short version; I bought some resin cars and a fire truck, all unpainted, the first time I've bought resin anything. I understand they should be primed before painting, being in an apartment, the balcony is the only place I really have to paint.. it's about 0F other there. and yes, I'm crazy enough to go out there and paint but will it effect the paint? Just do a fast out, spray and bring it back in..
Maybe you could get a small spray booth, so you could paint inside and just vent that through your balcony door. Best of both worlds.
Don't try it. I have my paint booth set up so a venting flange can quickly be popped into a window, and paint indoors all year around.
Maybe I could use a big cardboard box and an old air cleaner to paint in. I thought about using the laundry room.. but they janitors don't exactly do a great job of cleaning and I don't want to take my compressor and stuff in there.. but then again who'd notice if I made a mess
Most all spray paints require at least a minimum of 70 deg. F. and the surface that they are being sprayed on also at least that temperature as a minimum. Basically in non scientific terms the solvents that the paint is suspended in need that minimum temperature for evaporation and set up. And the surface being below that temperature of the object being painted can interfere with the flowing of the paint on the surfaces.
Another thing to consider when airbrushing in the cold is that you will have moisture issues in the air line. Even with dry winter air, what ever is there will condense at such low temperatures. Honestly, it's just easier to wait until the first day when it's warm enough to airbrush outside and then go nuts.
I have the same problem living in a third floor apartment. What I do is go in the bathroom, turn on the exhaust fan, open the window aprox. 6-8 inches and shut the door. I use a plywood box for overspray and an Iwata compressor with a moisture trap with a Talon airbrush so moisture isn't a problem. when I'm done I leave the fan on and door shut for aprox 1/2 hour and all is good
hanley's solution is a good one. You are not exposing yourself to more than a few minutes of fumes. I have to do something similar down here in Alabama. I paint in one room, containing the overspray in a cardboard box, then immediately leave for about 15 minutes. I think I am not damaging too many brain cells nor instigating lung or liver cancer with a few minutes exposure once or twice a week.
Or you could avoid the cancer and dead brain cells entirely by using a good respirator with particulate and chemical filters like you are supposed to be using.
I always use a respirator that's rated for fiberglass work when airbrush painting. but I don't have one that fits my cat.. so I still need proper venting. and I should mention I only use Badger acrylic paints, not solvent paints
You don't really believe those things work, do you? Unless you are clean shaven and pay REALLY close attention to the face seal and chemical filter cartridge replacement, you are probably kidding yourself. The more effective the filters, the more flow resistance they create, and the more air you suck AROUND them when you inhale. Better to have an effective exhaust system pulling spray AWAY from you than standing in a cloud with a respirator as typically employed by amateurs. That means an exhaust fan pulling air from the BACK of the over-spray catching booth. Not too hard to do with a cheap fan sitting in a window with some flexible vent hose connecting it to the back of the booth. Steve
Actually, a cheap fan sitting in a window can be worse than a respirator because it gives a false sense of security if you don't know its air flow specifications and how to calculate what you need for your work area. This in contrast to a respirator where the seal test is done with your hands (positive and negative) and most uncertainty with chemical cartridges can be resolved by simply following a "one and done" policy while answering the question of what type of cartridges to buy by buying them initially from any good supplier that sells paints requiring a respirator. That includes good art supply stores, good auto parts places and industrial paint suppliers.
Jumping back to the subject of using primer on resin models: I've never found this necessary using acrylic paint. Still, a light-colored primer coat would be called for when painting a light color (white, yellow) over a dark-colored anything. I'd also airbrush paint the inside of a resin shell (just a couple of passes) to help kill any odor if it bothers you.
I am exposed to far more dangerous chemicals just driving through Ohio, or New Jersey, and Delaware, and down the coast to Florida. . . I live in the boonies of Oxford, Ohio, which just happened to be directly downwind of the uranium processing plant at Fernald, a location chosen because it was out in the boonies. The rate of childhood leukemias from 1950-1980 is staggering out of line. Besides, I mostly use acrylics these days. Now, particles of acrylic are probably as dangerous to your lungs as volatile particles. I use a primer on all resin castings.
I have used an airbrush indoors without a spraybooth for over 30 years. I do use either a dust mask or a respirator. That being said, model paints are very low on the scale of toxicity. The particulate matter is more of a concern, but using an airbrush is a precision application as opposed to using a spray can which is like painting with a firehose. By all means do it the way that makes you feel the safest, and painting outdoors in cold weather, even an in and out, tends to lend subpar results. The bathroom idea and a mask sounds like a good part-time solution. Trey
When I was in high school, I did the bathroom spray painting. (don't tell my mom!) I'd turn on the lights, which were enough to get the small bathroom warm enough, and then spray away, opening the window after I was done.
When is it good enough to paint outside? Does it have to be a certain temp along with humidity or is it just based on humidity?
I've done the following with no visible damage or bad results. - Set up a table just behind the closed garage door. - Place compressor, air hose, and any tools on table and plug in compressor. (there's an inline switch in the power cord) - In heated area (train room), prepare model and mix paint in airbrush pot. - Open garage door and quickly move model and airbrush to table, and attach air hose. - Spray model before it and the paint have time to cool. - Quickly return model to heated area. - At the garage door, clean airbrush with solvent, etc. - Repeat steps 3-7 if painting with more than one color, and/or more than one model. - Close garage door and return remaining stuff to the train room. So far the models and the paints don't appear to cool enough to ruin coverage, even with the outside temps in the high 30's.
