rgfast
Promoted Users
I want to start by stating that I am DIY hack and hobbyist!!
Back story
Things started in winter of 2016 after buying 1979 Z28 which was freshly painted and a good-looking car, plan was to throw in a 386 I had sitting on the motor stand and a T56 that had been sitting under the bench for quite a while. This car was to be a weekend driver that to this day is not complete LOL, soon after I started, I started finding all the years of BS fix's that has led to a very deep rabbit Hole. Winter 2017 purchased 2000 Z28 site unseen as parts car, ls goodies and interior (current car being painted) after forking up the $800 for car and bring it home wife and I decided car was too nice to cut up. Rabbit hole again $20,000 later she's a real corner carver LOL. Problem being I couldn't find anyone willing to do all overs as collision work pays way better and faster leaving me no real choice but learn to do it myself, I've been a car guy all my life and the only thing I've really never done was spray my own cars.
Here's where we start, in my mind if you're going to paint then you're going to need a proper place to do so. Googling led me to a new world of auto body paint forums, but not this wonderful site yet. On another site I started following I guy you all know here as 68 coronet R/T who had a great thread on DIY paint booths, so many of my ideas came straight from him (thank you 68 you also led me here). Buying a booth used or new would have been cheaper but wouldn't my fit space, I put together a plan in my head and started a lumber list to get things going. My shop is a 50x50 metal building with 16' ceiling, I've built a second-floor storage area over my motor room which has 8' ceilings and I wanted to maintain this height so lost floor space would become storage above booth area. I had an unfortunate I-phone crash and lost a ton of pictures of the Constuction phase of booth but will try to add in what I can find. Here's couple from March 2018 with framing complete and lights installed
car pictured is an 80 Z28 hard top yet to start build but maybe turbo LS project down the road!
next is photo of filter wall construction
door in photo leads to second floor staircase, one of those things that couldn't be moved so had to be incorporated into design of booth area. From back wall of shop is a 10' area which includes staircase and storage area leading from motor room to booth now and has entry/exit for booth
also, in above photo you can supply hose for fresh air hood an on/off switch for exhaust fan. Speaking of exhaust fan, I have a Cook explosion proof fan which is 30" six blade that is rated @ 8,900 cfm to 6.700 cfm depending on shib adjustment on motor (I have it set at 50% right now). Motor starts using 120-volt magnetic contacts switch which also controls 120volt motorized damper
more later on-air system, hope I'm not boring everyone here.
Back story
Things started in winter of 2016 after buying 1979 Z28 which was freshly painted and a good-looking car, plan was to throw in a 386 I had sitting on the motor stand and a T56 that had been sitting under the bench for quite a while. This car was to be a weekend driver that to this day is not complete LOL, soon after I started, I started finding all the years of BS fix's that has led to a very deep rabbit Hole. Winter 2017 purchased 2000 Z28 site unseen as parts car, ls goodies and interior (current car being painted) after forking up the $800 for car and bring it home wife and I decided car was too nice to cut up. Rabbit hole again $20,000 later she's a real corner carver LOL. Problem being I couldn't find anyone willing to do all overs as collision work pays way better and faster leaving me no real choice but learn to do it myself, I've been a car guy all my life and the only thing I've really never done was spray my own cars.
Here's where we start, in my mind if you're going to paint then you're going to need a proper place to do so. Googling led me to a new world of auto body paint forums, but not this wonderful site yet. On another site I started following I guy you all know here as 68 coronet R/T who had a great thread on DIY paint booths, so many of my ideas came straight from him (thank you 68 you also led me here). Buying a booth used or new would have been cheaper but wouldn't my fit space, I put together a plan in my head and started a lumber list to get things going. My shop is a 50x50 metal building with 16' ceiling, I've built a second-floor storage area over my motor room which has 8' ceilings and I wanted to maintain this height so lost floor space would become storage above booth area. I had an unfortunate I-phone crash and lost a ton of pictures of the Constuction phase of booth but will try to add in what I can find. Here's couple from March 2018 with framing complete and lights installed
car pictured is an 80 Z28 hard top yet to start build but maybe turbo LS project down the road!
next is photo of filter wall construction
door in photo leads to second floor staircase, one of those things that couldn't be moved so had to be incorporated into design of booth area. From back wall of shop is a 10' area which includes staircase and storage area leading from motor room to booth now and has entry/exit for booth
also, in above photo you can supply hose for fresh air hood an on/off switch for exhaust fan. Speaking of exhaust fan, I have a Cook explosion proof fan which is 30" six blade that is rated @ 8,900 cfm to 6.700 cfm depending on shib adjustment on motor (I have it set at 50% right now). Motor starts using 120-volt magnetic contacts switch which also controls 120volt motorized damper
more later on-air system, hope I'm not boring everyone here.