How to set up a "spray booth"????

[RHOADS-N-RONSON]

Wondering if there is a tutorial on how to set up a small home spray booth. I saw a pic on the web of a guy who had this "spray booth" which was only a bit larger than the guitar. This really appealled to me. Can anyone help me out with some info, or point me in the right direction. Thanks again, as always. Jimmy K.

[Brian]

That's an interesting idea since I'm pondering a mist booth but I really don't have any idea yet how I'll go about it.

[Lex Luthier]

What if you just used a cardboard box? Like maybe cut the top and back flaps off, then reinforced it a little, then on the opening for the back, place basically a furnice filter over the opening with a standard house hold fan orientated so it sucks all the fumes out the back of the box? Maybe even utilize the bottom flaps like so, placing the filter and fan in front of a smaller opening for the back.

I think I should look into this, as I am probably killing all my mom's plants with overspray.

[fidgec94]

Thats a great idea Lex, better than what ive used in the past - nothing

I did my spraying in the garage (with the door open) and the amount of dust in there was terrible. When i'd finished i noticed that the floor was green and i thought oh crap. Turns out the overspray had attached to dust in the air and settled as a fine fine layering over everything. It was a pain to clean up!

[Hotrock]

Would the filter just be activated carbon? If so, just go to the the local fish shop and pick up a box of activated carbon for next to no money, sandwich it between 2 layers of foam and make a cage for it to sit in.

Had to make a filter for one of the more illegal projects in my mates cupboard

DISCLAIMER - I WOULDN'T TRY THIS UNLESS SOMEONE THAT KNOWS IF ACTIVATED CARBON WILL FILTER PAINT FUMES CONFIRMS IT FIRST

[MzI]

what about for the air filter cut the hole in the back of the box just big enough for the filter gettin a decent size filter tho and then place some sort of a shroud over a fan that would almost create a vacuum and the fan would suck all the fumes out jsut a thought

MzI

[mdw3332]

I built a cube out of 1 X 2s about 2 ft on each side. Stapled painter' clear vinyl over it with a flap on the front that is secures with velcro. The vinyl lets light in and it is portable. Works pretty well.

[Lex Luthier]

DISCLAIMER - I WOULDN'T TRY THIS UNLESS SOMEONE THAT KNOWS IF ACTIVATED CARBON WILL FILTER PAINT FUMES CONFIRMS IT FIRST

The cartridge filters onmy spray mask at work are activated carbon. That stuff only lasts for a month though.

[daveq]

There's lots of designs on the web. Just type in "hobby spray booth" in a search. Most of the hobby booths are intended for small projects and wouldn't fit a guitar body or neck very well but the idea is the same. The biggest issue is airflow. You'll need an explosion proof fan (or something with the fan motor out of the air stream/fumes), a way to exhaust outside, and a way to provide filtered make-up air. It would also be great to have a way to provide temperature and humidity control but that's a bit much for a hobby booth. The pre-built booths are pricy (mostly due to the cost of the fan) ~$300 and up.

What are you planning on spraying?

It seems that each time I have asked someone on this site about where they spray - no one answers! Except for the people who spray outside which doesn't really help in my case (Northeast US).

[frank falbo]

For little jobs and touchups I'll use the cardboard box. If you want to get rid of fumes that's great, you'll need ventilation. But for minimizing dust in the finish, I like stagnant air, at least until the finish has flashed. So I leave stuff in the box, and even close it part way sometimes. If you are in a garage or outside, a back or top fan will just bring particles in. Maybe spray the item, then put a clean furnace filter over the opening before you turn the fan on. That might help. If you need ventilation for the fumes, then you could hinge a "front door" that is made from a furnace filter so you can close it after you spray. Then I'd have the hole in the box be pseudo isolated from the fan. In other words, have a slot in the back of the box at the bottom. But set that up as a false back wall, with the real back wall with the hole in it behind that one, and the fan in between them.

[MzI]

for a way to remove the fumes what about an old stove hood like the ones that go above a range to get rid of smoke and such

MzI

[jammy]

Could work, but i think smoke and steam tend to rise, whereas paint tends to fall... Would get rid of some of it though.

[daveq]

I'll ask again - what are you going to spray?

If you are spraying nitro (or other explosives):

I have heard of some people getting away with using those stove hoods without explosions but I wouldn't trust it. In the reply I posted earlier, I gave some info on how to handle some of the airflow issues. If you need more info, please send me a message - I can give you info/links on exhaust fans and mini-spray booths.

