Airbrushing indoors

[Julia]

I'd like to get an airbrush setup to improve the quality of my modelling. Alas I live in a tiny flat with not much space. My modelling is done on a table in the living room. I was wondering if a tabletop airbrush booth would work in such a setting, or would I still end up with a fine mist of paint coating everything in the area? If not my usual modelling table, would the bathroom be a bad choice of place to setup an airbrushing setup? 

 

Any other things I should consider here? 

 

J

[sb67]

Hi Julia, I live in a flat and I've used my airbrush in my kitchen, the light is much better there, I have a spray booth and always use that with the pipe going out of the window. I have the windows open and always use a proper respirator and cover the table and nearby area with an old sheet . Touch wood I've never noticed any paint anywhere else but, admittedly I havent used the airbrush a lot as it is a pain to set all that up only to weather a few bits of stock. 

Hope that helps.

Steve.

[Daddyman]

You won't be spraying enough paint at the required 20-25 psi to cover the surrounding area. A spray booth is totally unnecessary if you have (a) a good quality mask and (b) a good through-current to blow the fumes out once you are done. It might be an idea to vacate your flat for 20 mins or so afterwards though. 

 

Otherwise, my only advice is cover everything around, not to protect from the paint during spraying, but to protect from accidental spillages, and to protect your immediate vicinity when you are cleaning out the airbrush when, yes, you do use a higher pressure. I put a 2m x 3m plastic sheet down on the floor to protect the carpet and over neighbouring furniture, and tape newspaper to the wall in front of me. 

 

As for the bathroom, yes, why not? - your first priority is to spray in the room with the best light, second is the ability to protect surfaces. A dust-free environment is obviously important too. 

[ColinK]

Hi, I have a similar problem. At first I used one of the readily available and inexpensive spray booths with the hose out of the window. It was OK for acrylics, but not for enamels which within minutes you could smell everywhere and are not good for your health. I now have a spray booth with a much more powerful fan and filters that absorb all the smell and nasty particles (nohose). This is much better but it was fairly expensive. However, the filters are supposed to be changed every 6 months regardless of whether or not it is used, but by storing it in plastic bags the filters do last longer. If I was purchasing a spray booth again, I would get a similarversion but with a hose to avoid the filter replacement. There was a review of spray booths in Hornby Magazine a few years ago which prompted me to get my new booth. You have to remember that spraying paint without appropriate measures can damage your health, I use a mask too.

[44690]

I agree with all that's been said here. A spray booth venting to the outside is best. I always use one, even for an airbrush. More essential is a proper respirator. Paint fumes are nasty.

[Mick Bonwick]

 

 

Any other things I should consider here? 

 

 

 

The very first thing to consider is your health.

 

Airbrushes work by atomising paint, which means the particles are rather on the small side. This is a fact, and applies whatever the type of paint you are using. Without a powerful fan, a proper mask or a combination of both, to keep these particles away from your nose, you are at risk. The dust that these particles form cannot be seen to begin with, so it is not an apparent problem. Unless you are directing those dust particles out of a window or through a filter (spraybooth or proper mask) you and your furniture are at risk.

 

Other things to consider are:

 

Cost. Do you have a budget for this investment?

Space. Is there enough room for you to set things up safely?

Time. Are you prepared to spend as much time cleaning up as you do actually spraying?

Club. Is there a model club near you that can give you access to a properly protected airbrushing area?

[ianLMS]

Here is my set up - sorry for the poor quality pic.

 

The Spray-booth came from Expo tools and works well to extract the paint mist as I spray. It exhausts through a pipe which I stick out of the window. Adminttedly I use the spare bedroom but the vapours quickly work around the house if you are not careful. A mask is essential as well, but make sure it has the correct filters designed for painting.

 

As you can see from the interior of the booth, you do get a fair bit of over-spray especially if using rattle cans to prime with.

 

I usually spray rattle can primer first thing in the morning just after my wife has left for work. I have a 20 minute window before I leave which is sufficient enough. By the time she gets home, the fumes has dissipated as I leave the top small window open. When using the airbrush, the fumes arent as bad and clear quickly even using enamels. Its the cleaning chemicals which I find most offensive. Not an issue if you use acrylic paints.

 

Ian

 

[Mick Bonwick]

 

 the vapours quickly work around the house if you are not careful. A mask is essential as well, but make sure it has the correct filters designed for painting.

