I’ve become convinced that I will definitely need a spray booth for airbrushing. Due to the safety factors involved I want to buy a commercially made one instead of trying to rig up one on my own. I read somewhere about “downdraft” booths and a company called Artograph but I can’t find the article. I think it said that with this type of booth, venting to the outside is not necessary. My work area will be in a basement with concrete walls. So my only option to set up a dryer vent will be to hook one up through a window somehow.
Any recommendations on commercial spraybooths would be appreciated and if someone is familiar with downdraft or Artograph that would be very helpful. Thanks.
You didn’t mention what type of paint you intend to use in the spray booth. Lacquer paint fumes can be hazardous to your health, so if you intend to use this type I would imagine venting would be a requirement. Water based acrylic paints need a booth to capture the fine particles in the air, so you don’t breath them in. You could probably use a non vented booth with these paints, but don’t quote me.
I made my own spray booth from half inch plywood, with a bathroom vent fan in the top. Air is directed outdoors through an adjacent opened window using flexible ducting. I have a plywood insert that fits into the opened window, and have mounted an exhaust hood in it.
Bathroom fans that have brushless motors do not spark, and I’ve been using mine with lacquer paint for about 20 years. There is a disposable furnace filter in front of the fan intake to capture some of the heavier paint particles.
I also use a proper respirator rated for lacquer paints when I’m painting. The booth will vent most of the fumes but not all of them, so it is better to be safe than sorry.
Hi,
I’m real happy with the Artograph spray booth I bought. It set up easily and does a great job of filtering everything through its 3-stage filter system. I bought mine at www.madisonartshop.com for $220.00 which is 23% off the retail price. They also have extra filters for a nominal cost. I wouldn’t bother spending the extra money for a metal hood because the cardboard one that comes with the booth is fine and if is gets messed up, you can buy replacement cardboard hoods for around $16.00. I’ve been using my booth for over a year and the hood is still clean because the blower does a good job of pulling any overspray downward through the filters.
Thanks very much for the replies. This is a great forum because someone is always willing to jump in and help. Mostly I will be doing acrylics but want to use Floquil too. I was thinking of tryiing something very similar to what Bob described with the plywood and ductwork in the window. That way I can remove it when not in use. It is good to hear from someone pleased with actually using an Artograph, thanks Mondo!