I'm looking for an effective paint spray booth for models

[andymctractor]

Sometime ago I purchased a portable fold up paint spray booth from a tool retailer at a model railway show. It works in so much as the fan sucks air through the filter. The unit is connected through the wall of my shed via a 100mm vent tube. The problem is that the suction is nowhere near enough to work effectively except for very light work.
It has sat in my shed unused for some time now. I have to wait for a windless not too cold day to do my spraying in a cardboard box outside.
I'm looking to replace it with a unit that works so that I can carry out normal model spraying within my shed. I always wear approved face masks but I do need the spray booth to do the majority of the work protecting me and the other contents of my shed.
Use of the spray booth would be fairly infrequent but I would like to be able to trust it to do the job when it is used. It doesn't need to be portable.

Does anyone have experience of an effective paint spray booth available in the UK?

Apologies if this question has been asked before.

Regards
Andy McMahon

[ge_rik]

Hi Andy
I use one of those folding spray booths, I assume it's the same or similar to yours. I've not experienced too many problems with mine, though sometimes I find it's a bit too small for some of my larger projects. It is possible to clip two (or more) of my sort of booth together, side by side which would double its capacity and presumably also double the power. Might that be a solution?

Also, I find I have to clean the filter every so often. The first very coarse filter gets quite clogged after a few spray sessions. It's a horrible job cleaning it (definitely need the face mask) but I find it does make a difference.

Rik

[andymctractor]

Thanks for the reply Rik.
I have changed the filter for a new one but even with no filter on the amount of suction is very limited.
It is alway possible that I'm expecting too much from a hobby machine.
The advice that if you can smell it then it is getting into your lungs spooks me a bit especially when I hear my neighbour hacking his damaged lungs if he does a bit of work in the garden.
Also I do sometimes use spray cans which deliver larger quantities of paint and more potential for harm.

[ge_rik]

Thanks for the reply Rik.
I have changed the filter for a new one but even with no filter on the amount of suction is very limited.
It is alway possible that I'm expecting too much from a hobby machine.
The advice that if you can smell it then it is getting into your lungs spooks me a bit especially when I hear my neighbour hacking his damaged lungs if he does a bit of work in the garden.
Also I do sometimes use spray cans which deliver larger quantities of paint and more potential for harm.

I use a mask when I'm spraying and can't smell a thing. Mind you, it is quite an expensive mask which is the same as professional car sprayers use. I did used to use those cheapo disposable masks which I think are little more than a token gesture.

Rik
PS - Yes , I use rattle cans too.
PPS - I do notice the difference between spraying without the fan switched on and spraying with it switched on. However, I'm assuming the booth extracts the droplets of paint rather than all the fumes as well. I do have to leave the doors and windows open in my workshop (well conservatory) after spraying to get rid of the smell.

[Big Jim]

This is a problem that you get when using a spray booth, you need a decent amount of air movement to remove the vapour, but not so much that you end up spraying in a draught. What I have done in the past is use a small desk fan behind me to help push the over spray into the spray booth to be removed by the extractor fan.
Filters can clog really quickly, worse when using a rattle can rather than an airbrush.


Use of a decent mask is a must. Paper dusts masks are okay for sanding but not paint. I was quite alarmed a few years ago when spraying some coaches, I was smoking while doing it and when I stubbed the fag out, I noticed that the filter tip was tinted green, rather than the normal nicotine orange.

[andymctractor]

Thanks Big Jim and Rik,
I've picked up on what you've said.
I do use a good quality face mask and I have a large desk fan that I can utilize so I think I will try again.

Thanks again for replying.

[FWLR]

This is my Spray Paint Booth made from left over 5 ply board I used for re-enforcing the floor of the shed. I have used a Bathroom extractor fan with an expandable hose. Total cost..£18. It is ok for painting wagons and small coach’s, bear in mind, I made this for painting my N Gauge stuff, so if I need to paint bigger stuff, it wouldn’t take me long to do another one... although i have painted some 32mm wagons and a couple of coaches in it easy enough, so if i did get something larger i would try it first. :thumb right:

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[andymctractor]

This looks very good and convenient to use. My fear with self build is whether any fan and motor I use are spark free or likely to be safe with a mist of potentially combustable paint spray being sucked through it.
It certainly looks as though the exhaust fan is very much more effective than my present one.

Thanks

[FWLR]

This fan has the motor enclosed because it is for use in a bathroom.

[andymctractor]

This fan has the motor enclosed because it is for use in a bathroom.

Good point.