Artograph 1530 /IKEA combination and results

[zak78]

With an angry roommate high on lacquer fumes and not enough money to move into a place of my own, I had to either give up on the idea of ever finishing a model, or build something that REALLY exhausted and ventilated the fumes, in the corner of my recreational room. Somehow it had to be cat-proof, and capable of containing the vapors well enough to protect my clothes, which would be hanging in a wardrobe only six feet away. My spray booth was going to have to do everything well...

I thought about building my own, but figured doing so would involve a good deal of trial and error, which could possibly endanger my lease. Then I began to investigate the ready-made units, such as the Tamiya, Mr. Superbooth, etc. They all looked a little wimpy to me. Then I stumbled upon another modeler's review on the Artograph, which stated that it had basically saved his marriage. He reported that it could even swallow the vapor from Tamiya rattlecans and Alclad metalizers. And it flowed 370 CFM! I was sold.

Next, I read the price, and nearly fell off my chair. It was going to cost me at least $350. Ouch! l thought long and hard about this, realizing that I had to decide to invest in my hobby, or admit that all of the work I'd done, which had partially finished several kits...was a waste. That wasn't okay with me. I knew I had to either start building stuff again, or live in terrible envy of you guys. Lol. So I layed my money down...and got what I paid for.

This thing is freakin' awesome. It's all steel, with a plexiglass insert on top. Onto the plexiglass I mounted two low-watt flourescent lamps, which light the spray area like the sun. They appear to light the area around it just as powerfully, but that's just a trick of the camera flash. The setup is quite practical and relatively free of glare when in use.

The booth itself uses two huge fans, pulling through a stack of three filters--all of which appear to be long-lasting. I replaced the top filter so it would look nice and clean for pics. So far I've painted one car body with it, a Revell BMW that I may post in the WIP section here shortly. Thanks to the easy-to-clean nature of the booth, and the melamine-coated IKEA cabinet, you can't even tell I ever used it.

The only downside to a setup like this is the price. Here's my build sheet:

1. Spray booth: Cheap Joe's art supplies, online: $351
2. Plinth, lower and upper cabinets, and two sets of doors with hardware: $180
3. Lights (2, linked together on one power cord): $18
4. Power Strip/Surge Protector: $10
5. Band Clamps (4) : $10
6. Hose: $8
7. Hose adapters: $12
8. Huge plastic box, cut to form the window mount for the exhausts: $6

TOTAL: $595

But peaceful coexistence is priceless.

NOTE: The lower cabinet houses the surge protector and my food dehydrator

I can provide better pics of how the booth sets in the cabinet if you like, or some shots of the Artograph's ventilation system without the filters. I wish I could record some audio of the WHOOOSH sound it makes as it winds up to full speed. The cabinet amplifies it to a turbine-like quality.

[mrawl]

Oh wow! Has the lady given it the sniff-test yet - ie, does it really take away *all* odor?

[zak78]

Originally Posted by mrawl

Oh wow! Has the lady given it the sniff-test yet - ie, does it really take away *all* odor?

Yes. After I sprayed the last coat of clear on a body I'm finishing, it took about two minutes for fans to clear the air. If I put my head inside the cabinet I could still detect a little bit of odor, so I closed it and walked outside for about 30 seconds. I inhaled some fresh air, walked back inside, put my head back inside the cabinet and smelled...nothing .

My most recent gf spontaneously left me about a month ago, but I did have my roommate's gf on hand to give it the sniff test. She asked, "What am I supposed to be smelling? Your cologne?" lol.

edit: Since I can smell it while spraying, I think I should still wear my spray mask, however. As good as the Artograph is, it's still not perfect.

[jano11]

That's an impressive set-up.
This makes me think seriously about setting up something similar.

[taliesen]

Can't recommend a 1530 setup highly enough, they're great. I also have an industrial exhaust fan that moves 1000 CFM to remove more fumes, also vented through a 6" hose. Between the two, I can spray tons and keep it out of the rest of the house.

[JimboCO]

I've got the same booth with a similar venting method and really like it. One thing I found to reduce odor even more, and vastly increase air flow, is to not use the black carbon filter. Since you're blowing outside, it's not needed. I like your clean design and the dehydrator takes the cake!

Thanks for posting.

Jim

[zak78]

Originally Posted by JimboCO

I've got the same booth with a similar venting method and really like it. One thing I found to reduce odor even more, and vastly increase air flow, is to not use the black carbon filter. Since you're blowing outside, it's not needed. I like your clean design and the dehydrator takes the cake!

Thanks for posting.

Jim

Hey Jim, thanks for the info! I can only imagine how much better the airflow is going to be without the carbon filter, since it's the most restrictive of them all. It's also leaves dirt behind when you move it, so I'll be very happy to stowe it away permanently

Nick

[mrawl]

If you do use the carbon filter, can you recirculate room air? I can't reach outside from my spray area. I think read something about dumping into a bucket full of shredded paper too (for indoor use). Lol, I can just see that paper blowing everywhere though!

[JimboCO]

Originally Posted by mrawl

If you do use the carbon filter, can you recirculate room air? I can't reach outside from my spray area. I think read something about dumping into a bucket full of shredded paper too (for indoor use). Lol, I can just see that paper blowing everywhere though!

It depends on what you are spraying. If you're using Tamiya acrylics thinned with water, isopropanol or Tamiya acrylic thinner you might be able to get away with it. Anything more volatile and you're going to be smelling it for sure.

[zak78]

Originally Posted by mrawl

If you do use the carbon filter, can you recirculate room air? I can't reach outside from my spray area. I think read something about dumping into a bucket full of shredded paper too (for indoor use). Lol, I can just see that paper blowing everywhere though!

I was thinking you could get a VERY large plastic container, seal it around its lid with epoxy, then epoxy the spray booth's dryer ducting into it. Basically you'd be creating your own "vent room" with the plastic container. I'm not sure how large it would have to be in volume, however. If the box was too small, you'd end up pressurizing it, therefore creating backpressure for your booth and frying the fan motors. But it should be possible if the box is big enough.

[taliesen]

At 370 CFM, it would have to be very large box indeed to avoid building up enough back pressure to equal the fan's output . . . you'd be better off getting longer duct hoses and snaking them to a window, or move your work area.