Paint curing box for accelerating dry times

[Flyboy3394]

Hi all,

 

Looking to build a simple paint curing box in preparation for the wet/damp/humid winter months ahead. This summer, I put my freshly painted birds in a big plastic tub and sealed, with a couple silica packets in to eliminate moisture. Then I placed it out in the sun and it helped dry the enamel coats a good bit faster than usual. 

 

With winter coming, and little to no heat from the sun available, I want to mimic this, but instead using a heat producing lamp. I assume doing the exact same would work, with the lamp addition. Anything else I should consider? 

 

Thanks!

[Grey Ghost 531]

I use my wife's dehydrator sometimes. I've also heard of using parts from chicken incubators to make one.

[D Bellis]

Three things:

 1) Buy a dehumidifier for the area where you do your painting. Indispensable. Run it constantly for best results. 

 

2) Install some sort of exhaust fan in your painting area. This allows for painting in an enclosed area, which then allows the dehumidifier to operate more efficiently. Of course all of that is in addition to exhausting the paint fumes. A simple fan in a window is enough. 

 

3) Use cheap lacquer thinner for your enamels. This alone speeds drying time, usually allowing flats to be dry enough to mask over by the time you clean your airbrush. Gloss enamels still take a while to properly cure, but the lacquer thinner does speed up the process considerably for them as well. 

 

Also, putting your freshly painted models inside of sealed containers prevents the paints from off-gassing properly, thus extending drying times. 

 

HTH,

D

[MacStingy]

I retired from a Frantic life. Why is everybody so time driven? Gotta speed things up. This is a form of relaxation for me. Paint drying? Guess I'll do something else. Just my opinion. 😎

[Flyboy3394]

20 hours ago, D Bellis said:

Three things:

 1) Buy a dehumidifier for the area where you do your painting. Indispensable. Run it constantly for best results. 

 

2) Install some sort of exhaust fan in your painting area. This allows for painting in an enclosed area, which then allows the dehumidifier to operate more efficiently. Of course all of that is in addition to exhausting the paint fumes. A simple fan in a window is enough. 

 

3) Use cheap lacquer thinner for your enamels. This alone speeds drying time, usually allowing flats to be dry enough to mask over by the time you clean your airbrush. Gloss enamels still take a while to properly cure, but the lacquer thinner does speed up the process considerably for them as well. 

 

Also, putting your freshly painted models inside of sealed containers prevents the paints from off-gassing properly, thus extending drying times. 

 

HTH,

D

 

Really all i am concerned about is making sure that while the paint is drying, it doesn't pick up any airborne debris or dust. Once its at least dry enough to repel that sort of stuff, I will air dry. Otherwise, I am fine air drying, but as I paint in my garage, there can be a lot of airborne dust and debris. I do have an airbooth with an exhauist fan that goes outside, but I am still painting in a dirty area overall, and one that is humid in the winter. 

[Flyboy3394]

5 minutes ago, MacStingy said:

I retired from a Frantic life. Why is everybody so time driven? Gotta speed things up. This is a form of relaxation for me. Paint drying? Guess I'll do something else. Just my opinion. 😎

Only concerned about the model drying enough to not absorb dirt and airborne dust. After that I will let it do its thing. 

[D Bellis]

On 9/25/2017 at 1:41 PM, Flyboy3394 said:

Anything else I should consider? 

You did ask. 

 

On 9/28/2017 at 12:34 PM, Flyboy3394 said:

...but as I paint in my garage, there can be a lot of airborne dust and debris.

...but I am still painting in a dirty area overall, and one that is humid in the winter. 

 

Here is one more based on the above information:

Clean your dirty garage to reduce the amount of dirt/debris floating around while you paint. Seems like a no-brainer?

 

And from my earlier post with probably the most important suggestion for accomplishing your goal:

Use cheap lacquer thinner for your enamels. This alone speeds drying time, usually allowing flats to be dry enough to mask over by the time you clean your airbrush. Gloss enamels still take a while to properly cure, but the lacquer thinner does speed up the process considerably for them as well. 

 

;)

HTH, 

D

[Andrew D. the Jolly Rogers guy]

I live in the deep desert of southern Arizona, where humidity is almost non-existent, so drying time is not a problem. 

To avoid dust buildup on the wet/curing paint, I use a tupperware cake tub. Since I build in 1/72 almost everything has fit underneath it nicely, though I don't expect it for the EB-57 if I ever get the drive to build and convert it...the Caracal decal release for it would help that process.... 

[Flyboy3394]

22 hours ago, D Bellis said:

You did ask. 

 

 

Here is one more based on the above information:

Clean your dirty garage to reduce the amount of dirt/debris floating around while you paint. Seems like a no-brainer?

 

And from my earlier post with probably the most important suggestion for accomplishing your goal:

Use cheap lacquer thinner for your enamels. This alone speeds drying time, usually allowing flats to be dry enough to mask over by the time you clean your airbrush. Gloss enamels still take a while to properly cure, but the lacquer thinner does speed up the process considerably for them as well. 

 

;)

HTH, 

D

Good to know. I have some Klean Strip green https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001FPHNTA/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 

 

Its cheap Lacquer thinner. I have been told though, that using lacquer thinner on enamels is not a good idea. Not sure what info I should trust then. Guess I will try it on some scrap plastic before using on my models. 

 

As for cleaning. Sure, seems simple enough. Except that the garage is a separate structure in the backyard, and simply cleaning and dusting will not really work as it would take me days to get it clean, only for it to be dirty again 24 hours later. Mean time, I will use an air purifier to mitigate best i can. 

 

 

[D Bellis]

11 hours ago, Flyboy3394 said:

Good to know. I have some Klean Strip green https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001FPHNTA/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 

 

Its cheap Lacquer thinner. I have been told though, that using lacquer thinner on enamels is not a good idea. Not sure what info I should trust then.

What you linked is "lacquer thinner substitute", and it is not what you want. Going with the Amazon theme for an example, this is what you want (real lacquer thinner):

https://www.amazon.com/Klean-Strip-Green-QML170-Lacquer-Thinner/dp/B000KKN11A

 

Although, I usually get it locally here in CT for about $6 a quart - not the $18 Amazon wants.

 

I've been using cheap lacquer thinner (including Klean Strip brand) exclusively for thinning Model Master and other modeling enamels since the late 1980s with great results. I do not use anything else to thin them. Whoever told you it "is not a good idea" does not know what they're talking about. A few examples of my work to prove I'm not some bozo peddling bad advice:

http://www.largescaleplanes.com/articles/index.php?act=filter&field=author&data=Darin+Bellis

http://www.aircraftresourcecenter.com/Gal9/8001-8100/gal8021-Pitts-Special-Bellis/00.shtm

 

HTH,

D

[Charlie D.]

Our industrial shop uses a big cardboard box with a lid. We lined the whole thing with foil. Hole cut in side for a 90 watt bulb for heat. We use it all the time in the winter for those super quick paint jobs. Simple and works great. We're using automotive lacquers.