ‘top’ of box which I will cover with a clear piece of plastic(like on gift card boxes), think of it like a tearaway on a visor, and light will be placed above it. Also added a small ‘turntable’ on base where body’s will be placed on mount to paint. Hope my ramblings make sense, and will try and load a few pics to illustrate.

          Trying to finish this weekend, Thoughts/suggestions welcomed.

        • #17839
          Avatar photoKen

            I broke a blade trying to clean the oven fan and make-shift paint booth in the basement. Oops. No more paint booth. The fan blades are a mere $8 when the stores open again. Inspired by everyone making new paint booths. I decided now is the best time to clean the oven before it goes too far. The wall paper behind the oven is toast. But the ugly wall paper was toast before I started painting.

            The most important part is the fan itself. It needs to move a lot of air. It seems that this one will do (140 cfm?). A few boards were added to fit into the window.

            Choosing a spot was easy since one of the basement windows is just left of the oven. It was isolated from the walls and countertop with foam and a wood board. White plastic garbage bags were taped up on the walls to make the most of the lighting and protect the walls. The wall paper is old and needs replacing under the protection. Maybe when I move out.

            The can spinning device on the right is ready to go.

            The fan fits the window perfectly.

            Having two lights makes a big difference. I can see! :yahoo:

            A few empty Hot Wheels boxes are the perfect height stand for the small light. An egg timer sits beside it waiting to give 1-minute increments between coats of paint.

            Ready to start painting. All the fumes go out the high volume fan. Flammable fumes don’t pass through the motor.

            What’s that can of candy lime green paint doing beside that McLaren M1B? Naaa… :whistle:

            It takes a few seconds to slide the window open to take the fan out. Then close and lock the window.

            The only real expense was the fan from a garage sale ($20?). The rest of the stuff was household junk from the garage.

            • #17843

              Hi Drew

              Sorry I missed your question until I saw Ken’s recent post. I used a wood working dust port That I found on Amazon : Big Horn 11428 4-Inch Dust Port with 4 Mounting Holes .

              This one is offset to one side as it fit the space that I would usually use the best but there are straight ones available as well. I then used a large hose clamp to attach the ducting to the dust port. I used the box in a box design as it makes it easier to pack up and move around. It is a little easier to seal but it’s probably much of a muchness especially if you don’t move your booth often.  I think your enhancements sound great. More light is always a good thing and the turntable is something that I need to get for mine. Please post your finished booth. I find it fascinating the different ways our club members can solve the same problem.

              Cheers

              Steve

          • #17845

            Hi Steve, no worries, I McGyvered’ a solution, an exterior plastic Dryer exhaust vent with flaps removed, and caulking to seal where there were a few wee gaps. It’s finished, have not yet put to Litmus test(sprayed anything inside), but have run fan and appears to blow well(I said PARDON!) I did go with this 1 “AC Infinity AXIAL S1238, 120mm”, 3 speed 3 on the tree.. :>)

            Pictures pending, results to follow.

          • #17849

            Pics appended, spraytime tomorrow… :yahoo:

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            • #17854

              Looks great Drew, thanks for the pictures, I like the use of the cut down furnace filter. Is that a Ranchero on the turntable ready to be painted tomorrow?

              Cheers

              Steve

          • #17874

            Looks great Drew. I like the idea of using clear tear offs under where the light is as some over spray can happen there if using rattle cans. Good luck with the first coat.

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