Painting and building in an apartment?

[shucky]

Hi all ... I've really been down in the dumps lately. I relocated from Chicago to Dallas about a year and a half ago and left my single family home and moved into an apartment until we figure out our situation. I had a dedicated modeling room and basement workshop with all of my power tools, resin station, paint booth, etc. All of my models, supplies, etc have been in temp controlled storage since the move. I've really had the itch to build something or work on a project as I haven't touched a model since moving. I obviously do not have the space to move my hoard of supplies and tools but I could probably build more OOB (out of box) stuff with simple upgrades. My question mainly involves painting while living in an apartment. Does anyone do it? Do you have any tips for me? I have a pretty huge corner balcony where I could possibly paint outside. Just curious if anyone has run into problems or challenges in this regard. I truly miss modeling, mostly the scratch building and resin casting, so I thought doing more simple projects right now could ease the pain a little lol. Appreciate any feedback fella's. Thanks! Mike

[Renegade]

I lived in several apartments and always painted/built inside. Sometimes had a two bedroom with one of them being my man cave. If it was only a one bedroom I used the kitchen table and moved everything before dinner. Painting outside invites dirt and bugs into your paint job. Welcome to Texas! You may not have  been born here but you got here as fast as you could.

[Lunajammer]

I did some of my best modeling in an apartment (8-plex). A couple times I spray painted in the bathroom with the fan on, and plenty of newspapers. But looking back, that did little to contain the fumes. I wouldn't do it again. I also knew a guy with a shop who let me spray there (didn't like it much). In your case, investing in a good paint booth vented outside would be worth the expense. You'll never need it more or enjoy it more. Of course, winter was a little bigger painting issue for me than it might be for you there.

When I was jobless I did a lot of casting there. I was lucky to have a large enough bedroom to set up a table. I'd charge up my (20-gal) compressor during the day when the building was mostly empty, nobody was sleeping and I knew nobody on any side of me was home. A charge would last me about three days. If that's not an option, buy a $30 tank and charge it at the gas station. Sounds like you have the same will I did, so there's a way.

Edited November 20, 2015 by Lunajammer

[Lizard Racing]

I too recently moved into an apartment from a house.  Right now I use a large moving box as a spray booth on the balcony.  The box helps contain the overspray.  I then close the box for a while, then move the parts indoors to finish drying.

Needless to say, I don't do very exotic paint jobs.

[High octane]

Mike, I live in a small house and do most of my painting outside weather permitting. Yesterday I "cleared" my '57 Ford in one of the bathrooms. I drape and old flat sheet around two walls held by clothes pins, put some newspaper over the sheet which also lays over the vanity. I use the bath exhaust fan and do my painting, as I paint with "rattle cans." It works for me.

[espo]

In the past when faced with similar issues I used a large 35 gal. trash can as a base and a grocery store type cardboard box about 16" by 18" as a paint booth. They trash can put the "booth" at a comfortable level and the box contained a majority of the over spray. The over spray that did escape usually settles down into the trash can. I think if you used your outside balcony on a very calm day you would have little problem with over spray and the odors would be outside also.

[carrucha]

I live in a studio apartment.  I do everything except for airbrushing and spray painting which I do at my parent's house.  If possible, ask a relative or friend who lives in a house if they will let you paint there.

[shucky]

Guys really appreciate the replies, info, and encouragment. I will have to head to my stotage unit this weekend and grab the basics. Im excited to start building something again. Thank you all. 

[Deathgoblin]

I live in a 2 BR flat.  The second bedroom is my hobby room.  If I need to paint something, I just go to the door and paint, then bring it back in to dry.

[charlie8575]

When I had my apartment, I used to set a small side-table outside with a 10-ream paper box on it, my paint stand and the parts. If I was air-brushing, I'd run the cord out the door (I had a curbside entry,) and paint. I'd let the paint dry outside for 10-15 minute to let the worst of the stench pass (especially in the winter with the windows closed,) and then bring everything in. 

Charlie Larkin

[Art Anderson]

I've been building model cars in apartments for almost 25 years, and have painted, both brush and by airbrush indoors all along.  Secret?  None really--I've used spray booths all along, started with that small and somewhat crude Badger unit, upgraded in 2010 to a PACE Peacekeeper, both of which use squirrel cage blowers and a length of dryer hose to exhaust out a window.  To keep hot air out in the summer and (more importantly) cold air out in the winter, I simply made a plywood panel to fit in a sash window, with a 4" dryer vent in it--NEVER  a hint of either paint fumes nor any overspray dust anywhere.  True, these types of spray booths are an investment, but the finest and most-used model building investment I have ever made.

Art