Safety hazards using an airbrush

H

Herr Klopek

Guest
Hi Guys,

I'm concerned about the safety hazards using an airbrush and for that reason have decided on using acrylic paints as my "go to" paint. The local supply is either Model Master or Tamiya. After doing a whole bunch of reading on the two I would like to start off using the Tamiya but have read that it is not a "true" acrylic like MM is. I don't have a spray booth and because of the climate I live in spraying outside can only be done in the summer months (when it's not too hot) So the question is are there any safety issues susing the Tamiya brand of paint inside a house? I plan to thin it with their acrylic thinner, not the lacquer thinner.

Thanks
 
Follow the basics and you should be fine, ventilation and maybe a dust mask. Read the label to make sure there is no extra steps needed. Let commonsense be your guide.

Don't forget to put down a newspaper or something else to catch the over spray.
 
Thanks Wicked Pete, but I'm not overly worried about the smell. I'd like to know whether or not I'm spraying a cancer causing carcinogen in the house. I'm thinking that the answer is a no for Model Master paints but I'm not sure about the Tamiya paints. I did a few google searches but did not come up with much so just wondering if anyone here knows about this.

:)
 
Well, I would guess Model Paint is probably NOT healthy for you to be breathing. But that's what ventilation is for.
 
GrandSherman said:
Well, I would guess Model Paint is probably NOT healthy for you to be breathing. But that's what ventilation is for.
Click to expand...

Cough cough....nope it probably isn't too healthy to breath in....cough cough. :)

Does ventilation = a well vented spray booth or is an open window and fan good enough? Does the answer depend on whether it is an enamel paint or acrylic?
 
Heehee, An open window or a fan is fine i believe. You don't really need any fancy equipment or anything, and you should be able to tell when you need a break haha. Enamel is a little harder to breath that acrylic, but don't be afraid to use it it's fine. Just don't forget u'll be using thinner with Enamel. A bit of a hassle to dispose of because you can't just toss it down the sink :S

Come to think of it, you probably can't wash any of that stuff down the sink!
 
It's funny. When I got back into modeling and open up the first jar of Model Masters enamel I was transported back into time to when I was a kid. It was a great flashback. Of course, in the age of health paranoia and realizing that I'm not mortal, I immediately thought about how "healthy" this and did a little research. I think it boils down into two issues which you are dancing around but haven't quite articulated:
  • Environmental. Some paints (enamels, oils, lacquers) are flamable. A spark, flame, etc. can start a fire or create an explosion. I saw an interesting video (which I cannot find now) demonstrating how a little vaporized paint can create a big explosion in a airbrush blow-out container. A well ventilated room virtually eliminates this possibility as it takes the fumes/particulates out of the enclosed space and disperses them, making an explosion less likely.
  • Health. While paint used to contain lead and other carcinogens, paint sold today is less toxic (I won't say non-toxic because I'm a skeptic). Still, you don't want paint to build up in your lungs. A well-ventlated room doesn't solve that problem. Think about your hands when you airbrush: you get paint on them. Even if your careful, not all the paint hits the model. It hits the backing behind the model, it hits your hands, it bounces into the air and it can get into your lungs unless you're wearing a repirator. A simple dust mask isn't enough to keep these particulates out of your lungs as they are much smaller than dust. You need a respirator with an external filter designed to keep paint and other fine particulates out of your lungs. These aren't cheap ($30 USD at Home Depot) but they work.
With all that said, I paint with both enamels (Model Masters) and acyrlics (Vallejo). Generally, my painting sessions are very short since I only work on one model at a time and generally only spray one color at a time. I paint in a two-car garage and don't use any special equipment to ventilate it. If the weather is nice, I might open the garage door. If not, I'll keep it closed. And, I wear a repsirator.

Good luck and enjoy. The airbrush is a great tool to help improve the quality of your models.
 
Go visit your local military surplus store and get a complete set of NBC gear. Also don't forget to pick up some duct tape to seal the seams with. Maybe a re- breather while your at it.
 
THe paint is an issue, but also do not forget the cleaning medium used. If using acrylics, I usually run water and alcohol through the brush to get most of the paint out, then run some window cleaner through it to really clean the inner parts and needle. These cleaners are not as dnagerous as lacquer thinner or what ever you may use to clean with enamel based.
 
