too humid to paint?

[rick spears]

Re: too humid to paint?

well........i finished painting the car last night, and i came out beautiful!! just need to wet-sand and buff now! as far as questions about my compressor and fan being possibly dangerous with paint fumes, i guess i had never thought about that before. i always make sure to turn off the gas to my furnace in the shop so that i don't have to worry about the pilot light, but never gave a second thought to the big electric fan i have running or the fact that my compressor is in the same enclosed area. how dangerous do you suppose this could be in the future??? (just what i needed, something ELSE to worry about) ha, ha....rick

[Chuck S.]

Re: too humid to paint?

Sorry, Rick, I guess my advice was a little late.

I have painted a frame in one side of my garage before...with a compressor running in the corner. There was so much paint fog in the air, it hard to see maybe five feet. Later, when I realized what I had done, I got a creepy feeling I could only interpret as a warning. As to why there wasn't a problem (fire, explosion?), I can't say, but I thought it probably has to do with getting the fuel/air ratio just right. Angels watch over children and fools. Maybe there's not a problem with doing it...all I know is that I won't paint in a confined space with electric motors or a compressor again.

FAN??!! You run a large floor fan while you're painting? No wonder you have "nibs"; even with a wet floor, if I tried that, I would probably have rocks, insects, hairballs, etc....I have enough boogers as it is.

[rick spears]

Re: too humid to paint?

well, i dunno, maybe we should turn this one over to the MYTHBUSTERS!!! all i know is i have painted quite a few cars over the last 20years in my garage, with air compressor bangin away and fans a blowin! maybe i have just been lucky or something, i really would like to know more about the possible dangers...yeah, i have a big fan blowing fumes out of the garage while i'm painting, and yes, i do wet the floor down too. you think the fan creates more probs with trash in the paint? i don't know what else to do, i practically have to feel my way out of the garage between coats like a blind man as it is! (hopefully no-one form the EPA is monitoring this site) i'm sure it would be better with an HVLP, but i kinda like my old conventional devilbiss......anyone else with thoughts on this subject?? rick

[terry leeker]

Re: too humid to paint?

I have used a top of the line suction type Sharpes for many years. Does a great job. Bought a Dev. HVLP for the last car - sucked. Maybe a high priced SATA works better. I'm going back to the old school. Also, in painting in your garage and the "fog"....that why they invented furnace filters. Open the garage door, make a fancy frame or duct tape them in and a couple of $19.99 Walmart fans at the back door. True there're not explosion-proof motors but with the air change happening, the fume level isn't going to reach a very high level.