 

As you can see from the interior of the booth, you do get a fair bit of over-spray especially if using rattle cans to prime with.

 

I usually spray rattle can primer 

 

A word or two of warning.

 

If the vapours work around the house, the spray booth isn't doing the job it is supposed to. It is supposed to remove paint particles and fumes.

 

Hobby spray booths are not designed to cope with the volume of paint produced by aerosol cans. The filter(s) will block almost immediately.

 

I agree with your observation about a mask. It is essential when using the type of spray booth that you illustrate.

[ianLMS]

Paint smell in house = upset wife = go to the cold shed and do it!!!!

 

I prefer to paint in the nice warm comfort of my spare room and not outside in the cold so I will change the filter in the booth asap!!!

[PaulCheffus]

Paint smell in house = upset wife = go to the cold shed and do it!!!!

Hi

 

The criteria for me to spray paint in the house was no paint smell. I bought one of these 

https://www.graphicair.co.uk/product/benchvent-bv300s-d-airbrush-spray-booth/

 

Not cheap but I can spray enamel paint and there is no smell of paint / thinners in the house during or afterwards. I've not tried it with aerosol cans though.

 

Cheers

 

Paul

[Julia]

Hi

 

The criteria for me to spray paint in the house was no paint smell. I bought one of these 

https://www.graphicair.co.uk/product/benchvent-bv300s-d-airbrush-spray-booth/

 

Not cheap but I can spray enamel paint and there is no smell of paint / thinners in the house during or afterwards. I've not tried it with aerosol cans though.

 

Cheers

 

Paul

 

 

Not cheap, but if that's what I need, I'm not adverse to the idea of paying for good tools. Shall see if I can get it from somewhere a bit close to the Netherlands tho.

 

Paint smell in house = upset wife = go to the cold shed and do it!!!!

 

I prefer to paint in the nice warm comfort of my spare room and not outside in the cold so I will change the filter in the booth asap!!!

 

I have no wife to upset with the smell. My flat isn't big enough for me to have a partner living here, and I currently don't have a gf to worry about. 

 

When I posted this thread, I was initially worried about spray getting on everything, I hadn't even thought to worry about any issues with smell. I live alone so, no SAF to worry about, but would like to not poison myself. I wonder how easy it would be to install an external vent... 

 

J

Edited January 15, 2019 by Julia

[tractor_37260]

Hi

 

The criteria for me to spray paint in the house was no paint smell. I bought one of these 

https://www.graphicair.co.uk/product/benchvent-bv300s-d-airbrush-spray-booth/

 

Not cheap but I can spray enamel paint and there is no smell of paint / thinners in the house during or afterwards. I've not tried it with aerosol cans though.

 

Cheers

 

Paul

 

That's the one I also invested in - not cheap but works very well  indeed - what price your health ! 

[PaulCheffus]

Not cheap, but if that's what I need, I'm not adverse to the idea of paying for good tools. Shall see if I can get it from somewhere a bit close to the Netherlands tho.

 

 

I have no wife to upset with the smell. My flat isn't big enough for me to have a partner living here, and I currently don't have a gf to worry about. 

 

When I posted this thread, I was initially worried about spray getting on everything, I hadn't even thought to worry about any issues with smell. I live alone so, no SAF to worry about, but would like to not poison myself. I wonder how easy it would be to install an external vent... 

 

J

Hi

 

I used a tumble dryer vent kit for mine and made a plasticard end cap for when the spray booth is not connected. The hardest part was getting the hole drilled though the wall. Luckily my Father in Law is a retired gas service engineer and still had a suitable core drill.

 

Cheers

 

Paul

[ColinK]

I have a similar extractor to the one Paul has, except mine has an extra filter instead of the extractor hose.

 

I only spray when I have the house to myself!

 

Another worry is spilling paint or spraying on the walls etc by accident. I find the main risk is not when actually painting, but when you put the airbrush down or are starting to clean it - switching the compressor off helps.

[PaulCheffus]

Another worry is spilling paint or spraying on the walls etc by accident. I find the main risk is not when actually painting, but when you put the airbrush down or are starting to clean it - switching the compressor off helps.

Hi

 

I use one of these to hold the airbrush during painting

https://www.amazon.com/Master-Airbrush-Cleaning-Holder-Palette/dp/B001BXMYT0

 

Cheers

 

Paul

[Ian Morgan]

Any suggestions on the best face masks to get?

