I have another hairbrain idea. I spray lacquer and it leaves a terrible aroma in my shop and now that it is winter in the great white north, I'm thinking of inserting a charcoal filter in my sanding downdraft/air filtration table. My question would be........do you think a charcoal filter would do the job?????Has anyone ever thought about this, or done it????

Yes, I know about the explosion hazards of lacquer.

gary

Gary

Even with charcoal filter unless you vent things outside you will not be able to get the air to a safe level. I am going to assume ( we know what that means ) that you use a resperator while spraying. I remember reading some articles about setting up some in-expensive srpay booths. I don't rememeber exactly where at this point. I will look for them though. I do rememeber that they were all exhausted to the outside ir through a window or what ever. I hope this helps.

Sincerely

Wayne

 

Wayne

Yes.........I always use a noxtous (sp) fumes respirator. I would just like to circulate the air in the shop after spraying, as that odor can hang in the shop for a couple of days. I do have a rather large shop, no room for a spray booth and venting outside is all but out of the question.....when it's -20 outside. Brrrrrrrrrr!!!!

Gary

I do rememeber reading about using a 20" box fan with a furnace filter attatched to the front of it. If you set two of them up so they circulate the air in your shop so the the air flow passes around and through them adding the charcoal filter that may help. I have never tried this but in theroy it seems as it may be the answer you seek. I have a small shop and venting to the outside is not ever going to happen but from what I rememeber about these aticles this just might work. I will look for the articles and send you the linnks when I find them.

 

Wayne

Gary Heltemes said:

Wayne

Yes.........I always use a noxtous (sp) fumes respirator. I would just like to circulate the air in the shop after spraying, as that odor can hang in the shop for a couple of days. I do have a rather large shop, no room for a spray booth and venting outside is all but out of the question.....when it's -20 outside. Brrrrrrrrrr!!!!

Yes, the carbon filters will help but I doubt it will eliminate it completely.  Places like Grainger have these in a bunch of sizes, but they aren't cheap - about $20 and up per.

 

Randall............thanks for the lead. I have ordered over the internet from "filters fast", but I will deffinitely check out grainger.

Wayne..........the squirrel cage or box fan and furnace filters is exactly what I use for my sanding down draft table/air filtration. Yes, by all means, if you find those links, I'd appreciated looking at them.

Have you considered switching to water-based topcoats? Low to no odor. Sometimes, you may encounter a slight ammonia odor, but that is it. They dry as fast as any solvent lacquer.

 

The General Finishes water-based products are very good and I have used them for past several years with no issue  here is the link to General Finishes

 

Gosh....I love the smell of solvent lacquer...why get ride of the perfume...hahahaha

 

 

 

Mike are you a kid of the 60's too?

Mike Frank said:

Have you considered switching to water-based topcoats? Low to no odor. Sometimes, you may encounter a slight ammonia odor, but that is it. They dry as fast as any solvent lacquer.

 

The General Finishes water-based products are very good and I have used them for past several years with no issue 

here is the link to General Finishes

 

Gosh....I love the smell of solvent lacquer...why get ride of the perfume...hahahaha

 

 

 

Mike.............I have been using solvent base forever and feel comfortable with it. Plus, I have heard so much negative about water base that I am scared to try it. I guess I'm in my comfort zone. Besides..........this way I can get a high any time of day. I don't have to wait for 5pm. Hehehehe

You know Gary, my son swears by water base topcoats but I'm just not sold on them.  I sprayed MinWax water based on a porch swing and I noticed a couple of things.  First, the urethane didn't help the wood tone like a lacquer or even an oil based urethane and secondly, it didn't hold up as well.  After a couple of years the finish wanted to flake.  My lacquer coated swing is still looking good after three years.

