Renting a paint booth

General Composites Discussions Equipment Talk
#1

I’ve been looking at the numbers for buying an automotive style paint booth to improve the paint finish on the parts I hope to sell soon. I’ve seen some that are made by American manufacturers (so I’m going to give them some benefit of the doubt and assume they’re of at least decent quality, even at the low end) go for as low as 6000 new. Then of course there are shipping and installation costs, but I think that can be done for less than 2000. They also offer lease to own scenarios that run for about 2-3 years and charge a 14 pct interest rate (not great by any means but not terrible for the lease term). This would come out to about 300 bucks a month, and at the end of the term I’d own the thing.

My question is, what do you guys think of just going up to an auto body shop and asking them to rent their paint booth for x amount of hours a week for y amount of dollars. Say, 5 hours a work week for 200 bucks a month. I’m considering this solely because of all of the regulations and PITA work it’d take to get my own booth up and running. This method of course means I’d have to drive over to a shop just to paint a part, which is of course a PITA in itself.

I’d just like to hear yalls pros and cons on this. If I leased it the price would come out to close to the same. However then I’d have to deal with maintaining it and the hassle of buying it, installing it and getting through all of the red tape (which I’m COMPLETLEY unfamiliar with. I can’t even find out if a fire suppression system is absolutely mandatory. I didn’t think it was but then I spoke to a realtor today and they said it is! :confused:). My landlord would also sleep a bit easier at night if I did this work off site but I’m not going to ask you guys to enter that into the equation since it’s impossible for you to judge.

Thanks in advance for the feedback
Chetan

#2

No. 1 question: How big are your parts?

#3

I researched vendors for professional spray booth componets and then went about collecting all the parts to just build one to suit my largest parts.

It required >>

1)- Materials to enclose the space.
2)-Materials to seal the space -(for slight positive pressure).
3)-Axial fan and pre-filter box built. 5 sided.
4)-Pre-filters for the paint arrestor wall. I ended up with a wire screen system to hold those filters. 8’x6’.
5)-Explosion proof florescant lights.
6)-Infared heater.
7)- Explosion proof conduits and fixtures for electrical.-( No wiring exposed, all sealed)
8)-I made storage for pails of resins or anything pungent along with gun holders etc.
9)-Roof mounted 14" Air turbine with 14" flex duct running from the top of the booth to teh false wall airspace behind the filter/arrestor wall.

It works so efficiently I can almost avoid a resperator when spraying, but I don’t. I still use a full face version.

Cost total- Approximatly $1,000.00 All labor DIY aside from the electrical due to local code. Now getting it officially approved is another story!

#4

It will never happen and why would anybody want to tie up there booth with your parts ,and why not just be done with it and purchase the new booth and have full control on everything , time , when . etc , etc , and for what it is worth you ( mentioned ) that you can purchase a new booth for three hundred a month opposed to renting for two or more .

#5

The parts are quite small, about 1 foot cubed. However there would be quite a few of them at a time, I’d hope.

offshore: I’m not sure about the longevity of this, and even if it does prove to be profitable I won’t stay in the same spot for more than a year (about to sign a one year lease). so I don’t want to spend thousands to install and certify and then break down a full size paint booth. I’m hoping that for the right price, one of the lower-level auto body shops would let me use their paint booths. I definitely don’t expect collision king to let me in on their facilities but a mom and pop run shop would be interested in hearing about, I’d imagine.

worldwealth: I’ve definitely considered doing this as well, although I’m surprised you were able to do it for a thousand. when I priced it just the air handling system came in at over a 1000 usd. but this does still seem like an option for me. do you have any good website recommendations on sourcing and building something like this?

Thanks
Chetan

#6

I didn’t keep any of the links, I just did research, watched ebay auctions and collected as I went along for a few months. The parts are stupid expensive otherwise if you spend retail and new.
You also don’t need as expensive of a exhaust fan whith a positive pressure design as the fumes dont pass by the fan, only the filters.

I did the same work for the rest of the booth like buying really good equipment . A Iwata LPH-400 clear specific gun, a really good descicant dryer pre airline in a stainless pot from a lab.

Where there’s a budget there’s a way!

#7

Definitely be checking in the Costa Mesa area for renting spray booths. A lot of facilities there in the area where you can rent booths. Price is reasonable, I remember talking to someone awhile ago about renting one to spray my car and I believe the going rates were about 50-75 per hour. Extra equipment was also provided at an extra cost. If your planning to do clear coating, wet sanding and polishing, it might be worth considering outsourcing to a shop. I remember many shops were happy to take on easy work like this and I always talked to them about parts per week basis ( kind of steady work for them basically) if your willing to drive… El Monte is also a good area to source shops to paint and renting booths in that area is about $50 per hour.

The big disadvantages to California are emissions, EPA regulations, zoning restrictions and so on… As you mentioned lots of red tape. Costa Mesa is one of the places in Orange County you are allowed to spray up to a gallon of paint in one day without getting in trouble. With the spray booth you will definitely need to consider the ventilation, possibly a purification system for release into the atmosphere and fire suppression if it’s heated. Also need to check electricity capabilities depending on the size booth and type of booth.

#8

How small are your parts you are looking to paint I am a custom painter from airbrush to full cars. There are small hobbiest evacuation booths available depends how big you need. But the paint booth won’t make the paint work the painter will. A clean dust free environment is what you need there is allot you can do to improve you finish with out having a booth.

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#9

I looked into just the exhaust manifold/ports but figured that they wouldn’t work because I probably won’t be able to maintain a good enough dust free environment in the warehouse space where I’d keep the exhaust manifold.

At this rate I’m considering picking one of these things up:

http://www.aframe-paint-booth.com/smallpaintbooth.html

6200 for an entire kit (including motor controls, ducts, etc) but no fire suppression. Still haven’t figured out if that’s a requirement in the city I’m moving to. They are local in DFW so I’m hoping shipping won’t be above 500 (crating is included in the first cost). I’ll be able to build the thing myself but will probably have to hire someone to install the ductwork and of course the electrical, so that’s probably another 500?

I’m thinking I can replace a door with a wood board to route the duct out of, so I’m really hoping I can mount the exhaust fan on the side of this unit as opposed to the top of it. I’m going to give them a call tomorrow. Otherwise that’s going to be 4 90* elbows (and even from a 3rd party those xxxxxxs are about a 100 bucks :/)

#10

Make sure you have 3 phase electric that booth is a 3 phase only option looks like a good investment did you look into any heated booths?

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#11

Definitely aware of the power requirements, these guys will also switch over to a single phase for ‘free’ which is a nice touch since others usually charge you 200 for that.

I don’t think I need a heated booth. Definitely not a gas fired one, at most I’d need an infrared lamp. From what I saw managed air systems add $5k+ to the cost and I’m located in Texas so really there are really only a dozen or so days a year where it’s cold enough to really make a difference.

Right now would be one of those times…it’s freezing here and all the roads have been shut down for the last 3 days :frowning:

Anyways, if someone with knowledge about budgeting this purchase could give me some tips or numbers I’d really appreciate it

#12

The heated would open more options up for you composite wise

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#13

As in using it as a curing oven? That’s not really what I’m aiming for right now and saving money in this phase is a more serious concern than allowing for future growth. When that bridge comes I’d love to cross it but I don’t think I need air make up units ATM