Airbrush Booth?

[Stiff Neck Studio]

Well I am moving into a new home soon and will be getting my own room for a studio inside the house. I want to get some type of airbrush booth now instead of just spraying into a box and letting the particles go anywhere they want to. I don't have any access panels or anything to vent the fumes outside with and I dont want to run anything through the only window in the room becuase it will look bad from the outside of the house. I have looked on the web and found a couple that may work that you don't have to vent outside. I am just looking for some feedback from some of the more experienced guys with what has or has not worked for them.

 

[airhead]

A large cardboard box.
A small fan set to pull air out of the box
A pleated air conditioner filter. With a bit of work and a small fan, you can get all four corners to function on one filter.

This will work fine for most water based paints.
Solvent based paints require a lot more set up due to the electric motor of the fan and explosive/flammable fumes.

You can work over the box concept pretty much how you want, but you want the fan pulling a slight breeze across your spray area so that the particulates (paint) don't get everywhere. I built one where the fan was in a large easel with pegboard across the front so all the over spray was actually pulled into the easel.

 

[DaRat]

I have the Artograph 1530. After going back and forth about a cheaper option, I went with the Artograph because I figured that while the short term hit to my pocketbook would be more than a home built model (or some of the cheaper small garage manufacturers), the expense was worth avoiding a long term, more expensive hit due to health problems or carpet replacement costs due to using less effective solution.

I don't have the artograph venting outside, and the filters seem to catch everything.

The Artograph is on the noisy side though.

 

[airhead]

....the expense was worth avoiding a long term, more expensive hit due to .... carpet replacement costs due to using less effective solution...

Still had to replace the carpet due to spills. And repaint. I was trying to clear a plugged needle (Put you finger over the tip and shoot air - blows air back into the paint and - sometimes - backflushes a paint clot). However, if the paint jar is full, the air will come back into the jar and push paint out the little vent hole - sending a spattered stream of paint onto the ceiling and walls. Wife asked me if I was going to do the whole room that way?
:loser:

Light blue walls with bright purple paint streaks.....

 

[markstorch]

I can check on the model I have, but it is an Artograph as well ad I would highly recommend it as it has multiple levels of filters; coarse, fine as well as a built in charcoal filter making it one of the few that you can use indoors without venting.

If you can, I would still try to locate it somewhere you don't care too much about and make sure you get a respirator.

 

[suicidal]

built one last night out a packing case....total cost....nil
need to add lights and fan.
fan sourced from relatives extractor that they are throwing away...cost nil

sense of satisfaction at job "fairly" well done...100%

i can provide a template if any one would like it or maybe a tutorial on how to recycle/build one?

whilst its "easy" to buy one (and lets be honest they look far better!!) i'm becoming health and enviroment friendly as i get older and was passing this case and thought "what the hell" !

 

[RuneBrush]

A picture would be good

 

[devoncodain]

A photo and a tutorial would be an excellent idea. I am thinking of something for my basement so I can prime my stuff with out being able to smell it on the 1st floor.

 

[airhead]

A photo and a tutorial would be an excellent idea. I am thinking of something for my basement so I can prime my stuff with out being able to smell it on the 1st floor.

Are you using solvent based primers?

Very few airbrush booths are rated for that. Most have direct drive motors similar to computer fans or small desk fans. Solvent based paints require explosion proof motors or belt driven fans where the motors are not in the air stream.

Secondly, to avoid the smell upstairs, you'd need charcoal filters. Again adding substantially to the costs. Organic solvent vapors are not good for you in long term exposure.

Do your priming outside on the patio.

*****

I have shot oil based paints (in larger guns than an airbrush) in a bedroom. I redid my kids' bedroom sets. White primer, colored paint and a clear coat. I put a large box fan in the window and left it exhausting air to the outside. Pulling enough air under the door so that I wasn't pulling a 'vacuum' in the bedroom. I was wearing my bunny suit, face shield and respirator. Left the door closed and the fan on for a couple hours after I finished shooting. Then just left the door closed and the window open for the rest of the night.

As I would finish, the room would have a nice fine haze in it. (we were about to repaint and re floor in that room anyway). I was glad for the respirator (not a dust mask, but a respirator with NEW organic vapor cartridges. (They look fine, but go bad in about 6 months after you open them.)

When I finished, I noticed that the screen on the window and the fan blades had some interesting colors.

Smartest thing I ever did? Probably not... If I had put enough lacquer thinner in the air to set off that fan motor, life could have gotten very interesting.