# Window mounted fan for spraying lacquer



## difalkner (Jan 3, 2012)

This window mounted fan support is a long overdue shop upgrade project. Every time I spray lacquer I had to rig the fan to stay in the window (it fell once and bent the blades). And it didn't work very well, either. As much air came in the window as the fan blew out. Also, every bug that got near the window got sucked in by the vortex on the periphery of the fan. This is much, much better!






Enjoy!
David


----------



## Shop guy (Nov 22, 2012)

Pretty nifty neat, David. Liked the technique for cutting the bolt heads in too.


----------



## hawkeye10 (Jul 28, 2015)

difalkner said:


> This window mounted fan support is a long overdue shop upgrade project. Every time I spray lacquer I had to rig the fan to stay in the window (it fell once and bent the blades). And it didn't work very well, either. As much air came in the window as the fan blew out. Also, every bug that got near the window got sucked in by the vortex on the periphery of the fan. This is much, much better!
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wPh69qe3nl4
> 
> ...


David, that looks like it's going to work pretty good. So what about the AC this summer? You just going to sweat it out. Pun intended. :wink:

The heat and humidity are terrible here and I know it's a whole lot worse where you live.


----------



## difalkner (Jan 3, 2012)

Thanks, guys! I only run that when I spray, Don, and then turn the mini-split back on and I try to do most of my spraying in the mornings before it gets warm. Today it was in the 50's so pretty nice with the windows open for 30 minutes or so while I sprayed.

David


----------



## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

Good set up, David, and good vidio too.
Herb


----------



## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

An exceptional video David. Your shop must be a lot cleaner and dust free than mine, because when spraying lacquer, which is often, I have to wait 'till all dust has settled then I get a perfect finish, if I had a fan sucking the air out it would spread the fine dust.


----------



## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

I would worry about the explosive fumes and a spark generated by the fan motor..


----------



## Gaffboat (Mar 11, 2012)

Another great video, David. I love the bolt head technique.


----------



## difalkner (Jan 3, 2012)

Stick486 said:


> I would worry about the explosive fumes and a spark generated by the fan motor..


I realize it isn't explosion proof but when I spray it isn't very heavy and with the HVLP gun there's so little overspray and airborne material that it's gone in no time. I've been using this for about 18 months and just finally mounted it properly. Now if I was using a cup gun and filling the room with vapors that would be a different story but I spray small items and it's over with pretty quickly. There's another window and it's open to bring in fresh air.

David


----------



## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

difalkner said:


> I realize it isn't explosion proof but when I spray it isn't very heavy and with the HVLP gun there's so little overspray and airborne material that it's gone in no time. I've been using this for about 18 months and just finally mounted it properly. Now if I was using a cup gun and filling the room with vapors that would be a different story but I spray small items and it's over with pretty quickly. There's another window and it's open to bring in fresh air.
> 
> David


David..
what about the guy that sees your better plan and does likewise...
only he has a cup gun, no HVLP and is spraying larger projects...
are there others in the shop and is his family on the other side of the shop's wall... his insurances paid up or any good..
''what if'' is a mighty powerful force to be reckoned w/..


----------



## difalkner (Jan 3, 2012)

Thanks for your concerns, Stick. 

David 

I added a disclaimer to the description below the video - 
***Disclaimer*** This is not an explosion proof fan. If you're wanting to build a similar stand for your shop you should probably look into an explosion proof fan or other setups to prevent fire and explosions


----------



## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

difalkner said:


> Thanks for your concerns, Stick.
> 
> David
> 
> ...


I hope you don't fell as though I'm busting you chops...
but unfortunately you have to think ahead for not only yourself but so many others..
I couldn't deal w/ knowing my plan injured, maimed or killed someone especially a child collaterally..


----------



## Danman1957 (Mar 14, 2009)

David,

I like the fan but I don't think that beautiful Rose bush will appreciate the fumes ! 
I have seen and was planning to but a square window fan and build a box for it, it seems much easier given I don't own a CNC router. What advantage does this type of round fan have vs the square ?

Dan


----------



## difalkner (Jan 3, 2012)

I don't mind you busting my chops at all, Stick. You are correct that I should have pointed out there are better ways to do this. But I've had this in operation for 18 months and it's been in countless of my videos and until now just hasn't been the focus. So you can understand how good I felt about having a far better solution than just trying to keep the fan perched on the window sill. I honestly never even considered that someone might be influenced by what I've done and I need to start thinking about that. I'll do better in the future.

David


----------



## difalkner (Jan 3, 2012)

Danman1957 said:


> David,
> 
> I like the fan but I don't think that beautiful Rose bush will appreciate the fumes !
> I have seen and was planning to but a square window fan and build a box for it, it seems much easier given I don't own a CNC router. What advantage does this type of round fan have vs the square ?
> ...


Thanks, Dan! The fumes are gone so quickly I don't think the rose bush even notices. I have sprayed inside, put the gun down and taken my respirator off, walked outside and get a couple of feet from the fan and I can barely pick up the odor it's gone so quickly.

I picked this fan for the high CFM and greater air flow. It is something like 3 times the air flow of any square box fan I found (I don't remember the specs now but in my research 18 months ago I was surprised by the air flow this has so I bought it). I had the same thought - this would be much easier with a square fan.