[ianLMS]

On 15/01/2019 at 22:49, Ian Morgan said:

Any suggestions on the best face masks to get?

 

This is the one I have with a couple of spare filters;

 

EDIT: I have removed the link as subsequent posts have highlighted that the mask i purchased from Espo tools may not have the correct filters or be a suitable mask for use with enamel/solvent based paints! 

 

Screwfix / Arco and other manufacturers might sell better ones but I find this one is comfortable, forms a good seal around my nose/mouth and I havent experienced any problems with it.

 

Another safety item I use all the time are disposable gloves. Box of 200 powder free ones off Ebay costs around £7 and should last a good while (probably cheaper ones available). Not only protects your hands, but everything else you touch during & after painting and saves scrubbing your hands/picking paint off for hours afterwards! 

Edited April 24, 2019 by ianLMS
safety concerns

[Guy Rixon]

Concerning overspray: it's a big problem with aerosol cans but only a small problem with airbrushes at low pressure. For the cans, I use a cardboard box on its side, open towards me, to catch the spray. For the airbrush, a sheet of a3 paper catches the overspray while painting. However, when cleaning the brush, where I pass more liquid through it, I use the box to catch the spray.

 

A mask is essential, as discussed above. Just be careful that your chosen mask has vapour filters rather than dust filters. Some cheap masks are only for dust protection and some better ones can be fitted with both kinds of filter.

 

As noted above, spillage is more of a problem than overspray. One needs a wide, clear space to avoid knocking over paint jars and such. One also needs a loo roll for wiping up minor spills and dribbles, and a container (old jar or similar) where waste paint can be tipped out when it's time to empty and clean the brush. Note that when the airbrush clogs (because the paint mix is wrong) it cannot be emptied by spraying away the waste paint, so you have to tip out the waste. It's essential to have some kind of stand or rest to hold the  airbrush, otherwise it tips over and spills paint everywhere.

 

PS: airbrushing in high humidity is iffy, I find. Therefore, the bathroom may not be very suitable.

 

PPS: save the plastic caps off milk bottles. They are good for mixing small amounts of paint and they don't tip over easily.

Edited January 16, 2019 by Guy Rixon

[Ian Morgan]

However, when cleaning the brush, where I pass more liquid through it, I use the box to catch the spray.

For airbrush cleaning, I have a jar like this that catches all the spray in water and a filter.

[Guy Rixon]

For airbrush cleaning, I have a jar like this that catches all the spray in water and a filter.

 

Perfect. I've just bought one.

[DavidB-AU]

Years ago I made an indoor spray booth out of an old TV with a pipe that went out the window. Make sure than fan has an induction (brushless) motor if you intend to use solvents.

 

Cheers

David

[michl080]

 

> The criteria for me to spray paint in the house was no paint smell.

> I bought one of these 

> https://www.graphicair.co.uk/product/benchvent-bv300s-d-airbrush-spray-booth/

 

looks good. I got one of

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Expo-Werkzeuge-Tragbare-Spray-Booth-Absauganlage-Ersatzteil/332955934130?epid=5012666386&hash=item4d85b85db2:g:yoUAAOSwmuVaUMva:rk:50:pf:0

 

these. They are quite cheap in comparison and I am happy with the performance. It works well with my smaller airbrush, but it is overcome by my 0,3mm airbrush with 3 bar pressure.

 

Michael

Edited January 16, 2019 by michl080

[Julia]

 

Thanks everyone for your helpful replies. I contacted graphicair about their Benchvent units, and venting options they recommended a recirculating unit (I'm in a flat with limited options to vent outside). 

 

Now just waiting for payday. 

 

J

[Mick Bonwick]

Good decision! 

[blueeighties]

On 16/01/2019 at 09:26, ianLMS said:

 

This is the one I have with a couple of spare filters;

 

https://www.expotools.com/acatalog/Face-Mask-with-Replaceable-Cartridge-Filter-AB110.html

 

Screwfix / Arco and other manufacturers might sell better ones but I find this one is comfortable, forms a good seal around my nose/mouth and I havent experienced any problems with it.

 

Another safety item I use all the time are disposable gloves. Box of 200 powder free ones off Ebay costs around £7 and should last a good while (probably cheaper ones available). Not only protects your hands, but everything else you touch during & after painting and saves scrubbing your hands/picking paint off for hours afterwards! 

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