Spray Booths?

[Peakoverload]

As someone who has never used an airbrush before, is it necessary to use a spray booth and/or use a face mask when using them? I can understand it if you are using spray cans but I always thought an airbrush had a very narrow region of spray but have read a few people saying it's important to use them as its dangerous to breath in the fumes/particles of paint.

I don't have a dedicated room in which to build my models and so would be doing everything on our dining table - obviously ensuring it was appropriately covered but do I need to go to the trouble of building an elaborate ventilated booth or go to the expense of buying one and are face masks required or just a good idea?

 

[Jakko]

I used to spray models in the shed and didn’t bother with a spraying booth — overspray wasn’t a problem and IMHO, health risks of spraying small amounts of paint are vastly overstated (disclaimer: I’m not from the UK and therefore am not a member of the CoH&S). Last summer I decided I wanted to be able to spray in the relative comfort of my hobby room and so invested in a spray booth because overspray is a problem there, as are paint smells That is, I see a spray booth mainly as a way to protect my surroundings, rather than my health.

 

[PaulTRose]

what paints will you be spraying? enamel or acyrlics?

i do have H&S qualifications so can say its a bloody good idea to have a mask, even with acrylics

you dont need a dedicated room but i can guarentee that if you do it on dining table you will end up in the doghouse

i built a couple of spray booths over the years....not expensive at all

 

[Peakoverload]

Unfortunately using our garage isn't an option as there is no power/lighting/heating or means of getting any there. As for what paints I'll be using, in all honesty I don't know. I am completely new to this and as yet haven't got any kit or even a model to build, I'm just researching what I need to get and the costs involved. I would imagine mainly acrylics but there I expect there will be times I'll need a gloss finish, can you get gloss acrylics? The main problem I have with using a spray booth is getting the extractor hose to a window. I can probably just about make it reach but it will be a bit tight and is only a tiny window (one of those top ones in a larger window) but if it's more about preventing over spray then perhaps an extractor fan isn't that necessary. That said if airbrushing acrylics smells as bad as spray cans then it won't be long before my wife pulls the plug.

 

[Jakko]

You can always buy a longer hose. My spray booth came with a crappy aluminium foil hose that started to tear when I first put it onto the back of the booth, so I bought a plastic one intended for a tumble dryer and put that on instead.

 

[Bortig the Viking]

what paints will you be spraying? enamel or acyrlics?

i do have H&S qualifications so can say its a bloody good idea to have a mask, even with acrylics

you dont need a dedicated room but i can guarentee that if you do it on dining table you will end up in the doghouse

i built a couple of spray booths over the years....not expensive at all

Hi, would be interested how you built your spray booths, photos maybe. Thanks

 

[PaulTRose]

Hi, would be interested how you built your spray booths, photos maybe. Thanks

i think theres a thread somewhere

basically a plastic storage box, wooden framework holding a bathroom extractor fan, with a concertina tube from a tumble drier

 

[stillp]

A colleague of mine used an old cooker hood as the basis for a home-made spray booth.
Pete

 

[PaulTRose]

just dont use solvent based paint!

 

[Tim Marlow]

Paul mate, every paint type ever made has a solvent base, otherwise its called a crayon
Fully agree ref H and S by the way....if the paint solvent is flammable then you really need a spark proof motor in your booth....unless it’s a big fan and moves a lot of air, so diluting the solvent.....

 

[PaulTRose]

my point is that a water based paint is far safer than one using a flammable base

i was using my phone, hate typing log messages on the bloody thing!

 

[Tim Marlow]

I know what you meant mate, I was just being frivolous.....totally agree though....

 

[Deleted member 5496]

If you want to look after your lungs Oliver then you need protection.

Acrylics. Vallejo Air is no toxic (most of model is) but they have ground up material in them which will
penetrate into the lungs.

Actually the amount of airbrushing time for a model is not all that great. I get as many items as possible
ready for airbrushing as I can in a batch. Has other benefits not so much time spent cleaning airbrushes.

You need a mask to cover nose & mouth & be a good fit over both. Plus the filters on the mask need
a specification for paint fumes & particles.

Can you instead of a lounge use the kitchen near to a window ? No need for sitting down as the airbrush
time is not lengthy. Near to a window then you can get a vent through the window. In the lounge it will
be noisy as the compressor, depending on the type, will be starting/stopping or going all the time.

Last but most important the booth. First you need a fan, not a bathroom fan, which is not aggressive. A
fan which is fast will pull every hair in the place towards your booth & stick to the paintwork.

Size you need to have a booth which will take the scale you are most working in. I work in 1/48 &
my booth is 500mm across.

Working in a kitchen then fan duct out of the window. This is a nice kit. Probably take a couple of minutes
or more to erect & dismantle. Or leave erect if you have a space to store that way.



With all the above & that is all you need & gives protection. Make sure on the nose mask filters otherwise
it is a waste wearing the mask

Laurie

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[-Matt-]

There's an advert that appears on my screen at the bottom of that post, and it's pretty much the same as what I have

Picked it up at an auction for about £20 I think, it's not bad for what it is

 

[Deleted member 5496]

There's an advert that appears on my screen at the bottom of that post, and it's pretty much the same as what I have

Picked it up at an auction for about £20 I think, it's not bad for what it is

Matt that is a bargain they cost about £75. A nice unit.
Laurie

 

[eddiesolo]

A bit of health and safety notice first. I and another member both have COPD, yes we both smoked but a factor in that was years of painting models using rattle cans, enamels and airbrush painting. Yes we both used paper masks on occasions but it still ended up as a factor regarding health.

For rattle cans, always do it in well ventilated, preferable outside and use a mask with filter when doing it.

For airbrush, yes a booth is extremely useful not only regarding overspray but in trapping the paint and venting to the outside.

So, in short if you have a room with a window, set up near it and use a hose kit to vent outside.

You may not think it but they do make a big difference in getting rid of any paint, remember, you are sitting only inches away from the model.

 

[Deleted member 5496]

Paul mate, every paint type ever made has a solvent base, otherwise its called a crayon
Fully agree ref H and S by the way....if the paint solvent is flammable then you really need a spark proof motor in your booth....unless it’s a big fan and moves a lot of air, so diluting the solvent.....

Should not get to concerned Tim.

Acrylic paints that are water based they do not have solvent they rely on a water base.

Eddi is so right there is a lot of junk in Acrylics & it goes straight into the lungs. Just watch
the vapour from these E type cigarettes which moves in short order every where in an
expanding cloud.

Laurie

 

[Tim Marlow]

Laurie mate, in chemistry water is called the universal solvent I was just gently yanking Paul’s Chain....

 

[Deleted member 5496]

Laurie mate, in chemistry water is called the universal solvent I was just gently yanking Paul’s Chain....

Ah apologies missed your reply to Paul Tim
Laurie