David


----------



## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

difalkner said:


> I don't mind you busting my chops at all, Stick. You are correct that I should have pointed out there are better ways to do this. But I've had this in operation for 18 months and it's been in countless of my videos and until now just hasn't been the focus. So you can understand how good I felt about having a far better solution than just trying to keep the fan perched on the window sill. I honestly never even considered that someone might be influenced by what I've done and I need to start thinking about that. I'll do better in the future.
> 
> David


you do some major fine work...
you have better ideas routinely...
there is no accounting what others will do w/ your presentations...
so protect yourself...


----------



## whimsofchaz (Jun 6, 2013)

Nothing would get done if we protected all the idiots that don't think something through. That's what has happened in our country we are suing each other because the average guy doesn't think things through. 50% of the people out there are below average in intelligence. I really like your idea Dave


----------



## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

Other than large industrial, expensive fans I haven't seen any with brush type motors for MANY years, and if this is so, there are no sparks to worry about!


----------



## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

belt drive a squirrel cage blower w/ a fractional HP TEFC motor based or C faced... 

.


----------



## TenGees (Sep 12, 2012)

harrysin said:


> An exceptional video David. Your shop must be a lot cleaner and dust free than mine, because when spraying lacquer, which is often, I have to wait 'till all dust has settled then I get a perfect finish, if I had a fan sucking the air out it would spread the fine dust.


At the sign shop where I worked, I used to take a spray bottle and dampen the floor before applying vinyl or painting. Helped some.


----------



## Duane Bledsoe (Jan 6, 2013)

Stick486 said:


> belt drive a squirrel cage blower w/ a fractional HP TEFC motor based or C faced...
> 
> .


I’m continually blown away by the endless library of knowledgeable PFD’s you have. Every time I see a new one I read it, even if I don’t need to know it at the moment.


----------



## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

Duane Bledsoe said:


> I’m continually blown away by the endless library of knowledgeable PFD’s you have. Every time I see a new one I read it, even if I don’t need to know it at the moment.


thanks...
I think you are one of the very few that do read them...
sometimes I wonder why I even bother...


----------



## difalkner (Jan 3, 2012)

harrysin said:


> An exceptional video David. Your shop must be a lot cleaner and dust free than mine, because when spraying lacquer, which is often, I have to wait 'till all dust has settled then I get a perfect finish, if I had a fan sucking the air out it would spread the fine dust.


Yes sir, it is very clean and virtually dust free where I'm spraying (on top of the table saw). There certainly is dust in hard to reach areas but I'm not spraying anywhere near those places. When I turn the exhaust fan on I never see any dust or particles moving around.



TenGees said:


> At the sign shop where I worked, I used to take a spray bottle and dampen the floor before applying vinyl or painting. Helped some.


When I had my woodworking business in the mid 80's we did that in the finishing room often. I picked up a plastic tank sprayer, the type for weeds and such, and we would mist the floor with that.

David


----------



## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

Cliff on another forum posted this...
some very good what ifs/FYI...

While it is invariably true that the quantum of flammable material , particle size, and oxygen content are all important when one wants to calculate the possibility of a fire hazard in a DC or exhaust system. And while those factors are almost entirely impossible to achieve in a one man shop

*WHILE ALL THAT*

There are other issues we would be extremely foolish to ignore. The Insurance Agreement. The terms of the policy.

If there is a fire, AND if the insurance adjuster can find a way to say it originated or was made worse by the presence of any of these circumstances we are discussing in this thread; The insurance company can easily issue a DENIAL OF CLAIM result against the policy because as per the written agreement the home owner created a prohibited ( by contract) excessive rick of a fire.

This is really a problem that so very many people fail to consider. It doesn't matter what the math says, what the engineering says it REALLY matters what the CONTRACT says. 

The home owner's insurance has exclusions on it and unless you have spent some time discussing it with your agent, you may not know. The things we do may (or not) violate the terms of the insurance and void the insurance and all the while we might be unaware of these things.
*
For example:*

A plastic DC will violate every single homeowner's insurance policy that I know of. Maybe not yours. Maybe you have it in black and white. Maybe not. But if you don't know - - well then you just don't know.

Can you cure it with a metal ground strap pr a wire in the Ducts? Probably not because the insurance company won't have contemplated those things as creating an exception.

You know that clause in your homeowner's policy that prohibits us from storing fuel cans in the structure? Yah that. If they can say that the fuel cans started the fire or caused it to become worse, they can deny the claim.
And then there issues at law. Did you know that if you are breaking the law and the insurance company determines that the law violation was why the fore started that they will *DENY THE CLAIM*? Is it unlawful in your state to discharge certain fumes or dust from a structure? It may be. Some states have filtration requirements. 
So while it is tempting to get lost in the weeds of how much fuel in a fan housing may nor not yadda yadda yadda there are other considerations that may be going unnoticed that hold catastrophic potential.
I have made these statements in other forums and usually it angers people quite a lot and they focus that anger at me.

HEY I'm just the piano player. I didn't write the music.


----------



## woodknots (Mar 7, 2012)

Stick - excellent perspective on the topic. There are a lot of what-ifs, etc., but the bottom line is this: insurance aren't in the business of paying out money and will make every attempt to ensure the homeowner didn't cause his own problems (I worked as a P.I. for a few insurance companies for a while - all related to medical claims). Insurance companies are in the business of making money - just like casinos.


----------

