4 replies to this topic

[Alchemist]

I've updated my paint booth due to the concerns mentioned in my initial thread.
 
The other day, as I was preparing to spray a part and pulling out my paint respirator, I suddenly came to the realization that I had been using these paint respirators with activated charcoal filters for many years to protect me from the paint fumes while painting in the spray booth.
 
They work very well and I decided to employ them into my spray booth build;  so I acquired 1/2" thick activated charcoal air filters for the exhaust port of the airbrush paint booth.
 
So, I cut a piece to size:
 

 
Placed Velcro hook sides to attach the carbon air filter:
 

 
Mounted filter:
 

 
I originally hooked up a brushless motor stick vacuum to the paint booth and it worked well but I wasn't satisfied for some reason and decided to search for a "shop vacuum" style device to use.
 
I purchased this new Hyper Tough 1.5 gallon cordless shop vacuum with brushless motor (at Walmart and looks to be a newly-released item):
 

 
Nice compact size; I've placed a ruler along side the vac so you can see how small it is:
 

 
Ruler in front:
 

 
Battery and charger comes with it:
 

 
The OEM Shop Vac hose fits perfectly onto the exhaust port and has very good suction:
 

 
I also purchased a charcoal filter sheet that is 1/4" thick:
 

 
I cut a piece to fit around the paper filter to assist in trapping whatever VO's pass through as a second stage of filtration:
 

 
Shop Vac filter installed:
 

 
I really like that the Shop Vac fits inside the bin so nicely so I don''t have to find another space to store it:
 

 
You can see how well it fits inside with one lid partially closed:
 

 
The results:
 
I did a test and was pleased with how well the paint vapor was being evacuated.
 
As I sprayed a few passes I noticed that some of the paint spray bounced off the back wall and floated towards me away from the booth.
 
I shut the lids and left a slight opening and noticed that the residual vapor floating around was pulled into the booth opening as well as the vapor within the booth being evacuated quickly.
 
I waited a couple of minutes and then removed my respirator; I noticed that my work area had only a slight hint of paint fumes lingering and nothing was evident near the door entry into the house from the garage.
 
The booth seems to be working well at confining the fumes and not allowing the vapor to spread throughout the garage area.
 
This was a major improvement over previous episodes of spray painting into a box and I'm very pleased that it works for me.
 
I'll place some sort of absorbent blanket on the back wall of the spray booth to capture and prevent "bounce back" of the paint spray.
 
Puppy training absorbent pads should work!
 
I wish to thank all the brethren who took to the time to comment and express concerns in my initial thread.
 
I really appreciated all of your input which helped to me to put together something that works for me and more importantly keeping safe while using it!
 
Thank you for looking!
 
Ernie

[Brian Czeiner]

Nice little package bundle.

 

Just a thought, would placing the suction tube lower on the side and toward the back be the next revision? I would think the current location has airflow circulating off of the back wall and around the painted object. Putting it at the back would be more of a flow through direction and away from the body.

[Dave Crevie]

Putting the suction tube at the back is best. You don't want the paint mist floating around the body for too long. The paint starts to harden and won't flow out smoothly. 

[Brian Czeiner]

Having gone back and looked, I see the vent tube doesn't fit any other place. Putting it on the rear wall would prevent easy storage.

 

Perhaps a suction unit where the hose presses into instead of over? Put it inside the back wall so it won't interfere with storage yet allows a through draft of air? Something like this? Or turn it 90 degrees. The dimensions  and placement could be worked out so everything still fits inside the tote when not in use. You might even have the possibility of a full down draft booth with filter. 3d printing makes the sky the limit.

 

Didn't mean to hijack the thread. Sharing information and ideas is just my thing. I know many racers who want to paint but can't because of fumes, space or whatever.  A budget DYI collapsible paint booth like this might be an option.

 

[Mark Onofri]

Those flip top bins have a bazillion uses. I put plastic coffee cans in plastic soda trays. They fit perfect! The square squareish coffee cans fit without the tray. Finally, the 16oz trays hold spray cans but don't fit the flipper top bins.
I found out the expensive way that I should have drilled a drain hole in the cans. Had I not lost the lids ,It wouldn't have mattered.