This window mounted fan support is a long overdue shop upgrade project.  Every time I spray lacquer I had to rig the fan to stay in the window (it fell once and bent the blades).  And it didn't work very well, either.  As much air came in the window as the fan blew out.  Also, every bug that got near the window got sucked in by the vortex on the periphery of the fan.  This is much, much better!

 

Enjoy!

David

That's pretty neat!

 

I used a furnace blower motor mounted in the window. My shop is in the basement so I just removed the basement fold in window and replaced it with the blower and added some filters to keep the dirt/dust from clogging the motor.

Great idea Dave.  I like it.

Not certain, but thought this was frowned upon due to the extremely flammable fumes passing thru an electric motor that could generate a spark to ignite the fumes.  

Just now, Wil said:

Not certain, but thought this was frowned upon due to the extremely flammable fumes passing thru an electric motor that could generate a spark to ignite the fumes.  

Thank you! Now, let's talk about the gas can surrounded by all of the scrap wood.

2 minutes ago, schnewj said:

Thank you! Now, let's talk about the gas can surrounded by all of the scrap wood.

 

what about using a furnace blower motor set up w/ squirrel cage instead...

Yeah, hopefully the gas can is used for something other than gas if it's in the wood shop.  I worked in a body shop in high school and the spray booth exhaust had to have the fan or blower removed from the duct.  The fan itself could be in the duct but turned via a pulley setup so the motor was isolated.  Maybe I'm wrong, but would highly encourage someone to do some homework before doing this.  

 

Edited April 22, 20188 yr by Wil

59 minutes ago, Stick486 said:

 

what about using a furnace blower motor set up w/ squirrel cage instead...

They work great EXCEPT in a basement shop where the furnace is located in the same room. The fan creates enough airflow that it can suck furnace fumes DOWN the chimney. Don't ask how I know this!

18 minutes ago, lew said:

They work great EXCEPT in a basement shop where the furnace is located in the same room. The fan creates enough airflow that it can suck furnace fumes DOWN the chimney. Don't ask how I know this!

 

the furnace box should be sealed and have make up air..

okay...

 itty bitty TEFC motor to turn a small squirrel cage..

it's the type of motor that is the issue...

1 hour ago, Wil said:

Not certain, but thought this was frowned upon due to the extremely flammable fumes passing thru an electric motor that could generate a spark to ignite the fumes.  

A commercial set-up would require XP motor, OTOH commercial wouldn't use a prop fan. 

29 minutes ago, Stick486 said:

the furnace box should be sealed and have make up air..

okay...

Some things are easier said than done in an early '50's house

Great comments.  Think the moral of the story is to really think this through before putting this solution in place.  You may not got the chance to reevaluate this.  

Thanks guys, but I have thought this through and have been putting that fan in the window for the last 18 months.  I just now decided to mount it so I don't have to jump through hoops to keep the fan on the window sill and to increase air flow.  I realize it isn't explosion proof but when I spray it isn't very heavy and with the HVLP gun there's so little overspray and airborne material that it's gone in no time.  Now if I was using a cup gun and filling the room with a cloud of vapors that would be a different story but I spray small items and it's over with pretty quickly. There's another window and it's open to bring in fresh air.

 

Yes, the gas can has gas in it like millions of other guys have in their garages for their lawn equipment.  I put the mower out on the back porch but if I put the gas can out there the plastic won't last and the gas will likely evaporate.  It's a wood shop, no metal work, no open flames anywhere near the gas can that's been there going on 11 years.

 

Is this ideal?  Nope.  But we don't have the budget or the space to build a dedicated wood shop out back or even a shed to put the lawn equipment and gas can in so this is going to have to do.

David

13 minutes ago, difalkner said:

Now if I was using a cup gun and filling the room with a cloud of vapors that would be a different story

 

what about the guy that sees your fan set up, (which in it's self very good) does like wise and uses a cup gun for larger projects...

the ripple effect/affect needs to be considered...

 

13 minutes ago, difalkner said:

no open flames anywhere

 

just about all electric motors generate sparks including some cordless tools..

''what if'' is a force to be reckoned w/...

Thanks for your concerns, Stick. 

 

David

 

Edit - I added a disclaimer to the description

***Disclaimer*** This is not an explosion proof fan.  If you're wanting to build a similar stand for your shop you should probably look into an explosion proof fan or other setups to prevent fire and explosions

Edited April 22, 20188 yr by difalkner

On 4/22/2018 at 9:52 AM, Wil said:

frowned upon due to the extremely flammable fumes passing thru an electric motor

The amount of flammable material to have a fire hazard would need to be industrial in scale. 

It's possible that I could get there if I had a spill.  And the possibility of a spill is not so remote as to render it inconsequential.

 accidents happen.

you know the best way to ventilate for hazardous fumes is to bring fresh air in and elevate the room to positive pressure...

and yes, a spill comes under the  ''what if'' category..

Two thoughts:

 

1.  Everything is OK until something happens to prove it actually wasn't.

 

2.  That said, has anyone actually heard of a situation (in a home shop, I'm not talking about OSHA controlled industries) where an explosion really happened due to this kind of set-up?  This may be similar to the static grounding discussion in dust collection systems to prevent explosions, which I am convinced are only needed as a comfort factor.  

36 minutes ago, PostalTom said:

This may be similar to the static grounding discussion in dust collection systems

 

tell that to Ray when a static clip made his hearing aide go berserk and caused him some serious distress and pain...

you needed to be there while he thrashed on the floor, his head in his hands screaming till his unit faile...

after some research.. not all pacemakers are static shock protected...

 

now refer to item #1...

only takes once to make one serious mess of your Wheaties..

 

OK Stick.  I had a similar experience with static coming through the antenna in a headphone radio.  Not to be confused with radio headphones.  I had to explain the difference to a Best Buy clerk.  The static didn't cause any pain such as you described, but it did reset all my stations back to factory settings, so I can see the possibility of what happened to your friend Ray.  

 

I stand (or in this case sit) corrected.