Cheap forced air respirator?

[Devious Rhesus]

I'm looking to do my priming as safely as possible, but $500+ seems pretty steep for such a simple rig... Can anybody suggest a reasonable rig?

 

[brad walton]

Depending on what you are spraying, you may not need a forced air system. For etching primers, you probably only need a respirator and good ventilation. For urethane paints, you need a good forced air system and $500 is cheap compared to the health risk.
So what type of paint or primer are you planning to spray?

 

[Blain]

Hobbyaire on Ebay. Think I paid about $250.

 

[Devious Rhesus]

Depending on what you are spraying, you may not need a forced air system. For etching primers, you probably only need a respirator and good ventilation. For urethane paints, you need a good forced air system and $500 is cheap compared to the health risk.
So what type of paint or primer are you planning to spray?

I'm spraying two part AZKO primer. The actual painting will be left for a pro.

Hobbyaire on Ebay. Think I paid about $250.

I didn't even think about eBay, good idea. What kind of gun did you use? I'm tempted just to get a Harbor Freight gun, since it's just primer...

 

[rockwoodrv9]

I have no idea on how good it would work, but I have heard of a guy making one out of a new, clean, shop vac and a Hobby Air full mask. It was for a small job, but may be worth checking out?

Fresh air when you are painting is worth every penny you spend. My neighbor who owns a body shop saw me spraying outside - with a mask on and came over to check what paint I was using to make sure I wasn't killing myself! We are on 5 acre parcels so he had to make an effort to come over. I took that as a good warning to be careful!

 

[larrynew]

I have two supplied air systems as my son sometimes helps with painting. The first was about $250 and DIY. Both main parts from ebay: a fire fighter surplus mask and a Gast rotary carbon vane pump commonly used in high dollar supplied air systems. Works well. Second is a basic Hobbyair system bought from a VAF for sale post. About $250 after getting a hood to use with the half mask. When I'm alone, I use the hobbyair mainly because I like the hood.

 

[BobMoe]

air

There was one on the Sonerai Forum made using a bathroom vent fan and a new roll of sump pump hose.

 

[Mike H]

Since I am spraying Akzo primer outside, usually with a slight breeze I have been using a 3M organic filter respirator with HEPA filters. There were no specific requirements in the MSDS for supplied air type respirators so I assumed I would be OK outside. Can someone who actually knows something about painting can tell me if this is acceptable?

 

[penguin]

I'm looking to do my priming as safely as possible, but $500+ seems pretty steep for such a simple rig... Can anybody suggest a reasonable rig?

How much for a pair of lungs?

Hobbyair was one of the best investments I ever made.

I tried good quality 'regular' filter masks, but always ended up feeling awful - Hobbyair (or something similar) is the way to go IMHO.

Pete

 

[Vansconvert]

Hobby-Air system, $500.
A pair of non-compromised lungs - priceless.
I asked the same question myself, weighed it out, and bought a Hobby-Air.

 

[Kyle Boatright]

There was one on the Sonerai Forum made using a bathroom vent fan and a new roll of sump pump hose.

Yep. Built one that way 15 years ago. Worked fine.

Bathroom fan connected to a 120v plug. Fiberglassed a transition that adapted the exhaust of the fan to a 2" male fitting, then attached a ~2" corrugated hose to that coupling. Rigged a face shield and a poncho hood to accept the corrugated hose, and voila, forced air respirator.

 

[Blain]

Suit up!

While your spending dough, a Tyvek shoot suit will save your clothes and minimize contaminates. Head sock for everything the tyvek and mask doesnt cover. I wear only clean socks into my paint booth. Wont carry anything in on shoes.


Your earlier question about brand of gun; I bought an HVLP Ingersol-Rand import. Seems OK. I think a good painter could pull it off with a Harbor Freight gun.