While working on my current project (still many weeks away before completion), I realized I needed another method of spray painting. The part(s) in front of the old hanging sheet was not working too well. I had 42 parts to begin with, and lots more coming. After the first session, the workroom was of course covered by a nice fine layer of white dust from the primer. This could not go on. I did not have the time or resources to construct a fully operational paint booth, so I came up with a very simple and inexpensive solution which took only one hour to build!
I have had several of these large boxes used for storage since I saved them from the cardboard bin way back in the 90's. These heavy 2-ply corrugated cardboard boxes were originally packing cartons for those bloody great graphics monitors (17" screens) which could kill you or at least give you a hernia to remember. The boxes are cubes of 24" each side. Now that I had the housing, I needed the mechanical parts.
I went to the local hardware store where I bought a cheap 20" box fan for $30.00 (these are Canadian funds by the way), a pack of three 20" x 20" fiberglass furnace filters, which were about $6.00, and a role of duct tape. I paid the lady with cash and got back some more cash with a Scotsman on it...
Returning home I folded the flaps of one end of the carton inwards, which strengthened the box and made a four ply base to attach the fan, which fit perfectly. I used some tapping screws to anchor the unit in place and applied duct tape to seal the seams.
I then placed all three furnace filters on the inside and duct taped all gaps. I left the front flaps loose so I could adjust them to suit the task. Setting up on a work table, I plugged it in and got the paint flying. Worked to perfection! The fan at high speed created a nice air flow and the excess paint went no further than the filters. I did find that on some of the heavier sessions the paint would accumulate restricting air flow. But waiting a day I used the shop vac and removed alot of the excess dried paint. No more fine dust everywhere! It is fairly lightweight and portable, and can be set up in minutes. I wish I had thought of this much sooner... Time will tell how long before it will be necessary to change the filters.
So try it yourself! A "Cheap as Chips Spray Booth!".