Lt. Smash said:
It's funny. When I got back into modeling and open up the first jar of Model Masters enamel I was transported back into time to when I was a kid. It was a great flashback. Of course, in the age of health paranoia and realizing that I'm not mortal, I immediately thought about how "healthy" this and did a little research. I think it boils down into two issues which you are dancing around but haven't quite articulated:
  • Environmental. Some paints (enamels, oils, lacquers) are flamable. A spark, flame, etc. can start a fire or create an explosion. I saw an interesting video (which I cannot find now) demonstrating how a little vaporized paint can create a big explosion in a airbrush blow-out container. A well ventilated room virtually eliminates this possibility as it takes the fumes/particulates out of the enclosed space and disperses them, making an explosion less likely.
  • Health. While paint used to contain lead and other carcinogens, paint sold today is less toxic (I won't say non-toxic because I'm a skeptic). Still, you don't want paint to build up in your lungs. A well-ventlated room doesn't solve that problem. Think about your hands when you airbrush: you get paint on them. Even if your careful, not all the paint hits the model. It hits the backing behind the model, it hits your hands, it bounces into the air and it can get into your lungs unless you're wearing a repirator. A simple dust mask isn't enough to keep these particulates out of your lungs as they are much smaller than dust. You need a respirator with an external filter designed to keep paint and other fine particulates out of your lungs. These aren't cheap ($30 USD at Home Depot) but they work.
With all that said, I paint with both enamels (Model Masters) and acyrlics (Vallejo). Generally, my painting sessions are very short since I only work on one model at a time and generally only spray one color at a time. I paint in a two-car garage and don't use any special equipment to ventilate it. If the weather is nice, I might open the garage door. If not, I'll keep it closed. And, I wear a repsirator.


Good luck and enjoy. The airbrush is a great tool to help improve the quality of your models.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the detailed reply. I'm not too concerned about the environmental hazards because I'm well aware of how easy a bin of solvent soaked rags can burn down a house and there a lot of recyling places close by to safely get rid of stuff. My main concern is the health issue and the fact that using an airbrush sends out a whole bunch of airborne junk that you can easily breath in. For sure I will purchase a respirator and use it, that will protect me while I spray and I plan to spray in the garage when the weather is good. The problem is that I live on the Canadian prairies and it gets fu$#-en cold for 6 months of the year. So cold that I cannot open any windows in my house because they are frozen shut. So I don't think I can even use a spraybooth in the winter.

I suppose my question is this, what kind of paint would be "safe" to use in this situation where I might not be able to vent the room properly? Are Vallejo paints safer than Tamiya, or is there no difference?

Thanks
 
Wicked Pete said:
Go visit your local military surplus store and get a complete set of NBC gear. Also don't forget to pick up some duct tape to seal the seams with. Maybe a re- breather while your at it.
Click to expand...


LOL ya that would protect me, but not my faithful dog who will be breathing in all that stuff. Just so you guys don't think I'm some kind of a suckie-baby who is afraid of a few paint fumes......in my younger days I used to play first division rugby, and would smoke and drink with reckless abandon, living for the day and not caring what the future will bring. But age, marriage and children makes the best of us more cautious.

:):):)
 
Utube has excellent videos on building a paint box. using a non-sparking fan, wood, and dryer hose.

Rommel-out
 
Rommel said:
Utube has excellent videos on building a paint box. using a non-sparking fan, wood, and dryer hose.

Rommel-out
Click to expand...

Ya the more I read about spraying paint indoors the more I get motivated to make a vented spray booth. Even water based acrylics might contain nasty things depending on the colour. I can still spray in my garage till about early fall then it'll be get way to cold so I have a few months to get my arse in gear and make one.
 
I remember reading on a forum where a member exhausted his diy paint booth into a sealed 5 gallon bucket filled with furnace filter material, activated charcoal and venting it with a respirator cartridge. Using this instead of venting out a window. Said he smelled no fumes and there was no over spray in the room. I guess it works like a giant reverse respirator for your spray booth. I wanted to try it, but I'll be damned if I can find it again. Anyone run across anything like this? Would be great when its cold and don't want to open a window.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom