Need To Build A Spray Booth.

[CGHbuilder86]

Can anyone here give me some info or point me in the direction of a web site that explains how to build a spray booth that is suitable for spraying guitars. My shop is not really set up where I can cut a big hole in the wall for a fan. I am planning on boxing of a corner of my shop just big enough for me to fit inside of with a few guitars. My plan for ducting to the outside air is to mount some type of vent, like a dryer vent into a piece of 3/4" plywood to set in the window. But when it comes to setting up the fan and filters I’m lost. Any info is greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[DannoG]

First thing (and maybe last as well) - fumes can be explosive. Laquer is very much so. don't just use any fan. Explosion-proof fans and lights are expensive, but so is blowing up your garage. Other potential problems could be local laws prohibiting spraying certain substances and the need for a good respirator - not just a dust mask.

Now that I've rained on your parade, I too am hoping to do something like this at some point and am not sure how to do it cheaply, easily and safely. If I can do it with one of the first two plus safely, I'll let you know.

[soapbarstrat]

I'd like one that has a clear plastic front, with two holes with rubber gloves attached to, so you can have your gloved hands in the booth to operate the gun and move the object. It would be totally sealed, so you wouldn't breathe any paint. I know it's probably too hard to do. Solid colors would quickly make the clear front too hard to see through.

Not only that, but I only have 2 bodies that I'd want to paint.

Thought of it while remembering when I used a sandblaster cabinet.

Somewhere I saw a "knock-down spray booth". I don't know if it was on the net, or in a mag or book I have. When you're done using it, it folds up and is out of your way.

[CGHbuilder86]

I wouldn’t mind spending some money on explosion proof stuff as long as I had an efficient spray booth, without having to mount some kind of fan in my wall.

What about spraying waterborne finish like KTM-9 that LMI sells (if you don’t know what I’m talking about check it out here) http://www.lmii.com/ It says on there front page “no ventilation booth” I’m not exactly sure what they mean by that though. I was thinking maybe I could buy a nice ceiling mount air filter to remove the spray mist, and spray the KTM-9 without any ventilation booth. Does this sound crazy?

[PerryL]

The New Wood Finishing Book By Michael Dresdner is the place to go.

It shows a simple window booth and Collapsible garage booth.

[Paul Marossy]

If it were me, I would do an exhaust fan in the room, exhausting at the air at a minimum of a 5 minute air change. For a room 6'x6', a 70-100 CFM fan would do the trick. You can undercut the door to make sure that you are actually pulling new air into the room. As noted, you definitely would want an explosion proof fan motor. The fan could be remotely mounted, too.

[Hotrock]

How I'd do it (not that I ever have BTW):

I'd use two fans (preferably explosion proof but on the initial thinking, only one would need to be).

Mount both fans outside of the booth, just to make it that bit safer. One fan will be the inlet and one will be the outlet. The fans that I'm thinking of can be bought from hydroponic shops. The inlet fan should have an activated charcol filter and a filter sleave on it (there's not much point sucking dusty air into a spray booth). Preferably this should suck air from outside, but it could do it from the shop if needed. Ducting should go into the booth from the fan.

The other fan should have ducting from the booth to it (this should be the explosion proof one). This is the exhaust fan and should suck out slightly less air than the amount of air that is being pumped in to the booth. This would create positive pressure inside the booth. Air will be escaping from the nooks and crannies, so dust will not be sucked into them. This should be ducted to the outside (by means of a filter if you want).

Hope that helps somewhere along the way

Kaj

[Mickguard]

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[Paul Marossy]

That's a good point - positive pressure inside the booth would be a good idea. I don't think the charcoal filter will do much to help with the smell, though. It's not really suited for that application. It would be better to just move more air to increase the air changes in the booth.

[Hotrock]

I don't think the charcoal filter will do much to help with the smell, though.

I was thinking more about sucking dust into the booth.

