The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop poor man's paint booth or bad idea?

I just finished painting my truck (it came out ok for a beginner) & and was told after the job was done that my paint booth was not a good idea. I hung plastic sheeting around the garage to keep the dust & bugs out and the paint contained. I then used 2 box fans for ventilation. I'm now told the plastic sheeting could cause static electricity which of course wouldn't go well with a cloud of paint mist. Any thoughts on this.

Thanks

chevypickemup,
well, i suppose anythings possible but the chance of causing an explosion in that manner is pretty slim. paint is flammable but not like some people think. some would've told you that fumes going throuhg the motors in the box fans could've caused an explosion.
i've worked in steel fab shops for over twenty yrs. & most of the painters i've known smoked & that includes while they were painting! foolishly i've even done it myself. not a problem any more, i quit.
some may disagree but when my trucks ready to paint i'm planning on doing it the same way you did.
robert.

In reality, the box fans were much more dangerous, due to their ability to spark. However, if you want to use a temporary paint booth use the cloth coated painter's drop cloths and get them damp before use, that way any static is dissipated by the moisture and the overspray sticks instead of bouncing off.

What kind of paint were you using? Not all paints are dangerous around open flames, sparks, motors, and static electricty. Unfortunately, those "safe" paints usually require that you cover every part of your body and use suppled air.

HEY GUYS I dont pop up often. BUT There are no brushes in most moters used in fans any more they are induction moters, You might bet spark from the switch, but even then the vapor consentration would be to low, and then are you pulling air into the both or out, bad air over fan or clean air over fan. If you want something scary think about your fuel pump in some newer cars, [IN TANK]I have opend up a VW pump and they pump gas over the brushes and all. But no air no bang. they also use an electronic spark supresion of sorts, BUT it still looks bad, and i still think about it when im low on gas.

Its not the motors on the fans, its the blades. Box fans have plastic blades and screens, which generate quite a bit of static electricity and will spark. Paint safe fans are made completely of conductive materials, usually metal.

we used to paint in a shop with a big barrel stove going to keep things warm and plastic hanging to

I'm doing mine in my garage, just like this. I've hung plastic from the rafters. The furnace and gas hot water heater are even in there.(on the other side of the plastic). As long as you ventilate, I don't think the mist is thick enough to cause any type of explosion. My concern is the smell [censored] off my neighbors...

4onthefloor has the idea that I agree w/.
A painters drop cloth wet down works a dream. Wet the area outside and the floor also b4 painting. If you're paranoid about the explosiveness, simply ventilating is good enough but have the fans go towards the door, outside, NOT towards the booth.

Burrell, I've heard of setting up a lawn sprinkler outside your paint area (i.e. in front of your garage door)to cut down on the fumes to the neighbors. Never tried it so can't comment on the effectiveness.

I also plan on pressurizing my homemade booth by having the fans blow into the booth through filters and then exiting through a hole with another filter.

Bob

Please make sure you read the MSDS for any paint you buy. You may need a supplied air breathing set up. Your health is more important than how your truck looks.

I'd think with two box fans running, you'd have to have some super highly flamable paint to cause an explosion.