I’ve never airbrushed before in my life, and I need some help. I need to know where a safe place to airbrush is. Most of the time, I can’t airbrush outside, since it’s either too hot or too cold. I would like to airbrush in my house, but is that safe? I am using a Testor’s “Mighty Mini” airbrush and Testor’s paint and thinner.
The main concern about airbrushing, or any other painting indoors, is what type paint you’re using. Many have solvents that are VOC’s (voitile organic chemicals) and fumes should definately be vented outside. Contact Testors and request their MSDS’s for the paint and thinner you’ll be using. I personally use Floquil (incidently, now owned by Testors) and they are definately a hazardous chemical. I have a vented spray booth and I wear an air purifying respirator while painting.
Testor’s paints, I believe, are basically enamels, so the thinner is probably a petroleum spirits or a derivitive.
You should probably do it in your “garage” if you have one. Then either have the “garage door” open or have a window open, so that the smell doesn’t make you dizzy. Lay lots of covering, so that you don’t spray the ground and mask your item off good. Then you should be ready to go.
Richard
With all due respect to Richard, smell is not a good indication of whether you are safe or not. Yes, ventilation is important, especially with petroleum based paints, but even “safe” water-based paints make “aerosols”. These are tiny little particles (in this case dried paint) that can get deep into your lungs. Too much of that, and you are looking at serious problems. Not to mention the solvents used in traditional paints.
Best bet - get a spraybooth if you have to paint inside. If you compromise with a wide open garage space, get a decent quality respirator (not just a dust mask) with filter cartridges suitable for whatever you use to paint. They are really not that expensive:
http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=1&p=31232&cat=1,42207,42220
http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=1&p=31234&cat=1,42207,42220
http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=1&p=31233&cat=1,42207,42220
for example (prices in CAN$)
Andrew
I may have mentioned this before, but I built a quick-and-dirty spray booth several years ago from some scrap plywood, an old bathroom vent fan (with light), a short piece of dryer duct, and a peanut can. It’s pretty effective moving the paint fumes out of the house (I paint in the basement), and I wear an air purifying respirator (charcoal canisters, similar to a military gas mask), so I am breathing NO paint or solvent fumes.
Polly Scale paints, from Testors, are water based paints and they have a good selection of model railroading colors.
Badger, the airbrush manufacturer also has a line of airbrush ready water based railroad colors. And a far larger selection of colors, as well.
http://www.badger-airbrush.com/images/RailRoadChart.jpg
Okay, called Testors 1-800 number, and here’s what they said. When using the acrylic paints included with the airbrush, only a simple, particle-filtering mask is required. However, when using Testors Enamels, which are solvent-based, a two-stage device is required to filter both the particles and the solvent.
Dog…
You would still be better off with a respirator with a rubber seal. Dust masks are very difficult to fit properly because the paper/cloth mask does not flex well.
http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=1&p=31235&cat=1,42207
Andrew
We have enough problem growing the hobby, without someone keeling over from participation in it. We would miss you too much. Wait for a break in the weather and paint up wind from the model and or get the proper protection ! There is enough respiratory damage just from our enviornment!
Will
I give up. What’s the peanut can for?
(Like to snack while painting?} [:-^]
The peanut can is used as a coupling for the vent duct, once the bottom is cut out as well. The outside diameter of the can was the correct size (4 inches) for the dryer duct. I roll the booth over in front of the dryer, disconnect the duct from the vent saver (a device for redirecting the warm, humid air inside the house during the winter), and connect it to the vent fan using the peanut can as a coupling. A quick and dirty “vent to the outside” connection. It’s from back in the old days when the cans were made of metal instead of foil covered cardboard.
i would set up my operation in the garage as far from the lamborghini as i could get. that way when you spill the paint, you’ll be in less trouble.
my actual spraying is done in less than 5 minutes; so i don’t use a moonsuit or seperate air supply (never felt the need). for extensive paint sessions, i may doublecheck that i do have some form of ventilation.
technology has advanced waterbased paints to the point that they comprise 90% of my painting. use common sense and moderation where appropriate.
-rick