The Artograph spray booth is a great option for people who want an effective and affordable way to filter the air when using spray paint and airbrushes. It can be used with or without ducting to the outside. In this article we are going to review some of the features of the Artograph, and also look at some of its closest competition.
When it comes to creating art, health and safety should be one of your greatest concerns. Certain types of art making like spray painting and airbrushing require specific tools. These techniques release harmful aerosols and vaporized paint particles into the air. You don’t want either of these to be circulating in the room you are working in. This is especially true if your art studio is in your home. You will want to ensure that as much of the fumes and particulate matter as possible is removed from the air.
While wearing a respirator should always be a first line of defence, a spray booth can be very helpful to improve the air quality in your studio. A spray booth is a contained surface that is attached to an extraction fan or filter. The platform and walls of the booth help to protect the surrounding areas from the paint spray. The fan sucks out the polluted air along with any floating particles of paint and vents it outside or runs it through a filter. Ideally the fan you are using is strong enough to suck up and filter or extract most of the polluted air before it can spread to the rest of the room.
The Artograph 1530 hobby model spray booth is a great solution for hobbyists and home artists. It cleans the air by running it through a 3-stage filter. While this is not as effective as an industrial spray booth that extracts the air to the outside, it is a much more affordable option for the hobbyist and artist working from home. It is also much easier to install as it is a self contained unit and doesn’t require ducting to be run to the outside.
Details
The Artograph spray booth measures 15 by 30 inches. This allows it to fit pieces that are up to 28 by 13 inches. It uses a 370 Cubic Feet per Minute (CFM) fan that is run through a filter. The front has a clear panel that allows a lot of light in. There is also an edge that allows you to hang small pieces from the top of the unit. The filter on the Artograph spray booth is a three stage design. As the air is sucked out of the booth and through the filter the first stage it meets is a polyester pre-filter. The pre-filter removed airborne particulates (like paint still floating in the air) before it can contact the rest of the filter. This is the stage of the filtration that will need to be changed most often as it will be the first point of contact with any wet spray paint that comes through the filter. The second stage is a woven polyester filter with a PVC binder. The second stage filter is designed to removed particles up to 5 microns in size. The third stage is a carbon-impregnated polyester material that is designed to remove odors and even more particles that may have made it through the first two stages. The cleaned exhaust air vents back into the room but it can also be connected to ducting. The ducting can be vented outside for maximum safety. The filters are replaceable, so you can ensure that the Artograph spray booth is operating at maximum efficiency.
Unfortunately the Artograph spray booth has been discontinued by Artograph. Having said this it can still be found on Amazon at the time of writing this article. You may also want to consider the Master Airbrush Spray Booth if you are unable to find the Artograph model.
Pros
- Easy to Install
- Ability to be vented outside
- Can be used without ducting outside
- Clear Acrylic Panel lets in lots of light
- Edges to hang small pieces from the roof
Cons
- There are less expensive alternatives
- Filter Replacement costs
- It has been discontinued so it might be hard to find
Master Airbrush Hobby Spray Booth
One of the most popular alternatives to the Artograph Spray Booth is the Master Airbrush Hobby Spray Booth. This is another spray booth for airbrush or spray paint that is aimed at the hobbyist. The added benefit of the Master Airbrush spray booth is that it vents directly to the outside. The spray booth includes a hose and outlet that can be directed out of a window. This is a little less convenient as you need to make sure that you place the spray booth close to a window. It would also be a good idea to remove you screen if you are going to use this booth to ensure that it doesn’t get covered in paint particles. The Master Airbrush spray booth is also quite a bit less expensive. It is also available with an LED light. This allows you to clearly see the art or craft project that you are working on. This spray booth measures 16.5 inches Wide x 19″ Deep x 13.5″ High, so it is great for smaller projects. Unfortunately it won’t be large enough for large scale pieces.
Now that the Artograph Spray booth has been discontinued, many people are looking at the more affordable Master Airbrush Hobby Spray Booth. Both of these spray booths are quite good and a good solution for the home hobbyist.
