Lighting a spraybooth

Dave Black

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Central PA
I made a 8'x8' spraybooth and just got it painted white. I have 4 2-bulb 4' fluorescent fixtures that I am going to install behind sealed plastic to keep the fumes out. Where is the best location to put the lights? Is it beneficial to have more light coming from the opposite side of the piece being sprayed?
 
I got around to getting more of the booth done, Its mostly done, I have to fit a filter to the exhaust blower, fresh air inlet filters, and seal around the doors. I designed the doors so that when opened there is full access, this also lets me open the doors and hang plastic if I need to spray something large. The doors also swing in completely so I can leave them that way when not in use and easily roll stuff in and out to keep it outta the way.
 

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Great booth I probably know the answer but will ask anyway: you did instal all explosion prof electrical system, lighting and fan ? There have been way to many house fires from set up like your where the system failed.
 
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Great booth I probably know the answer but will ask anyway: you did instal all explosion prof electrical system, lighting and fan ? There have been way to many house fires from set up like your where the system failed.

The fan is a furnace blower, The motor is not in the path of the exhaust so that should not be an issue. The lights are not explosion proof, I am going to enclose them behind a lens so that fumes can get to them. Other than that there is no electrical in there. I also would like to start to switch over to water borne lacquers and finishes, from what I understand there are not many flammable vapors so that also reduces the risk.
 
One thing to think about is cleaning the lighting covers. They will get over spray on them and begin to get hazy.
So how dose the blower work if not in the path of the exhaust ? If you in any kind of township most have restrictions and most home owners policies do also against hazardous chemicals in homes. Just saying if anything were to happen you could lose everything.
Be careful and go the extra distance to ensure proper equipment.
 
One thing to think about is cleaning the lighting covers. They will get over spray on them and begin to get hazy.
So how dose the blower work if not in the path of the exhaust ? If you in any kind of township most have restrictions and most home owners policies do also against hazardous chemicals in homes. Just saying if anything were to happen you could lose everything.
Be careful and go the extra distance to ensure proper equipment.

The blower normally pulls air from both sides, the motor is on just 1 side. I attached the blower so only the non motor side is pulling air out of the spray booth, the motor side pulls in fresh air, so the motor has fresh air being pulled over it. Am I correct in thinking that water borne finishes would not be an explosion hazard?
 
You would be OK with water born finishes.

I was planing to switch to water borne since I moved the shop into the basement in the spring, I haven't finished anything since I moved the shop except the tv stand thats in the pics. What is a good water borne lacquer, in my limited experience I just used minwax lacquer.
 
You may want to switch to M.L. Cambles water born. I like to stay consistent to avoid cross contamination. Cambles is a higher quality product and the finishes will relate that on the end product.
 
You may want to switch to M.L. Cambles water born. I like to stay consistent to avoid cross contamination. Cambles is a higher quality product and the finishes will relate that on the end product.

How would the MLC stuff work with buffing to a high gloss, most of the clear finishes I do are for drums I make and for some guitars. Would there be issues with witness lines when wet sanding?
 
David I have only buffed out water born once and did not have a problem. But the best thing I can tell is to do a sample and see how it reacts for ya. As I said it the best Lacquer out there and should preform to your expectations or better.
 
Waterbase finishes are not the hazard that solvent based finishes present. In these discussions there seems to be the use of the word "lacquer" as relating to waterborne finishes. "Lacquer" is an acetone based chemical, and the waterborne's are...water. Two different chemicals. Manufacturers can call the product anything they please to sell it.

Of all the waterbase brands I've tried, I haven't noticed an appreciable difference. To do any form of "rubbing out" which would include wet sanding and then compounding to a high gloss, thin applications applied to a sufficient build will afford wet sanding. Applications may be "touch dry" in 15 to 20 minutes, but it takes longer than that to cure. Could be a few days to a week, depending on the product, and the environment.

As for lighting, I prefer to have bunches of light coming from different directions...top down, and front and sides. It's imperative to watch for the "wet" passes, to know when to get off, or how much has been applied. I also try to spray pieces that are vertical. The finish comes out much better, and keeps media from "pooling/puddling".


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Mike I am no waterborne user by any means. SO I can learn from your knowledge of the product. Their is no call for waterborne on the furniture I restore but for kitchen I could use it, don't like to but in homes it a must.
 
""Dave Hawksford David I have only buffed out water born once and did not have a problem. But the best thing I can tell is to do a sample and see how it reacts for ya. As I said it the best Lacquer out there and should preform to your expectations or better.""


I'll have to see where I can find some to try, I'm assuming the post cat would be superior to the pre cat, except the pre cat would be more user friendly.

""In these discussions there seems to be the use of the word "lacquer" as relating to waterborne finishes. "Lacquer" is an acetone based chemical, and the waterborne's are...water. Two different chemicals. Manufacturers can call the product anything they please to sell it.""

I don't know that much about finishes but I did know that water borne stuff is not really lacquer, i was referring to the water borne equivilant of lacquer. I suppose that I shoud learn more about this stuff, espesially the types of clears and what they are good for( polyurethanes, polyvinyls, Polyester, acrylic urethane). Are there any books i should look into for this type of info as well as application info?
 
Dave Black

Take a look at this site.

http://www.generalfinishes.com/

On the recommendation of Rich and Mike here i have started to use the Enduro product. Lee Valley stocks it in quart size cans.

The one thing i think is a no brainer about this product is the absecence of VOC's. Its so dramatically different i could not believe it.

I mean PVA paint is water based, yet smells like crazy. But this stuff was to my nose oderlous. Thats not to say their aint any VOCs but chalk and cheese to the lacquer stuff.

Having said that i am less than rookie so take my advice for what its worth read at General all about it. They seem to be a credible supplier and whats more i would let my customers know the finish is "green" in that its new tech and more environmentally friendly.;) You can add that as a selling point. There are people out there that feel strongly about supporting this kind of issue.
 
Dave Black
i would let my customers know the finish is "green" in that its new tech and more environmentally friendly.;) You can add that as a selling point. There are people out there that feel strongly about supporting this kind of issue.

Thats a good point, of course there are people that are very traditional when it comes to instrument finishes and think that nitro lacquer is the ONLY finish. Thanks for the link too, I'll check it out.
 
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