Spray finishing outside

[John Nesmith]

I have long contemplated getting into spray finishing. I recently came across a great opportunity to buy a used 4-stage HVLP turbine unit at a great price, so now might be the time. However, I have no spray booth, no plans to build one, and no space to accommodate one. If I did it, I would probably use a mobile finishing table. I would spray in my driveway, and then immediately roll the whole thing into my garage. I currently do this sometimes for other finishing techniques, like oil/varnish wiping.

Am I asking for trouble? Would bugs and other debris get on the finish before I get it into the garage? I have quite a few oak trees over and around my driveway. Also, I'm in North Florida.

How far does overspray generally travel before drying? I assume it varies, but in general, for water-based finishes? My neighbor's cars are often only 150-200 feet away.

What other potential problems are there?

Thanks for the help!

[Phil Phelps]

I'd set up a tent, something to inhibit the falling of debris. I would use lacquer, real lacquer not waterborne. Lacquer overspray dries to dust rapidly. You won't be in danger of the mist drifting over and ruining cars and such. You can polish and buff lacquer. It is most forgiving.

[Prashun Patel]

I'd make a mobile 'booth'. Having sides and a top will keep bugs/debris out, and will limit wind, which will keep your finish in.

[Phil Phelps]

I'd make a mobile 'booth'. Having sides and a top will keep bugs/debris out, and will limit wind, which will keep your finish in.

Without an exhaust, he'll be in a fog.

[John Nesmith]

I was hoping to avoid building booths, or purchasing and erecting tents. If I really need to do something like that, I might stick to wiping finishes.

It's tempting though. I can get a used Graco 4900 with gun, hose, 5 tips, cleaning kit, manual and original box for $275 (or possibly less). I've been keeping my eye out for a deal on a used unit for many months. This deal is local.

[Conrad Fiore]

John,
Don't worry about overspray at 150-200 feet. Neither solvent laquer or any WB overspray would travel more than a few dozen feet at most before it became nothing more than a dry powder in the air. That powder wouldn't travel many more feet before it settled to the ground. You can certainly spray outdoors without a cover overhead. You won't have any more problems than you may have already had with your wiping a finish outdoors. It would be better if you could at least rig up a temporary awning of some sort to prevent any tree droppings on the wet work. Bugs you'll have a problem with any way you go. I even have an occassional fruit fly land in my work when I spray inside.

[Tony Bilello]

I have long contemplated getting into spray finishing.......I have no spray booth,.........If I did it, I would probably use a mobile finishing table. I would spray in my driveway......
........ Would bugs and other debris get on the finish before I get it into the garage? .............I'm in North Florida.

How far does overspray generally travel before drying?........ I assume it varies, but in general, for water-based finishes?

I dont know anything about water based finishes so I cant comment there. However, I have sprayed solvent based lacquer for many years and recently bought an HVLP set-up so I can be of help in that area. You can spray inside your garage with the door open and an exhaust fan as long as the wind is not blowing it back in. If you spray in your driveway, you wont need a spray booth as much as you would need a wind break because the lacquer is light and will blow all over if it is exposed to wind. If it is not windy, generally you should not get bugs or debris in your finish. Nitrocellulous or pre-catalyzed lacquers usually dry to a dust free state in less than 5 minutes so if no unusual exposure to trash, your finish should be just fine. The beauty of lacquer is the overspray or lack there of. Regular nitrocellulous lacquers usually turn to dust before it even hits the floor. Normally anything more than 10 feet away is very safe with a regular spray set-up (conventional rig) and with HVLP anything more than 3 or 4 feet away is very safe. I recently sprayed about a dozen large pieces of furniture with my new HVLP. I had a cheap wristwatch and didnt wear eye protection over my glasses. I was amazed that the watch crystal is as clear and clean as ever and absoltuely nothing on my eye glasses. It dont get any better than that.

Once you start spraying, you will never want to pick up a brush again.

[Howard Miller]

I made a portable spray booth with 3/4 or 1" PVC pipe and used shower curtain liners for the sides. The top and bottom square frame are glued. The vertical support pipes are removable for break-down and storage.

[Tony Bilello]

I made a portable spray booth with 3/4 or 1" PVC pipe and used shower curtain liners for the sides. .........

That 1" PVC sure does come in handy. I forgot all about that. I used it recently to support cheap Harbor Freight tarps around my stripping tray. Yes, I'm a male stripper .

[John Nesmith]

Thanks for all the feedback. Just called and left a message about the turbine unit. Hopefully, it's still available.

[Bill Arnold]

I lived in West Central Florida for several years and my only shop area was our two-car garage. My arrangement for spray finishing was a couple of old straight bedsheets (dropcloths) attached to the bottom of the garage door with clothes pins. I'd pin the two together in the middle and put a box fan between them on the floor. An AC filter over the fan helped keep it cleaner. My source of air was opening the door to the utility room. It might sound clunky but it worked!

[Larry Fox]

I spray outside when I can and conditions are right. I try and spray under an EZ-up when I can so as to not spray in direct sunlight. It also cuts down on the junk from trees.

As far as bugs go, I think you are going to have that problem whatever you do. Bugs typically cause me two types of issues. You have the bugs that crash land into your finish. These guys are always the ones with wings and long legs so they tramp around like Godzilla in your finish leaving tracks wherever they walk until they eventually expire. Then you have the giant flying beatles that fly up around the shop lights. The problem with these guys is that they bump the lights constantaly raining fine particles of dust down. It is for this reason that I try and clean all my lights off very well before spraying.

I agreee with other posters, overspray will not be a problem for cars that distance away.

[Dave Haughs]

I just made a booth out of Styrofoam insulation and a box fan (fan is not ideal for combustible finishes). When I am not using it it stores in the rafters.

The overspray dry time will depend on the finish. Most waterbased dries before it hits the ground. You really need air movement one way or the other as you don't want all that overspray settling on your work piece.

I'd say it all depends on your climate what you need. I do most of my wood working in the winter so I tend to need to stay inside where it is warm. Typically I only spray waterbased finishes and most of the others I wipe on. But a lot of that is because I love the cleanup of waterbased

[John Nesmith]

I think I am going to go with waterbased. I am leaning towards Target EM6000. Does anyone have anything else they prefer?

I was also considering an initial wipe of BLO. Can the EM6000 goe over that, after sufficient drying time? If so, how long? 5 days, maybe?

[Jim Tobias]

The EM6000 can go over the blo, but you need to make sure that it is really dry first. I would give it at least 5 days to be sure. I also wipe it down with DNA before spraying the EM6000.
Jim