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Saw something smart at a shop in Nashville last week
I was visiting a buddy's body shop in Nashville last week and noticed he had these big industrial fans pointed at the paint booth from outside. I asked him what they were for and he said he uses them to pull fresh air in faster between coats. It cuts his dry time by like 20 minutes per panel. He also had this setup with a dehumidifier running right next to the booth. I never thought about controlling air flow that way. It seems obvious now but I always just waited around for paint to cure. Has anyone else tried using extra fans or dehumidifiers to speed up your cycle time?
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shanelee2mo ago
Was he using any kind of filter on those fans?
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king.robin2mo ago
You really think those industrial fans are pushing enough fresh air without pulling in dust or moisture from outside? I'd be worried about messing up a fresh paint job if the air quality isn't dialed in. Did your buddy have any special filters rigged up on those fans or just raw dogging it with the outside air? The dehumidifier makes sense though, I've seen guys use them in basements to speed up epoxy floor coatings.
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taylor.sean2mo ago
Damn man, that's a legit concern and I feel you. I've been burned before by trying to rush a paint job and ended up with dust stuck in the clear coat, it's a nightmare. Did your buddy at least crack a window on the opposite side to create some crossflow, or was it just those fans blasting straight in? My buddy who does bodywork swears by just using box fans with cheap furnace filters taped on the back, stops most of the big crap from blowing in. You're right about the moisture too, especially if it's humid out, that can mess with drying times real bad. I'd rather wait an extra day for good air than have to sand down and respray because some lint or pollen landed on it. Solid heads up, man.
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