Building a paint booth

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From my mistakes:
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Light, the more light the better.  When you do not have enough light then you can not see the paint lay down.  You get runs and orange peel.  Darker paint may be harder, I have only been spraying dark paint.
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HVLP guns need air.  The 1/4" quick couplers do not flow air well.  The 3/8" couplers flow twice the air.  The problem with the smaller coupler is you start out with  higher pressure and since the couplers can not flow the air you get a drop off of pressure.  You have to change your rate of movement to compensate and that is not easy to figure out when you are just starting out.  I changed over to the 3/8" couplers and the problem went away.
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Air flow helps tremendously.  You want to move the over spray out so you can see.  You also do not want the overs pray landing on the done areas.  A couple of little box fans and a small hole in your tent do not cut it.  The box fans will draw the air around the corner of the box.  You need to fill the corners and open up the tent to allow for lots of air flow.  A whole house fan and lots of holes in the tent work well.  Do not worry so much about the dust.  Most of the dust really comes from the part you are painting and you.
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More air is also a safety thing.  If you are using organic cartridges in your mask then the less vapor hanging out in the booth the better.  Organic cartridges need to be fresh.  They have a time rating on them and the charcoal fills up eventually.  The biggest exposure to bad chemicals is though the skin and through an improperly fitting mask.  A supplied air system and coverall suit is the smart thing to do.  Ya the air units are pricey, but they have a good resale value so think of it as a rental.  You can resell the unit later and make a lot of your money back. The suits are cheap and help prevent the dust that comes from your clothes.
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If your booth is attached to your house then you need to be sure your family is not exposed to the fumes.  Use the fans to create a negative pressure in the garage area.  You might be surprise at the pressures small and medium sized fans can produce.  I do not spray more than 4 oz at a time at home.  I have a roof vent fan pushing air out the cupola.  It pulls the doors closed on the house.  So now I turn the vent on with even simple spray can paint and nothing comes into the house.
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BTW, did I mention you can never have too much light?
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Revision as of 14:14, 31 August 2009

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