Comments on Artograph 1520 spray booth

[Doc in CT]

 I'm looking at the Artograph 1520 spray booth for use with Acrylic paints. 

Is it effective for painting small structures and rolling stock (also weathering)?

Does it really need an external vent? or can I use it indoors? (basement work shop which does have a door (hatchway) to the outside.

Thanks

[georgev]

I have one that I use for acrylics and it works for me.  Price was the main driver for me selecting this model.   I don't have anything to compare it to, but it does pull the paint down and filters it effectively.  I use acrylics only and do not vent it to the outside. The first layer of the filter system seems to trap most of the paint.  I'd recommend buying a package of the filter sheets - the first 5 don't last long!

It's large enough for HO models - I have painted and weathered a couple of locomotives and a number of freight cars at this point.  An 80 foot passenger car would work but would be a little tight.  I have found I could actually hold the model just in front of the booth rather than completely inside it and the booth still sucked the paint away. 

One gripe: The bottom of the booth is sloped toward the opening.  If you want something to be level inside the booth you need to make a support that will be level.  I have a use now for all those empty freight car boxes - cut them at an angle and tape the part you are spraying to the box top. 

One modification I made was to cut a hole in the top (the flat part) and taped  a piece of plexiglas over the hole. I glued a piece of corner molding trim wood on the edge to stiffen it.  I place a light there to give a bit more illumination.  In my shop I have a flourescent light directly over the workbench so the booth had a shadow inside even with the window on the top.

At first I was put off a bit by the cardboard booth material, but it seems to stand up OK and it would be easy to replace.  You could use it as a pattern for a masonite or plywood booth. 

My 4 cents...

George V.

[Allegheny2-6-6-6]

 I checked it out when looking for a spray booth for the model shop but my cheapness over-road my decision to buy it. I made mine out of foam core board and cut a hole on the back for a piece of flexivent the stuff used on the back of a cloths dryer and put a small vent fan inline the kind u buy at lowes for boosting your hvac system. Took one of the pieces of glass out of a basement window and replaced it with a painted piece of plywood with a cloths dryer vent the kind with a damper or flapper. The whole shottin match cost me under $50 and works like a champ.

[Doc in CT]

 Thanks George V. 

Based on your feedback I might just hold out for the MicroMark version which has a clear acrylic top and is made of metal.  Similar design concept of 3 stage filters and downdraft air flow.

Doc

[modelmaker51]

I just can't see spending that kind of money on a paint booth. I built a 5 sided box out of 3/8" plywood, cut a hole in the back for a bathroom fan and use cheap furnace filters placed in front of the fan (the box has the same dimensions as one of the standard filters so the filter is a snug fit)). The fan can be vented out side with standard  4" dryer hose, if need be. The whole thing cost less than $50 as well.