And you'd be suprised about how much an exit filter reduces the smell. Honest to god, I was suprised about how much better it was with the exhaust filter. Obviously, you should check if activated carbon is OK for paint. And finally - handy hint number one - If you get he fiter recharged by the filter people it cost's quiet a bit but if you buy a couple of boxes of activated carbon for the filetrs in fish tanks it's WAY cheaper. It does generaly mean that your fiter will need duct taping back together.

[Paul Marossy]

Obviously, you should check if activated carbon is OK for paint

Well, my point is that usually charcoal filters work well with smoke and odors from bathrooms and kitchens and that sort of thing. I think in the case of a spray booth, removal/dilution of the airborne particles of paint/lacquer/whatever is what has to be done. At least if I had to draw up plans and put my stamp on it, that's the approach I would take.

If you can get a copy of the Uniform Building Code or International Building Code, there should be a section in there about what's required for that kind of occupancy. It's probably something like 3-4 CFM ventilation per sq. ft. of floor space. The code is usually kinda conservative, but not excessively so...

[Hotrock]

Or steel a fume cupboard from a school

[Executioner606]

Or steel a fume cupboard from a school

My school actually has a spray booth in the basement artrooms complete with fans and everything. Too bad they only use it for glazing ceramics. I should bring in my spraygun and let loose.

[Paul Marossy]

Or steel a fume cupboard from a school

Actually, this is a perfect application for a fume hood! Of course, the average joe can't afford that kind of system...

[sirkentesquire]

[Devon Headen]

I just spray inside the shop with no lights on, and a mask like the one StewMac sells. Is there anything wrong with this? Am I still breathing fumes or anything? I always thought this was perfectly suitable. Sometimes I spray outside, too, but not this this time of year too much breeze and stuff in the air.

[Hotrock]

Bringing in some resorces learnt in a previous job, there is a chance that if you have a fan and force the air over some corona tubes you can create an ionised blanket of air the neutralises a lot of nasties.

Anyway, it might work, might not, but t's always an option to explore. BTW, I would use this in conjunction with the spray booth and not instead of.

[RGGR]

Try to make friends with you local auto repair shop.....there must be hours they're not using their booth. Clean up when you're done and leave couple of cool brewki's for the guys.

[VanKirk]

Try to make friends with you local auto repair shop.....there must be hours they're not using their booth. Clean up when you're done and leave couple of cool brewki's for the guys.

Ahhh, Behold the power of BEER!

I've gotten access to a lot of equipment that I wouldn't have otherwise just by BS'n with the shop owners and bringing beer...or donuts for the non-alcoholics, hehe.

[GuitarGuy]

I've been thinking of building a booth myself. My thought is to make one from a baby barn. Its not too expensive and all you have to add is the fan system. Also they sit on joists that have gaps. This would be excellent for creating a downdraft booth. (just like automotive ones) That will keep overspray to a minimum.

You could even add a space heater that could aide in curing (with urathanes)

[LGM Guitars]

KABOOM

[GuitarGuy]

KABOOM

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kaboom?

hmm, if your referring to urathanes being flamable then you dont know what you're talking about.

You dont bake a finsh untill you STOP SPRAYING! Making sure to remove the heater prior to painting and as long as its venting properly then you have a pretty good booth.

Im a 3rd generation autobody man. Since about 1948 we have had the same motor in our old garage that has been an exaust vent for everything from lacquers to Uros it is made from an old blower motor. The only thing protecting it from fumes is a cone shaped shrowd covering the end.

The thing to think about when building a booth is CFM. You want a ton of air moving in and out and properly filtered. Look up on the net and see how may boot explosions you can find.... prob about 5 give or take. And pretty much every one is atributed to a negleted filter slowing air flow.

I've be painting cars in a real booth for 5+ yrs, I just don't have much access to one since my old man retired from autobody.

Edited April 2, 2005 by GuitarGuy

[GuitarGuy]

Oh yeah and in the same shop there is a wood stove 15 feet away.

Just dont let fumes build up and you're laughin.

[LGM Guitars]

The guy who can't even spell Urethane tells me I don't know what I'm talking about LOL!!!

