My Spray Booth Construction

[thibaultron]

I removed the triangular plywood braces at the bottom of the booth stand, at 24" wide my feet kept hitting them. I'll put in a couple of metal shelf brackets in their place, like I did for my workbench.

 

 

I added a removable shelf to the base to store the air compressor, when the booth is not being used. I also added a couple of wood blocks to protect the regulator, now that the table does not stick out of that side. The vertical block catches the corner of the wall, so I don't push the regular into it. The corner is recessed a bit as the sliding doors sit on that side of the wall.

 

 

 

[thibaultron]

Part 12

I added a drop down leaf to the side of the booth today. I used the end of the original table I cut off when I reduced the stand width to 24 inches. I used two strap hinges, one on each end. For now the hinges are screwed to the table. When I’m done I’ll install some machine screws in their place. The screws I put into the stand itself will stay, they are in the vertical corner stud inside. While I was adding the supports, I blocked the leaf up level, so I could position the parts with both hands. You can see, from the multiple extra holes, that this table has been used for a couple of other tasks in the past. Never throw anything out, until it is too small to use again! Also it drives the Admiral nuts. 🙂

If you look to the right bottom in the picture above, you will see a triangular end at the bottom of the stand. I removed these to make the table supports. At some time in the future I’ll replace them, but the only 3/8” plywood I had is a full 4x8 sheet of the same material, which would be better used on the outside of the shed. The only purpose they served was to keep me from tripping on the exposed stud. The extra stud length is needed to balance the fan that hangs off the back of the booth. Now the booth backs onto another desk, so there is no tripping hazard.

I cut a relief on the corner of the triangular piece to clear the table hinge, and used two more straps to hang it.

I also cut the end of this panel, as well as the one for the other side, so that the panels will sit flush against the side when the leaf is folded down. Yes the cut is ugly, opps! I placed the support hinges as shown so that the support will lay as close to the side of the stand as possible. The screw at the far end of the hinge will also be replaced with a machine screw, as there is no stud behind it. Right now the support panel is also screwed to the hinge. To strengthen this I’ll replace them with “T” nuts and machine screws. I don’t want the screws to rip out, when, not if, I fall against it! Never tempt Murphy!

 

This is a shot of the table and support hinges on the inside of the assembly. On the other side, the front of the booth, the strap hinges stuck out past the vertical corner stud, so I took a hammer and bent them around and screwed the bent end to the inside of the stud (I didn’t think to get a picture of that).

This is shot is the two supports folded in.

Notice I did a better job trimming the end of the second support.

 

Here is the whole thing folded down. I will have to add washers under the table hinges, to let the leaf hang freely, there is a bit of interference from the supports right now.

 

And I managed to end up with the leaf sitting square to the booth when up.

Next I have to add the blocks and pins to hold the supports in place, when the leaf is up.

 

[thibaultron]

Part 13

 

I finished installing the drop leaf today.

 

I discovered that one of the supports was warped, and there was no way just adding a washer or two behind the hinge was going to let the leaf swing down fully. This shot shows the warped leaf, on the right, if you look closely. This is after I added the plywood washers (see below).

I cut two hinge leg shaped washers from the last scrap piece of the plywood I built the booth out of. This shot is of the piece, after the washers were cut out. I’d already installed them before I thought to bring the camera out.

I drilled out three holes in the washer. To match those holes in the hinge leg. I drilled these the same size as those in the hinge, as in a metal washer. Then I removed the hinge screws and installed the ply washers between the hinge and the side of the booth stand. You can see it in the middle upper of this picture.

With the thick washer in place I had to trim the corner of the supports a bit more, to clear the bottom of the hinge leg.

To capture the supports when the leaf is up, and prevent them from being accidentally knocked back to the folded position, I put in two #10-24 flat head screws into the table. A number 6 or 8 would have been sufficient, but I reused an existing hole, so had to go with the #10s. I counter sunk the table for the screws, and secured them underneath with a nut.  The support is swung out and placed with the screws on either side of it, preventing it from being knocked in either direction. The leaf lifts up high enough for the support to clear the screws when positioning the support.

The picture below is way out of focus, but you can make out the screws and nuts.

I drilled a 3/8” hole in the folded in supports and the side of the stand, to clear the screws when the leaf is folded down.

Adding the ply washers, of course, moved the edge of the table away from the booth by 3/8”. To keep little “things” from rolling down that slot, I added a ¾” square batten to the side of the booth, that seals the gap, with the leaf up. Adding it to the table would have been better, but there was not enough “meat” at the edge of the leaf to hold screws. I would have had to go with a wider batten, to attach it to the table. I chamfered the ends of the batten, so that there was not a sharp corner to hit.

I still have to replace various hinge screws with #8-32 flat head machine screws, but I don’t have any, at the moment.

[thibaultron]

Part 14

 

Today I installed a small shelf on the back of my spray booth, to mount my new dedicated airbrush compressor. I screwed a couple small shelf brackets to the back of the booth, and temporarily screwed on a small shelf on the brackets. Using this piece, also, means that I have completely used the entire 4X8 sheet of plywood I built the booth from, no waste!

 

I have to buy some small machine screws tomorrow, to finish bolting the shelf in place. I drilled holes in the shelf on either side of the compressor legs for wire ties to hold it in place, while still allowing the rubber feet to dampen vibration. When I install the machine screws, I'll add a couple of eyelets in the main spray booth housing for two additional wire ties at the "forward" edge of the legs. It "Just" slides under the shelf above it, but as I'm going to be moving the work bench and spray booth in the near future, this is not a problem.

 

Sorry the photos are a little out of focus, I didn't realize the flash was turned off on my phone.