Airbrush set ups for flat

[Burias-Drak'shal]

Hi

 

Ive moVed to flat recently and wondered how others manage to still us THere airbrushes and the set ups they use to manage this?

[Dosjetka]

Also very interested in collecting info about this. :)

[NovemberIX]

My suggestion may not be the best but I do airbrush inside my home. I prefer to sit at my gaming/work table, keep the ceiling fan running, and maybe another smaller one to the side for a source of steady airflow to keep "clean" air coming in. In the past I'd put down a sheet of newsprint paper (though I've been rather lax about that lately), then a fair sized cardboard box (12x12x12 works well). For lighting I prefer adjustable lamps, I mostly use a cordless LED work lamp, though for ETL I set up a plug-in (though lately I use both) and spray in box itself. What little over-spray that may occur lands on the box walls/newsprint, or disperse quickly thanks to the fans.  I do spray in small bursts, and will handle the models (and paint my hand!) as necessary (it's actually why my nails are STILL silver) to keep any levels of fumes down. I have been using Vallejo air colors, but as time goes by I'm slowly starting to mix my own stuff using heavy-body acrylics. When I'm done, everything more or less goes back in the box, stored either under the table, or off to the side until it's needed again.

[Tyberos the Red Wake]

http://www.tcpglobal.com/MASB420DCK_2.jpg

 

This thing is an Emperor-send. Trust me, it's worth the money. People who don't buy their own army cases and instead make their own from toolboxes or gun cases will scoff at paying $90 for a spray booth, but it's small yet has adequate room for large models, comes with an exhaust hose, folds down into a very compact, sturdy metal carry box, and is just all around amazing.

[Ovidius Incertus]

I do almost exactly as November said.  I cover my workspace (which happens to be a folding dinner table) with ample newspaper, have a cardboard backer to prevent overspray, set two desk lamps above me and go.  As far as I can tell, even with no ventilation, I'm not getting overspray on anything (and I'd know, since the table is white).

 

One of those portable spray booths would be the bee's knees, though!

[Leman Russ SW]

How long does the hose extend?  I'd be interested in one of those but my desk is a bit away from the window.

[Halandaar]

I just lay some newspaper on the table and spray into a cardboard storage box to prevent hitting anything else. No additional ventilation other than open window, but then I don't use it extensively or for long periods.

[marine7312000]

I try to spray either on the balcony or garage.

[Dosjetka]

What about compressors? I've heard that they can get pretty noisy and/or can overheat after a certain period of continuous use. Any tips for those?

[NovemberIX]

I use an Iwata Ninja Jet,  it's not the most quiet thing in the world, but you could still conceivably watch some TV while it's running. It mostly comes down to what the compressor is sitting on/vibrating, stick it on the packing foam it came with, and a lot of that vibration is dampened even in a fully tiled room with excellent acoustics.

 

At the start of ETL I ran it for about 30-45 minutes of straight painting and it got warm, but not hot. I'd call that long an operation an anomaly though, for the most part unless you're doing really big batches, most jobs shouldn't take more than 10 minutes before you gotta stop to change paints or some such.  The bigger time limiting factor is paint drying in the brush and clogging it up. I probably spend more time running thinner through for cleaning than I do painting.

[Ovidius Incertus]

I've got a Sparmax and it runs relatively cool even with extended sessions (1+ hours).  It's waaaaaaay cooler than the cheaper compressor I used to use, which would be hot to the touch after even relatively short sessions.

 

Noise with the Sparmax isn't that bad.  Your downstairs neighbors, if you have them, might hear it buzzing the floor if you have it set there.  You can watch TV or play video games with a compressor running in the same room, but it's a bit annoying.

[Tyberos the Red Wake]

How long does the hose extend?  I'd be interested in one of those but my desk is a bit away from the window.

 

It's not very long, but it's an accordion style tube that can stretch to around 6-8 feet. Here's a video review I found that shows its size and features better:

 

 

Be aware since it is pretty much a cheap all-in-one (as in affordable, not shoddy) the ventilation is not extremely strong. Don't expect to magically see vapor being quickly sucked out like you would with an expensive and powerful fan. I would not recommend using very fumy paints like lacquers and enamels, only acrylic, and I would still recommend at least a basic dust mask or rebreather, but it will still keep overspray contained and remove the airborne particulates gradually.

[Halandaar]

What about compressors? I've heard that they can get pretty noisy and/or can overheat after a certain period of continuous use. Any tips for those?

 

I have an Iwata Silver Jet which seems fine. I actually have it set up in a fairly noisy way (on a wooden table which sits on a tile floor in the most echoey room of my house) but despite that, the noise of it isn't enough to be heard over the TV in the next room, even with the door open. As for heat, it is a little warm after use but again, nothing too bad. That said, I specifically don't run the compressor consistently for a long time. I tend to shut it off every 15 minutes or so while i move models around, change colours etc.

[Nysse]

I have a portable spray booth like the ones people have linked here, but nowadays I very rarely bother using it as in most cases it's not really needed. When painting acrylics you don't really have any vapors that are harmful so no real need for a spray booth. If I had enough space to have the booth there all the time it would probably be a different matter, but with the setup times etc. it's not really worth the time. The only thing you really have to think about is spraying against some surface (ie. having it within 30-40cm behind your mini) and not into the air. I just have a thick cardboard and spray downwards towards it. Never really had any issues with paint particles going anywhere else.

 

With the compressor try to look for one with some vibration dampeners on the feet of it. I have a Wiltec one with the feet attached to the body with rubber inserts. Eliminates most of the noise that could go through the floor to your neighbor.

[Bloody Legionnaire]

All my paints I shoot indoors at my dining room table over an old cut up T-shirt to keep paint from getting on the table. I use a Iwata HP-CS and with the .35mm at about 20 psi there's really not a lot of spray to go everywhere. YMMV if you're using a larger needle with more spray. Any varnish I try to spray outdoors.

[Burias-Drak'shal]

Thanks for the tips and advice