Gary Heltemes said:

Mike.............I have been using solvent base forever and feel comfortable with it. Plus, I have heard so much negative about water base that I am scared to try it. I guess I'm in my comfort zone. Besides..........this way I can get a high any time of day. I don't have to wait for 5pm. Hehehehe

Ron...........I guess I am not the experimenting type. That's why I stay with what I feel I know. Your experience is kinda like what I've heard. But............maybe someday I'll try a water base finish............on something not quite so important to have a lasting finsh.............just to try it. To all you guys that like it.........what can I say???? I'm chicken to try.

You know Gary, everything depends on time and what kind of finish I want.  If I have the time (if the item is for me) I'll use a 50/50 BLO and Mineral Spirits.  If its going up for sale I'll lacquer it.  I'm also partial to tug oil if I have time to rub it. 

Gary Heltemes said:

Ron...........I guess I am not the experimenting type. That's why I stay with what I feel I know. Your experience is kinda like what I've heard. But............maybe someday I'll try a water base finish............on something not quite so important to have a lasting finsh.............just to try it. To all you guys that like it.........what can I say???? I'm chicken to try.

Oh, ya, Your right. I have started using a little shellac..........as in padding. I got a lot to learn. I'm going to mix up a fresh batch of flakes and try brushing and see how that works. In my case............I have nothing but time now that I'm retarded, I mean retired. But I still go lacquer. Go figure???

Question for ya ron...........If you mixed 1/3 each BLO-MS and poly, wouldn't that be that rub in varnish..........or whatever like formby's???

Oops sorry the fingers aren't working so good today "...rid of the perfume


Gary.....


Water-based wasn't to bad. What I do, spray coats 1 and 2  kinda of light. My 3rd  I will spray pretty full and wet (3 to 4 mils) and the finish will start to take a  bluish hue and orange peel. Basically, full and wet and looks terrible. But....it just flows out really nice.

I have sprayed only a couple of the other water-based brands on the Market, but none can compare to General Finishes, in my opinion.


Ron.....


General Finishes has a nice outdoor water-based which is formulated to be more flexible and not crack and flake off when wood expands and contracts from moisture conditions being outside.

 

Go ahead and go for it but there are a few things I'd address first:

 

Overspray filter to keep the overspray from clogging up everything,

 

Sealed motor for explosion proof.

 

Distance to neighbors who might not appreciate the perfume.

 

and last but not least, they make filters for this in the industrial world, just gotta look for them.

 

I hate water based lacquer too.

 

It just doesn't work with black lacquer.

dragon-mike............I have neighbors, but not that close. So odor from lacquer is not a problem. I have found charcoal filters on line, but have to purchase a box of  6.............now I'm think'n. What if it don't work.........then what do I do with the other 4.

Ok............I just had a thought. My down draft table takes 6 filters....( 2 stacks, 3 deep ).......maybe I will just load up with all off them. That would be the test. Right????

Cheeeeez, I'm brilliant!!!!!

When ya have to cut some cheeeeeez, nobody to blame, not even the dog...problem solved 

Gary Heltemes said:

dragon-mike............I have neighbors, but not that close. So odor from lacquer is not a problem. I have found charcoal filters on line, but have to purchase a box of  6.............now I'm think'n. What if it don't work.........then what do I do with the other 4.

Ok............I just had a thought. My down draft table takes 6 filters....( 2 stacks, 3 deep ).......maybe I will just load up with all off them. That would be the test. Right????

Cheeeeez, I'm brilliant!!!!!

You could test it by just spraying lacquer thinner and have somebody else smell for it outside. but if no neighbors to offend, are you looking to just filter the inside air in the shop?

 

Maybe you could just vent to the outside with a squirrel cage and a peice of 4 inch pvc with a cap on top?

Gary

Searched hi and lo. Can't find aything but the fans and furnace filters gig. Figures, about the time I forget about it I will stumble across what I was looking for. Just like in my shop. All I can say at this point is with age comes wisdom, and a certain amount of senility.  I just hope I remember to retire when the time comes.