Whatever you end up doing, I'd urge you to consider it carefully. It would be a shame to go through the steps of building a great guitar only to have the finish turn out lousy due to dust, improper airflow, ... No matter how great of a job you do on the construction of the guitar, if you screw up the finish, it will look horrible.

[Guest Litchfield Custom Gutars]

Get 4 refridgerator boxes, a space heaterr, and a furnace filter. Placet he space heater in thebottom. The filter goes on the top. Reinforce it as needed. Duct tape the boxes together to get the desired size. Also seal the door with ducttape.

[daveq]

Get 4 refridgerator boxes, a space heaterr, and a furnace filter. Placet he space heater in thebottom. The filter goes on the top. Reinforce it as needed. Duct tape the boxes together to get the desired size. Also seal the door with ducttape.

What are you spraying in that box?

[SprocketBoy]

This is an exellent question...i too have been thinking of a small paint booth since i live in an apt. and its pretty hard to find a place to paint without Mrs. Jones yelling that she can smell the paint fumes all in her apt. . I was thinking along the lines of something like a sandblasting booth???? of course you could modify it with a vent fan and a hose to where you could vent out the fumes out your window and make a bigger window instead of the small one...realizing the cost of doing that could be more than what your willing to pay but i would think if done right using a metal frame,pexi glass and so forth, it would give you years and years of good painting.....it would work in an apt or garage...anywhere........my 0.02

[RHOADS-N-RONSON]

Wow!, thanks for the input everybody. Yes, I will definetely check out these designs of the "hobby spray booth", and see if we can just increase the working dimensions to fit our gutiars (neck thru). I have already read that you need "explosion proof" fans and motors. Apparently spraying Nitro and using a K-Mart window fan for evacuation is a dangerious idea, as a spark from electrical charge "could" ignite the Nitro cloud.

BTW Dave, thanks for asking, we are doing a Recreation of the Randy Rhoads/ Sandoval Polka Dot Flying V. Best Wishes, and thanks again guys! I will let you know what we find that is useful and works. Jimmy K.

[daveq]

One more thing to pass along:

Explosion proof fans are preferred when using finishes like nitro but there are alternatives. No one will come right out and say this due to liability reasons but I have read that many have had success using a squirrel cage motor/fan where the motor is not mounted in the path of the airflow. These aren't cheap either but they are about half the price of an explosion proof fan. You can get them from hydroponics suppliers and indoor gardening supply sites. They are referred to as exhaust fans. I also am looking into using the motor/fan off of my dust collector unit. It seems perfect - motor mounted outside of airflow, soft start, quiet, plenty of cfm, ...

[frank falbo]

If you're spraying nitro, I think the refrigerator boxes with the space heater would work out just fine until you passed gas.

Talk about combustion!

Seroiusly I wouldn't introduce a space heater to a nitro cloud under any circumstance.

[daveq]

Seroiusly I wouldn't introduce a space heater to a nitro cloud under any circumstance

That's exactly what I was thinking. I can just see blowing up my basement, starting a fire,... If such a disaster where to happen - would homeowners insurance still pay? I'm not asking because I'm planning on trying it - definitely not - but it got me thinking of what would happen to the poor family that had their house burned down due to something like this.

[Guest Litchfield Custom Gutars]

I spay duplicolor in it. I'll test nitro when that time comes, but I need to build a new one first.

[Morben Guitars]

I also use a box of 2X2's with clear plastic stapled to the sides...however for my "fan" I bought a $35 range hood at home depot and ran a 4" tube to the outside..Those fans are "explosion proof" since they are designed to handle kitchen fumes/grease, etc. works great and even has a light for when I'm spraying!

[daveq]

Those fans are "explosion proof" since they are designed to handle kitchen fumes/grease, etc.

I really didn't think that was true. Are you sure about that? Are we talking about the same thing - explosion proof motor - hazardous area rated? I just don't want anyone thinking they are safe unless someone can verify this.

[Morben Guitars]

I'm not postitive about that...it was explained to me that they were - and I took it on that. Better to check with the company before using any fan.

[Devon Headen]

anybody got links so I can get an idea on the price of an explosion proof fan? I'd like to spray in my/my dad's shop, but it's so dusty, I'd need a booth. I was thinking about something like the sandblaster idea too...seems like a good one if you can find a way to keep the plexi clear.

Devon