I’ve been considering buying a airbrush (or getting one for Christmas from the Mrs.). I’ve read contradictory messages on this forum and others about whether we need to have booth if I’m only going to use waterbased paints. I also watched “Workin and the Railroad” the last few weeks on the DIY Network and they never use a booth.
Any feedback would be helpful.
Thanks,
EdW
I’ve never used a booth, but I don’t do a huge amount of spraying. What I have found useful is one of those A4 paper boxes - if you cut one long side so that it folds down, you have an excellent spray booth to keep stray paint off the surrounding area - result being that your patio doesn’t end up bright yellow. Hope this is of some use!
I watched last night’s episode of Workin On the Railroad, and I thought I saw a big can of Diosol which is Floquil’s thinner and solvent containing xylene. The studio is probably a very large space, and for the little spraying that he did, they were able to get away with it.
If you plan to just use water based paints, with a hobby air brush, I wouldn’t bother with a booth. A spot in the corner with something to catch the over spray, and some good lighting is really all you need.
Build one, yes you need one. I used plywood sides and bottom, went to home depot and got an over the range hood that vented out the back side.
Built rge box to fit the hood, used dryer vent flex pipe and an old 5 gallon paint bucket. Fill the bucket half full of water, cut hole in top for vent pipe in, drill (1) 1" hole in top also. Use Duct tape to seal the vent. This gives you a fume scrubber plus spray booth. Project took 1 day and cost $55.00 to build.
I wouldn’t do any painting without one. I don’t do a whole lot of spraying, but it does make a difference, keeps the overspray in, no fumes in the room, and great lighting. If you ever used Dullcoat you will know what I mean. I have less then $60.00 in this spray booth. I had the local hardware store cut all the shapes for me, that way they are square. Used an old aquarium fan.
All sprayed paint produces a fine mist of paint particles. Breathing these in isn’t doing your lungs any good, water based or other. Be safe, use a vented spray booth no matter what type of paint you use.
There’s another thread on building a booth, check it out for more info.
Bob Boudreau
I don’t use a spray booth…However,I do use a well vented area …For years I used Floquail spray cans now I use a testers airbrush with can gas…Still I use a well vented area with fans…
EdW,
Once I thought like you in thinking that the only paint I would use would be water based. Then I started using Floquil for my loco’s and other items and began finding paint dust around the garage. One day I had been using the color of blue. I went over and checked the air conditioner filter and…you guessed it… it was blue. I encourage you to at least wear a paint mask regardless of the type of paint and build you a paint booth just in case.[;)]
REX
i would build a spray booth, and the person posted earlier about building one using a range hood is the best way, and putting some hinged doors to keep stuff out of it, when not in use. Also the doors help keep down the over spary and dust brought in by the range hood. I would not paint with out mine.
Elliot: I wouldn’t count on it! Xylene, tuolene, and other VOC’s are bad news. I’[ve been doing a far bit of spraying this past week and even with good through ventilation I wear a full face respirator and considering what the particulate filter alone has filtered out, it’s a darn good thing I am wearing it.
I’ve seen guys get high as kites using Xylene based marine paints on the fore deck. They didn’t want to use masks as they thought the 20 knot wind was good ventilation. They too were wrong. Bottom line is these paints are deadly!
Fergie
I would have NEVER thought of that… Do you ever change the water or do you just let it sit?? Either way, does the water become hazardous waste that requires special disposal (I’m talking solvent based paints here)??
Jeff
[8D]
Just vent it out a window. Buy one of those dryer vents that closes a flap when the fan is not on.
I only spray out side and get away with it but I wouldn’t think of sraying inside overspray on anything and the CEO would shut operations down fast and permantly…Build a booth…Cox 47
Here’s my photo from the previous post. I too vent out the window, but with a removable insert in the window. I remove it when not painting.
Bob Boudreau
I have the same set-up using a piece of wood like that. I use one of the vents that keep cold air or small animals from getting up into it. It would be something to open it and find a pissed off Squirrel in it. I also put a furnace filter on the back to keep spray from circulating arould it. It really helps.
I agree with cox 47. I do all my sraying out doors. That does mean only warm weather painting. I havent done any painting for about a year or so but when I did I sprayed it out side and took it indoors emediatly.
Les
That’s all well and good when there IS a window to vent it Out of… Not so in my situation which was the reason for my interest in the water bucket idea. Thanks for your input though…
Jeff
Ferg, I’m not suggesting that solvents are good for you, nor that you shouldn’t wear a respirator when using them. The above comment was based on what I witnessed on the television show which aired Saturday night.
I went back and looked at the tape, and there on the table was the trademark quart can of Dio-sol. Since I don’t have smellavision, I couldn’t tell if it was just there for looks, or if they were really using solvent based Floquil. Either way, no precautions were taken by the expert or the host, nor did I notice any warning or disclaimer verbal or printed. This is wrong, but it is far from the first fault I have found with the show. It is perhaps the most serious though, if they were in fact using solvent based paint in an airbrush.
Of course prolonged exposure to any solvent can be harmful. In my younger days, I inadvertently caught a buzz a few times, while working as a professional model builder.
For those that profess spray booth cons
Sorry Elliot as I didn’t want to jump on you like that. I see anything with a “lene” in it and I shudder. It’s nasty stuff!
Funny thing is I was using the Testor’s Clear Coat this past week and it’s quite pungent. I read the lable and apart from the Flammable sign and Skull and Cross Bones it did not indicate the ingredients. It wasn’t until I peeled of the lable that I discovered it had Tuolene.
Ya just don’t know do you!
Havew a goodnight Elliot
Fergie
No Prob Ferg, sorry for the slightly stern response. I was always told that even with a respirator on, if you can smell it, you are getting some. Obviously, it is a good idea to keep it to a minimum.
I still have a small stash of solvent based Floquil. I haven’t used it in 20 years, but the sealed bottles are still good. I read the labels, and some said xylene, and others said xylol. Not sure what the difference is, wouldn’t want to drink either one, let alone breathe it.
Bottom line, everything fun in life is somehow bad for you. Best we can do is minimize the risk, while trying to maximize the fun. Personally, I would be far more worried about exposing small children to this, than I would be for myself.
You have a good night too Ferg.[:)]