About a year ago I purchased a used crossflow paint booth from a body shop I now work at. Since this time I have slowly been clearing some land to build a shop that will house the booth. I have several plans drawn out but can't decide which I like the best. Who on here has a booth in their personal shop @ home? Do you have any pics, comments, thoughts about how this should be done? Is it smart to put the booth inside the shop or put it in a seperate building? I guess I'm still kinda unsure how I want to do it and would like some feedback from you guys. Any help is appriciated!! Thanks! Gary
There was a tech post about a garage turned paint booth. I think the key idea was negative airflow (I.E. more fans pushing out than pulling in fresh air.) If its going to be part of a shop then your going to want to put a pretty mean ventilation system in there because as you probably know, its toxic stuff. I would like to add that Ive never used a paint setup, but Im just going off of what I have heard.
You're not setting up a "paint booth", you're setting up a "storage area." remember that if anyone official looking stops by for a visit
my last boss had one in his backyard. changed the crossflow into a full down draft. the best booth i had ever sprayed in and i went to wyotech.... but he put it by itself in another building. made it all look like a storage container/storage unit. worked out real nice.
Does it have an air makeup unit? Is it heated ? How old is it? So much of your set up is dependent on what the booth is. If it doesnt have an air make up unit and pulls its air from the inside of your building be extremely careful that you dont create a negative air pressure situation. This can cause major problems if all the doors are closed and the booth running. Larry
I would have to disagree with the negative air flow idea. The booths I have shot in were setup with positive airflow, the theory being that if there are the inevitable air leaks or when you open the walk-in door, no dust or contaminants will get sucked into the booth. At the last bodyshop I worked at, they had a Binks brand down-draft booth that that was pressurized enough that you had to push pretty hard to latch the door. (it flowed a lot of air....)
Gary, Jump over to the Garage Journal, http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/search.php?searchid=36611. I have been working on the plans for my shop and found inspiration in Roothawg's building...very nice setup with Paint booth and storage/office space above. Chad
it shouldn't really matter in a hobby shop, as long as there is no mistaking it for a business. in most areas a hobbyist can still paint on occasion without any environmental controls. if you are obviously making money at it though, THEN you better have your ass covered. the reality is though, as little as a paint booth would get used, it will really turn into a storage room! next thing you know you'll be painting in the regular shop, and putting stuff in the paint booth you DON'T want paint on!
It's not just EPA, its also fire department, and these laws change (get stronger) EVERY year. All it takes is one asshole neighbor.
Thanks for all the input. The neighbors I am not worried about. We own a 50 acre farm in the country of North Carolina so the neighbors are nowhere near close. Keep the thoughts flowing! Thanks again!!