Airbrushing indoors

[57xx]

On 16/04/2019 at 21:19, blueeighties said:

Hiya. Just to make you aware that that mask is innefective for enamels and solvents. You need a properly specified 2 part filter+mask.

 

What is it that tips you off about that? Reading the text on the website, it looks easy to believe that it is ok for airbrushing. Are they misleading people?

[Mick Bonwick]

40 minutes ago, 57xx said:

 

What is it that tips you off about that? Reading the text on the website, it looks easy to believe that it is ok for airbrushing. Are they misleading people?

 

Not deliberately misleading, I suspect. This filter might suffice for acrylic paint use, but it does not appear to be suitable for solvent based paints such as enamels. The clue here is in the 'low toxicity' phrase in the advertisement. Anybody buying this mask should establish whether the filter is suitable for solvent based paints.

[57xx]

Yes, I wasn't implying a deliberate deception by the site. Putting my "little knowledge is dangerous" hat on, my interpretation of the text says to me it would be ok as it says it is suitable for airbrushing but does not specifically mention paint types. To me, highly toxic paint would be something like 2 pack.

 

The actual filter cartridge states "Gas cartridge for spray painting and organic vapours, mist and fumes of low toxicity. Warning do not use in highly toxic atmospheres in confined space or where there may be a deficiency in oxygen"

 

https://www.expotools.com/acatalog/Replacement-Cartridge-AB111.html

 

As "organic vapours" are things like white spirit and enamel thinners, I would presume Ian should be fine?

Edited April 19, 2019 by 57xx

[blueeighties]

Not trying to be clever....I spray enamels for the day job so need the correct mask and extraction. I have a customer who's day job is health and safety..at the time I was using a similar filter to the Expo and he almost had kittens. Phoenix and Railmatch enamels still use lead additives which are obviously very detrimental to health over time. He specified a suitable mask and filter combination, I'll check what it is when back in the workshop.

Edited April 19, 2019 by blueeighties
Typo

[ianLMS]

Its probably too late to save me, but would definately benefit others reading this if a link to a suitable mask, and/or suitable filters for use with enamels/airbrushes would be very beneficial. I can also delete the link or edit my post above to reflect your guidance to esnure I do not misguide anyone.

 

Unfortunately for me, I had smoked for 30+ years before giving up last year (now vape a wonderful concoction of VG/PG), worked in an asbestos infested hanger, sprayed aerosols and enamels, inhaled copious amounts of various glue vapours and spent many hours filling my lungs with solder smoke way before I even thought of buying a mask!!!!

[Mick Bonwick]

3 hours ago, ianLMS said:

Its probably too late to save me, but would definately benefit others reading this if a link to a suitable mask, and/or suitable filters for use with enamels/airbrushes would be very beneficial. I can also delete the link or edit my post above to reflect your guidance to esnure I do not misguide anyone.

 

Unfortunately for me, I had smoked for 30+ years before giving up last year (now vape a wonderful concoction of VG/PG), worked in an asbestos infested hanger, sprayed aerosols and enamels, inhaled copious amounts of various glue vapours and spent many hours filling my lungs with solder smoke way before I even thought of buying a mask!!!!

 

This is the one that I use and recommend:

 

https://airbrushes.com/product_info.php?cPath=400_403_407_3&products_id=21899&osCsid=dmd1i4tqo52l024krv07lum035

 

There must be many others, and I'm sure that somebody will be along soon with their favourite.

 

[michl080]

3 hours ago, Mick Bonwick said:

There must be many others, and I'm sure that somebody will be along soon with their favourite.

 

here we go. I am using this one.

 

This one has a A2P3 filter which is quite amazing. You do not smell any solvent under the mask.

 

Michael

[Jack P]

Sorry to bump an older topic, but I thought I'd weigh in here. I used to suffer from really bad headaches and nosebleeds, which somehow I'd never attributed to the use of chemicals while modelling, but now with the proper safety equipment it's changed the way I do things, and i'm sure is only beneficial in the long run. (no sh***)

 

I airbrush exclusively indoors, and I haven't really had any issues with paint getting anywhere. I make sure to use a full respirator mask. I don't have a dedicated booth, but I do find that a hattons box opened out with a little plastic 'lazy susan' type table is sufficient for me, it stops the paint going everywhere and I can adjust my desk maps to shine directly into the box.

 

 

I've drawn a little diagram - when I'm airbrushing I close the door, set the fan over it and turn it on full force to oscillate, then, depending on how windy it is open both windows next to my desk. I've found that the 'booth' does a good job of preventing overspray, and the fan + the open windows do a great job of getting the fumes out. I employ the same tactic when doing lots of gluing. As odd as it sounds to say - I think I benefit from having such a small room to work in, there's not a particularly big space for the smell to linger in and the fan over the door stops the smell spreading to the rest of the house.

 

As for my preferred mask, I have 3, one is for if i'm doing lots of sanding and is just a pack of disposable masks for wood dust, the next I use for solvents and gluing, and that's just a simple facemask with a respirator and I use a 3M mask, similar to the one Mick posted, when painting.

 

My final comment would be that despite trying different 'styles' I haven't really found an acceptable way to use areosols inside, unless they have a relatively low pressure. I do most of the spraying with those in the garage.