Used Paint Booths – A Guide
Depending on your application and needs you may often times be considering a used paint booth. It may be due to having a small budget or because you will have a very small amount of painting work you need to perform. Either way if you are considering a used paint booth you will want to consider a few important factors to best determine if the used paint booth will truly be a better value than a new paint booth.
Variable 1 – The Age of the Paint Booth
Older paint booths are more prone to having a variety of issues including fans that do not exhaust an appropriate amount of air and air make up units that will not function correctly. Additionally, if the paint booth is exceptionally old it may not be made of galvanized steel but may be made of black iron which is not as resistant to rust. An additional consideration is the booth may not meet all the requirements for NFPA 33 as regulations change from time to time and depending on the specifications the booth was manufactured under it may not meet the requirements. You will also want to check to see if replacement parts are still available for your potential paint booth because if the booth is no longer supported by any current companies you may end up with a paint booth that will not be able to be restored if anything breaks (which is more likely with a used paint booth).
Variable 2 – The Original Build of the Paint Booth
Paint booths have varying levels of quality in their design and use a variety of assembly methods. The way they are originally designed will have a large influence on the ease or difficulty with which the paint booth will be able to be moved. The two most common ways a paint booth is assembled is using nuts and bolts or primarily using zip screws.
Nut and bolt assembly booths will typically be able to be reassembled easier than a zip screw construction paint booth because holes will have been pre drilled to match. With a zip screw construction holes were created during original assembly of the paint booth and when the booth is broken down to be relocated the screws may not align with the original holes which can create headaches with reassembly.
In addition to the way the booth is assembled, you will want to determine how much of the original booth information is available. Quality built paint booths like those offered by Global Finishing Solutions come with complete assembly drawings including exploded views of all the paint booth components. Additionally, quality paint booths will often also have numbers on the paint booth panels to better know where they go, this will make reassembly significantly less challenging. Without good drawings available reassembly can be a big challenge as various booths are manufactured with different configurations depending on the manufacturer.
Variable 3 – The Condition of the components
Primary areas you will want to evaluate to reduce the chance of your paint booth not working well include the exhaust fan, lights, controls, and if applicable the air make up unit. In particular you will want to ensure the paint booth fan has been shown operational. Ideally you will want to ensure the paint booth is moving air at an appropriate rate. This can be done with a gauge like an anemoter. Most booths will have a general speed of air based on their design which you can learn more about here which you will ideally want to verify that the booth is meeting the approximate speed that it should. You will also want to evaluate the fan to ensure it is spinning without resistance and doesn’t have excessive over spray build up.
If there is an air make up unit potentially included you will want to verify that all the major components in the unit function right. Ideally, this would be performed by a authorized air make up service technician as there are a variety of potential problem areas including blowers, pilot lights, the gas train, and sensors that all have to function properly to be able to elevate and regulate temperature. In addition you will want to verify that any included control packages work as outlined.
Variable 4 – Tear Down and Rebuild Costs
In addition to the cost of the used booth you may have to factor in the cost of time and labor of break down and installation whether it be with your own employees or an outside crew. Depending on the costs associated with tear down you may have a better cost by purchasing a new paint booth and having an installation cost only or depending on the company providing the booth they may offer installation assistance with new paint booth purchases.
Variable 5 – Support
If you purchase a new paint booth a quality provider will stand behind their product offering assistance with challenges of their air make up unit and exhaust fan if/when they need it. Additionally, they will help answer questions related to gas requirements and electrical questions. They will also have knowledge of your booth to be able to offer any parts that may be required for future challenges. Many used paint booths will not have replacement parts available or have a provider who is knowledgeable about the booth.
Conclusion
By evaluating all the factors about your used paint booth you can better determine if it is truly a value. It can often make sense to at least evaluate a new paint booth as well to determine if the total cost and lifetime value of the product will make better sense. If you want rough pricing on a new paint booth you can contact us today.