New shop - spray/finish area

[Paul B. Cresti]

New shop is still progressing slowly. I have full power and am currently completing the heating system (hot water base boards, nicely located under work benches on opposite ends of the shop) I will not have a dedicated finishing room. I just do not want to give up the real estate even though the shop is 25x25. What have you done for a break down finshing area? or do you simply "air out" the shop and then finish? I am new to spraying and will be doing that also, any input/ideas alonf those lines?
Thank you,

[Stan Smith]

Hi Paul. I'm new to spraying myself and am having the same thoughts. If you check the latest issue of FWW and/or Jeff Jewitts book, "Great Wood Finishes", you will get some practical ideas for a portable spray booth.

Stan

[Robert Ducharme]

I would suggest a separate space that has filtered air in and explosion proof fans forcing air out. It all depends on what else you have in your shop. For example, if you use some finish that is explosive, do you have a hot water heater located in the same air space? How long will the finish take to dry? Could you be breathing the fumes the next several days or be prevented from using equipment that sparks (motors) during the curing time? Do you need to keep your entire shop heated during the drying time or is it already heated.

Space limitations always cause a problem but there are some alternatives for re-use of that finishing space when not actually finishing. You could make your stock racks portable (wheels) so the stock racks could be kept in that room. In fact, you could make that a drying room for when not doing finishing. To make the racks more portable, besides just wheels, you could make a small motorized puller to drag heavy racks around (ever seen a puller for small planes?)

Other uses for storage include rarely used tools, vacuums, very easily moved tools, etc. That area could also be used for keeping liquids that need the temperature maintained without heating the entire shop. Also, if part of a garage, that could be where a vehicle is stored except when finishing.

If you do not make a separate room and want to spray, surrounding an area with plastic from roof to floor and sealing it off could be a good attempt. However, I did that once and found black dust all over the place outside the plastic. Also, it got so thick (because of no venting) I could not see what I was spraying. Generally very unsatisfactory. That is why I went with a separate finishing area.

If not spraying, less of an issue except for the fumes, cure time, ...

[Jim Becker]

Paul, I do several things that make not having a dedicated finishing area less problematic:

1) I only use WB products when spraying (typically Target Coatings PSL or Fuhr acrylics)
2) I cover any machinery anywhere near the area in the north end of the shop that I spray
3) Open the doors if the weather permits it, but it's not generally an issue with the stuff I use
4) Wear a respirator
5) Run my air cleaner to capture the dried, but airborne "finish dust" that typically results from spraying

Otherwise, I don't do anything special.

[Chris Padilla]

I like to take the leaf blower and blow out the garage a few times or a couple times the night before. It'll settle so you need to do it a couple of times. Of course, I need to pull the BMW out of the driveway or it'll get coated with crap.

I then cover stuff with a tarp and then I sprtiz a little water around to keep the dust where it is and then go for it.

I, too, only use waterbourne products where I can. I use the Crystalac products from McFeely's although I am going to look into Target and Fuhr as well.

For now, I am using a lot of Velvit Oil and it is hand-rubbed so no biggie on a separate room or dust floating around everywhere!

[Kirk (KC) Constable]

We have a 'spray room' at the mesquite outfit...14 x 22 or so. We shoot lacquer exclusively. We have an inexpensive tabletop fan blowing out a window at one end, and an open window 'behind' it on the adjacent wall. There's a 12' garage door on the wall opposite the open window, which we raise an inch or two. This seems to keep the room fairly clear depending on who's spraying and how the gun is set up.

We have a wall mounted 'on or off' infrared heater in there (meaning it's not thermostatically controlled), and if it's cool enough that we need heat I make sure it's turned on before the spraying starts. The fan and lights are also turned on before, just in case.

If you're setting up a tiny, enclosed area to spray in, an explosion proof fan might be a good idea. If you're gonna clean the shop up and spray on the tablesaw like I do at home, I don't think you'll blow up if you open the doors and keep the air moving. At least I haven't yet. And I don't even clean up first anymore...I just go to the DollarTree store and get a couple flannel backed plastic tablecloths to sit on the saw.

KC