I’ve finally accepted that I am not going to be able to paint my boat in my own shop. I cannot ventilate or control the environment adequately. I’ll need to rent a space, or find a painter, or both. If there are any forum members who can offer painting services within an overnight turnaround trip from Cincinnati, please let me know. I would trailer the boat to the location, leave it there for as long as needed, and return to pick it up on completion. I won’t say money is no object, but I also know this kind of work doesn’t come cheap. I already have the paint and will finish all of the sanding. Thanks!
hmm… so far crickets. In the meantime, I have been calling around for a space. The most promising so far is a spot in a warehouse converted to rehearsal space, art studios and workshops. It has loading dock access, and they would be fine with me using marine paint.
I’ve also been considering rigging and splashing the boat without paint just so I can get it in the water this season, and then worry about paint over the winter or next year. I’m a little wary of pushing it off and having it turn into something that never gets done though. I have a couple of those projects already. Some of them are victims of the boat project itself.
I decided this morning to go for broke and put a coat of primer on the boat as test. I sealed the entrance from the garage/basement to the house and have the overhead garage door open with a hanging fan pushing air out. I turned off the main HVAC as the furnace/fan is right next to the boat. There is no return vent in the garage, but the ducts are not air tight and some air from the shop does get pushed into the house. In my first test I neglected to turn the central AC off and the fumes eventually built up in the house. So far so good this time. With the right windows open in the house I can keep the air from backing up from the basement.
If the temps stay high enough to cure paint with the door open over the next couple weeks I may pull it off. If I have to shut the door to leave, I can bring my dog to daycare so I don’t have to worry about him while I am gone. The dust and bugs, which there are plenty of, I will just have to live with. I know I won’t be the first.
If you are ok with someone else painting it, check with an auto body shop or perhaps a local vo-tech? I think the original Pocketship was painted at an auto shop?
Steve,
Good point about the auto body shop. One near me was willing to do so, they just needed a paint sample and a copy of the MSDS for checking compatibility with their sprayers and ventilation. I ended up not using them but they were very willing.
Aaron,
What kind of paint are you using? Are you committed to it? I ‘m asking because if you can find a water-carried 2-part linear polyurethane they typically don’t give off harmful fumes since they are not solvent-based. I’ve used them in a garage with the door open and that was plenty of ventilation.
The old System 3 WR-LPU paints were of this type but were discontinued. I don’t know if a substitute would be easier to find than a local paint shop.
Laszlo
I am using Interlux Toplac Plus which I have already purchased from CLC. In my underestimating of this project, paint is one place where I completely failed to do any homework. I took the “I’ll solve that problem when it happens” approach. It was rather expensive so I am committed for the time being.
The one place I found that rents booths at their location is an automotive shop, but I would imagine they’d be ok with it. I haven’t been able to get anyone on the phone yet. They do say on their website that in addition to the booth they provide an air supply, but you bring your own spray equipment and paint. I imagine rolling on would still be an option there too. Rental is $125/day which could get steep with multiple coats and curing times, but having it done professionally would be expensive as well. I’ll look into having it done at an autobody place. There is a also Career Center not too far away that has a program as far as I know.
I’m starting to think I can get it done at home if I can get the logistics right and the temps continue to cooperate. Lows are predicted to be in the mid 50s F for the next 7-10 days, and mid 80s during the day. I’ll see how the priming goes. The first coat cured nicely after ~18hrs and can be sanded. When I tried a small test piece back in the dog days of summer it was still soft after 24hrs.
Thanks for the feedback. One way the other it will happen.