Basically, my comment was based on the space heater, any overspray still in the booth is a risk. Also, you're talking a wooden paint booth? are you going to cover the walls inside with a sheet metal? I built my booth with 2x4 construction, but all the walls are galvanized metal, all lighting is sealed explosion proof, no switches inside the booth etc. I heat cure with sealed explosion proof UV lamps when I do heat cure.

No offense, but I really don't care how long somebody has been an autobody guy, I know some really good and some really stupid autobody guys, not saying you're the latter so don't take offense.

When I did my booth I did it to code, after talking with some autobody guys and shops about space heaters, and getting the same exact response from everyone, I opted to NOT go that way. The Urethanes aren't the big issue, it's the solvents you spray through your gun afterwards, or the solvents you use to reduce.

Looking on the net there is very few stories about booth explosions, but those are talking about a properly built and set up paint booth, not a home made job with a space heater in it.

You can build it how you want, hell, I know body guys who smoke WHILE they spray. But this board is for giving advice, and when I read a potential for disaster, I'm going to make a comment. The only reason I left a one word comment after your post was because spray booths and explosion proof systems have been discussed many times here.

Oh, as for you feeling it necessary to tell me your experience, I'll tell you mine.

I've been painting with Laquers, Urethanes, Epoxy paints etc for about 15 years now. I've painted guitars, bikes, RC airplanes, cars, and watercraft. I spray Urethanes 99.9% of the time. Every show that my bike or one of my customer bikes has been entered in the paint category has taken best paint to date.

So anyway, build it how you want, but space heaters and paint booths don't mix, even when you're not spraying.

Your mileage may vary.....

[GuitarGuy]

The guy who can't even spell Urethane tells me I don't know what I'm talking about LOL!!!

Basically, my comment was based on the space heater, any overspray still in the booth is a risk.  Also, you're talking a wooden paint booth? are you going to cover the walls inside with a sheet metal? I built my booth with 2x4 construction, but all the walls are galvanized metal, all lighting is sealed explosion proof, no switches inside the booth etc.  I heat cure with sealed explosion proof UV lamps when I do heat cure. 

No offense, but I really don't care how long somebody has been an autobody guy, I know some really good and some really stupid autobody guys, not saying you're the latter so don't take offense. 

When I did my booth I did it to code, after talking with some autobody guys and shops about space heaters, and getting the same exact response from everyone, I opted to NOT go that way.  The Urethanes aren't the big issue, it's the solvents you spray through your gun afterwards, or the solvents you use to reduce. 

Looking on the net there is very few stories about booth explosions, but those are talking about a properly built and set up paint booth, not a home made job with a space heater in it. 

You can build it how you want, hell, I know body guys who smoke WHILE they spray.  But this board is for giving advice, and when I read a potential for disaster, I'm going to make a comment.  The only reason I left a one word comment after your post was because spray booths and explosion proof systems have been discussed many times here. 

Oh, as for you feeling it necessary to tell me your experience, I'll tell you mine.

I've been painting with Laquers, Urethanes, Epoxy paints etc for about 15 years now.  I've painted guitars, bikes, RC airplanes, cars, and watercraft.  I spray Urethanes 99.9% of the time.  Every show that my bike or one of my customer bikes has been entered in the paint category has taken best paint to date. 

So anyway, build it how you want, but space heaters and paint booths don't mix, even when you're not spraying.

Your mileage may vary.....

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Spelling was never a strong point, and how does that enter into my knowledge?

You grossly over estimate the explosive power of sovents. Consider the volume of spray you are spraying, (most of it will be hitting your project) and the volume of air thats moving through the booth there is little or no potential for problems.

This is the heater I was referring to, it is the oil-filled varietySee it here

and yes the walls will be sheetmetal.

You do nice work (although it would be nice to see some real pictures in your web gallery instead of computer generated ones) however this doesn't make you a booth expert.

And another note to point out to others reading this thread, if you are at all concerned with explosions. You can add lighting by making a sealed clear section of the walls and just put a light of choice up to it. And leave out the heater of course.