Formufit PVC Spray Booth Kit

I don't similar to sand. It is my least favorite function of woodworking. I use abrupt hand tools and scrapers to cut down on how much sanding I need to do, just like death and taxes, for the woodworker sanding is a necessary part of the woodworking lifecycle. This summer I saved upwardly some of what I made from pedagogy and bought a nice HVLP arrangement. (FujiSpray Mini-Mite four with Gravity Fed Gun — more on that in a future postal service). With a nice HVLP I figured I could cut down on the amount of time I spend sanding a finish as each finish coat will generally continue faster and flatter with the spray gun. I figured I could just setup some cardboard or spray outside, just the New England winter set in and I had a LOT of finishing I need to take care of this season and too much stuff in the store that I don't desire to get any overspray on so I decided I needed to build a proper spray booth in the basement that would non break the bank and could hands be taken downward when I need the space back.

Formufit PVC Spray Booth Kit
Formufit PVC Spray Booth Kit

When looking online for some inspiration the main things I found were — tiny kits for model makers, spray corrals or nil fit walls or total blown industrial car painting booths — none of which really met my needs. I eventually found a company chosen 'Formufit' that sells a kit of specialty PVC connectors that would let you to build a 7'x7'x7 PVC cube with a hinged door. Information technology looked similar a practiced pattern to get-go off with. I also wanted to add filtered air to help deal with overspray.

For Christmas this year I bought all the supplies I needed to build a nice home spray booth — cheers to my wife Alyssa for letting me purchase them — and I'll walk you through the procedure hither.

Supplies
Supplies

The PVC fittings kit cost me $65.00 with aircraft and you can find the Formufit Spray Berth Kit here. Below is a rough listing of materials I put into this project. I had the tape, 2x4s, pine and screws on hand only added them since not everyone may take that on hand.

Spray Booth Materials List
Spray Booth Materials List

The total I arrived at was $264.62 which is a reasonable price considering how big this booth is and what it can do. I put together a nice time lapse video you can video by clicking here or via the paradigm below.

Spray Booth Time Lapse Video
Spray Booth Time Lapse Video (Click photograph to view video)

I'm quite happy with how the booth turned out and bet it will encounter a lot of apply this winter.

If you attempt build your own here are some additional details which may help you along the way:

  1. Covering the floor — for $four I bought a two pack of disposable painter drop cloths. The upper is paper that can absorb drips and beneath it is plastic to stop bigger spills. It was expert for the price, but if you are non careful tin easily be ripped so I establish myself taping up some holes I made. Adjacent time out I might get something heavier duty.
  2. Lighting — add some actress lighting above the booth so yous can meet what yous are spraying. In my basement I added 3 48″ 2 bulb flourescent fixtures with daylight color temp bulbs I had on hand and they did a great task illuminating the booth.
  3. Finding box fans in New England in the dead of winter is not like shooting fish in a barrel. The only place I could detect whatsoever was ironically at Walmart via the webpage choice upwards in store pick. I bought 3 'Galaxy' 20″ box fans which use 0.8amps and amazingly are made in the USA. They cost me $16.88 each. Even with the filters in place they are pretty tranquility and move a good amount of air.
  4. I congenital a frame out of 2x4s to house the box fans and allow me to stand them vertically. The 2xs are attached with 3″ ceramic deck screws. The box fans are attached to the frame via #xiv x 3/iv″ pan head screws. I used holes already in the bottom of the fans to attach one side.
    Fan Housing
    Fan Housing

    On the other sides I used a starter punch to make a dent and then drilled through the canvas metal into the frame. That method worked corking. When making the frame make certain you exit enough infinite for your hand to get to the control knob on the fan. The bottom is left long to function as feet and keep the bottom fan above the bottom PVC of the booth. I besides zero tied the wires together and used a 3 style splitter to connect them. This way I tin can control the fans via a single extension cord. I also screwed on some wood bit legs/supports to keep the fan enclosure standing upright on its own.

    Fan Housing
    Fan Housing
  5. Plastic Sheeting — get the thickest stuff you budget volition allow. I bought 10'x25′ rolls of 4mil plastic which you can find in the roofing section of a large building supply store. I put one roll over the height and left and right side of the booth. From the second roll I cut out 9′ sections to make a front and back. I used the remainder of the whorl to cover the fan frame and allowing overlap. Once stapled to the fan frame I cut out circles to direct the air flow and seal the booth. I used medium sized spring clamps to hold the plastic onto the spray booth frame.
  6. i-1/4″ PVC was a little harder to notice at the store, simply once you had it in paw it cuts easily on a chop saw with a carbide blade. Cutting the pieces to length was easy via the plans that came with the kit. I could measure and cut one slice then use that every bit a template with a sharpie to transfer it to the others and cutting off the sharpie line each time. Use a condom mallet or arm strength to seat all the pipage pieces in the fitting. The simply joints that were glued were the small pieces holding the hinges together. Everything else can be cleaved down or altered to fit your infinite.
  7. Filters — buy the cheapest filters you tin find that looks like they'd actually practice some filtering. Some were so cheap and thin you lot could see them. I bought two 3 packs of 3M filtrete filters that toll $7.99 for each pack and take some wire to aid stiffen the filter also. On the fan housing I tacked on some wood blocks that allow me to tape the filters in identify. When the fans are on they hold themselves on and then the tape really but keeps them from falling when the fans are off.
    Fans ready for testing. (Filter holding blocks in place)
    Fans ready for testing. (Filter belongings blocks in place)

    For the intake air frame I only pocket screwed together some fleck pine I had in the shop beingness careful to tightly fit the opening to the size of the filters. I so tape the filters in place from the outside. This frame was hung from that PVC frame via a small-scale scrap of concatenation and some 'Southward' hooks.

    Frame for intake air filters
    Frame for intake air filters
  8. For the door make sure to use some double sided tape (or looped tape in my instance) to go along the plastic on the door frame and make sure there is overlap so you can have some level of seal when the fans are on.
  9. Integrating the filter and fan frames. I put the wall sheeting in place, then places the fan frame where I wanted it. I and so cut in similar how you'd cut firm wrap for a window and then stapled the plastic onto the woods frame thus making a practiced overlapping seal. The intake filter frame was hung upward starting time, and then overlaid with plastic and cutting in, in a like manner. With the door airtight there is a pretty skillful amount of suction — you'll encounter the plastic on the walls and ceiling suck in a bit, merely that is expert news and shows the power of the fans. (The clamps on the frame will proceed the plastic from coming downward on your head or your piece of work.)

This was a fun project to build and I look forward to finally getting some more practice in with the spray gun.

Take intendance,
-Pecker

Important Annotation:
See safety disclaimer for the website here. The fans used hither are not rated for flammable materials. I am merely using this berth to spray h2o based finishes and a ways from the filters. If y'all program to spray flammable materials you should do and then outside or with a setup that includes a spark proof fan. Information provided on this blog is without warranty, so please use mutual sense when trying annihilation like this at domicile. If annihilation feels dangerous, practice non do it. Also make sure to habiliment proper center, ear and lung protection when working with finishes.