Greetings! This is my first post. BTW, these forums are terrific. I have learned more about bare metal primers/body fillers/sealers/topcoating in these forums than anyone can imagine.

I am getting ready to prime and paint my auto myself. My first effort. I have my car down to bare metal (what a mess I have created) and am getting ready to do the body work using an epoxy primer, then filler, then more epoxy primer..... sealer... topcoat....

My question has to do with getting ready to paint in a reasonably clean environment using HVLP methods. I do not see buying a paint booth but can see using a small enclosed shed I have access to (~20' by ~20') for paint work... if I get it really, really clean. My concern is that I almost have to dedicate the space to painting only... with little or no body work done there... otherwise I am creating a lot of dust... that will have to be removed before multiple paintings of the various parts... then the whole.

Getting the space clean will be a real trick... but doable. Keeping it clean would seem to require that it be dedicated "painting only" space. Body work in a larger shed... painting in smaller shed. Agree or disagree? (Sure would be nice to use the smaller shed for more than just painting though. Otherwise auto is being moved a lot along with tools.)

Also would some sort of dust collector like you see advertised in the woodworking mags be of help in keeping dust under control?

thanks a bunch

dick jurgensen

 

Certainly a building exhaust/fresh air system would be the best. I've heard of some that just get a big fan and place it (blowing out) in a doorway so it blows dust etc. outside. Thats fine in warm weather. My brother in law has a range hood, for a kitchen stove, mounted on the ceiling in his garage. He said it works like a charm for helping keep dust down, mind you he's doing wood work.
My plans include using an old furnace fan, with a filter on the outlet, and placing it near where I'm working so it collects the dust and filters it out before returning the air to the building. Eventually I'd like to install it in the outside wall but I haven't got that far yet.

 

I would only use the area you described as painting only after you get it all cleaned. Of course you could do all of your bodywork first in this area including getting your auto ready for paint and then do a complete cleanup.
But after you feel you have it clean enough to paint in I would not do anything but paint your auto at that time.
Since you don't have a paint booth you are going to have a problem with dust. Something that has worked for me is covering the walls and ceiling with plastic and then hose the walls down with water. If you have electrical outlets make sure you turn off the power to the outlets before doing this. And of course wet down the floor to keep the dust down. Also your auto has static electricity which will draw dust to the surface like a magnet. Wrap a chain around the frame and let it hang down to the floor in the water and this will get rid of the static electricity. After you finish painting you are ready to do more bodywork in the same area just remove the plastic before you paint the next one and replace it with new plastic.

 

Good points, just would add that you should make sure you wipe your air hose down completely before beginning the spraying and try to avoid painting into the evening as bugs are at their worst then. Also dont leave any lights on in the shop at night for several days before the paint day as it draws the bugs and they usually do more damage than dust.

 

Thanks a bunch guys...

I have a 30" exhaust fan mounted high up in the shed. No way of "treating" the air pulled in by the fan. I would assume that pollin and dust would come in through the window screen.

Plastic sheets over the walls is interesting. Doable. Wetting the sheets and the concrete floor to keep down dust is also doable. Grounding the auto to keep down static charges I never would have thought of. Great idea.


What about the ceiling mounted dust collectors you sometimes see for the workshop filtering high volumes of air (as opposed to the dust collectors attached to sanding machines?) There is a JDS Air Tech 750 3 stage air filtration system on ebay that removes 99% of 5 micron particles and 95% of 1 micron particles. Any thoughts?

dickjurgensen

 

If it is a recirculationg dust collector, it will do nothing for removing the dangerous fumes you don't want to be breathing. Using it in additon to an exhaust fan would help clear the air but be sure to check the replacement filter costs as they can get quite pricey. Sealing a good quality air filter into the open window would help a lot if your drawing air in through it while your painting.

 

Had not considered fumes as a problem. Dust only. Wow! I am obviously a rookie!

So it sounds like I will need some sort of an "active" air filtration/movement/ventilation system to deal with dust AND fumes. I was thinking more of a still air system to keep from disturbing dust.... to keep it "under control". (I was going to use the dust collector to clean out the paint area before painting. That still might work.)

With the exhaust fan, if I install some sort of filter in the window to allow for air flow thru my "paint booth" I might be in good shape?

 

Isocyanates is the chemical found in a lot of the modern paints and is also found in a few primers. The only approved respirator is a "fresh air" respirator which pumps clean air to the face mask as you paint. They are pricey, in the neighborhood of $500, but that is about what your deductible is..right? This link should bring you up to speed on the dangers. http://www.epa.gov/oppt/dfe/pubs/auto/profile/

Does everybody use a fresh air system...no they don't. Some use the disposable cartridge respirators but all I know who use them also have a very good air flow through the booth while painting. Still not the most safe method.

Another problem you would likely find in a 'dead' air booth is within 10 min. you wouldn't be able to see anything for the overspray. Don't get too discouraged by my comments, painting your own truck is certainly a do-able project!

 

I am not at all discouraged by these comments, Huntsman. Everything sounds doable as long as I can "line up my ducks" and anticipate problems. You guys have helped A BUNCH.

This isn't rocket science. It does take a lot of time and energy and it really helps to be able to talk to folks who have done it themselves. I have had a # of paint jobs in the past... and been disappointed by the sorry, sorry workmanship, even when I have paid big $$$.

This time around, I will have only myself to blame... and I can live with that. Besides, if I am the problem, I know how to fix that myself!

 

go with these comments they are all good, like was said before put furnace filters in the window openings and where ever fresh air will be coming in, and have atleast one fan blowing out. you will want to get the overspray out of the way just as much as the dust. also tape off or remove EVERYTHING that you dont want paint on because that overspray will get to a lot of places you dont want it.

also if the building has a normal garage door on it you may want to open the door just enough to put a few box fans under it blowing out and fill all the gaps between the fans with cardboard or something, this will create a 'downdraft' so all the dust and overspray will be getting pulled down and out rather than up to the top of the garage fighting gravity.

Jason

 

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Just to cut down on some of the worrying...

Your modern paints (urethanes, catalized acrylic enamel, & etc.) dry rather quickly in comparison with your older paints. That means they are dust free in a short period of time.

Although I prefer a paint booth, I have painted cars in barns and the open air, with excellent results. The only time I needed to repaint was when a grass field was in bloom and all the pollen settled in the paint (you could see waves of pollen being blown off the field).

My present set-up is a barn, with a framed off section. The walls are unfinished drywall that I painted with some old latex paint. A window provides unfiltered air and an old box fan setting in the doorway gives me some air flow. Considering some of the conditions I have painted in, my 'paint booth' makes me feel like I have died and went to heaven. One of these times I'll get around to installing the old furance blower I have. Then I'll really be in hog heaven.

You're going to be sanding and buffing anyways so don't sweat the small specks of dust. Your major concerns should be focused on your lungs and anything you are concerned about getting overspray on.