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Spray Booth w/ Lacquer Thinner


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Hi everybody, in need of a bit of insight:

 

Does anyone use a cheapie Master-brand (or comparable) spray booth (w/ inline fan) with Tamiya Surface Primer/Lacquer Thinner? I picked one up (model B420DCK) to help vent my reworked workbench area, and I'd like to avoid burning my eyebrows off...

 

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I'm going to try using decanted Tamiya primer and their lacquer thinner with Tamiya acrylics (so far I've not been priming and using X-20A). I plan to use the booth vented out a window, and I'll open up two other windows in my modeling room while spraying to supply more fresh air. I'm thinking this should decrease the risk of lighting my head on fire from the fumes, but I figured I'd crowdsource opinions from anyone who has a similar setup. Thoughts?

 

Thanks, all

 

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While I have no primary info, I'd be shocked if those fans were safe for solvent-based paints and thinners.

 

I once researched explosion proof fans to build a proper spray booth--they were beaucoup expensive...

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I think this whole spark proof fan thing is highly overrated.

A while back I actually loaded my air brush with lacquer thinner, held my mini butane torch  in front of the air brush at about 18 inches and started spraying. The only thing that happened is a eventually blew the torch out. I suspect the amount of spraying you would need to do in a very small space would gas you long before it blew up.

Spray cans put out a lot more paint than our modeling air brushes, but I doubt if explosion is as much of an issue as the exposure to all those fumes. I think even just an ordinary fan placed near an open window is better than nothing.

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Unless you plan to use candle lights to light your spray booth or smoke a big cigar while spraying, you can pretty much just ignore all the horror stories about exploding booths. I tested it a while back on my ol' booth with an old kitchen hood fan installed: Loaded the AB with pure cellulose thinners and opened the nozzle up wide. I emptied a full cup of CT directly into the fan in no time and nothing happened.

You’ll have a bigger chance winning the national lottery than light your beard on fire.

 

HTH

 

Bjarne

Edited by Phantom726
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Thanks for the responses, guys; I imagined it wouldn't be an issue unless under very extreme circumstances, so I'll take the precautions and give it a go. 

 

The explosion-proof fans are far too rich for my blood right now, but hopefully when the missus and I move on from our current house, I can build up a custom booth. Would be useful for a lot of things not model-related, as well.

 

Cheers, fellas

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Yessir,   I built my own spray booth.  I mounted a "squirrel cage" fan to the top and vent everything outside through flexible dryer vent.  I have sprayed lacquer, enamel, alcohol, etc. and have never had any issues.  You obviously read the instructions and info about the spray booth.  For liability reasons, they would have put down any

info, including warnings about what can and can't be sprayed through their machine.  Have fun.

 

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Explosion-proof vans were a big deal back when electric motors had brushes. Any new brushless bathroom exhaust fan motor  is basically safe, and fairly cheap as well. I spray enamel thinner, lacquer thinner, turpentine, alcohol and other stuff through mine, for the last 30 years.

 

Ed

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My only exciting experience with lacquer thinner occurred when I was about 14.  I'd been cleaning grease from something with it, and when I finished that job, I tossed the rags in the trash burner we had in the kitchen at that time.  A few minutes later, without thinking, I lit the trash burner.  KA-BOOM!  The lids on top of it rose three feet, hesitated there for a while, then crashed down. I still had my eye lashes, and my folks were gone, so no problem, but it was the last time I pulled that stunt.  Lesson learned: Under the right conditions, lacquer thinner will ignite explode with great force.  And yet, I use Tamiya rattle can primers in my bathroom with the fan on, wearing a good mask, for small jobs, with no bad effects, but don't do this unless you have a sympathetic wife.

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