Tips for avoiding dust when varnishing

[Ryan Mack]

I've had a hell of a time avoiding hair/fibers/dust getting into my varnish (Timeless which should dry as quick as possible). Room is hardwood only, so I've put in 2 HEPA filters and robot vacuum that only runs in the morning so any dust should settle by when I get to work on printing at night. I also only wear well-worn white t-shirts and I put a big release board over it while it dries help up by some soup cans in the corner. I use an anti-static brush to clean the canvas.

I try to keep the roller away from dust and blow it out (in another room) before use. I thought about washing it before use but I worry if it isn't totally dry it could cause inconsistency in the varnish.

I suspect I should get a sticky roller to suck up any dust on the table too since the roller will also touch the table. Any other tips?

[PeterAit]

I've had a hell of a time avoiding hair/fibers/dust getting into my varnish (Timeless which should dry as quick as possible). Room is hardwood only, so I've put in 2 HEPA filters and robot vacuum that only runs in the morning so any dust should settle by when I get to work on printing at night. I also only wear well-worn white t-shirts and I put a big release board over it while it dries help up by some soup cans in the corner. I use an anti-static brush to clean the canvas.

I try to keep the roller away from dust and blow it out (in another room) before use. I thought about washing it before use but I worry if it isn't totally dry it could cause inconsistency in the varnish.

Your problems are puzzling to me. I varnish with Timeless and a roller, doing it on the kitchen island, and I take no special precautions other than brushing off the print before starting. I have never had a hair or dust problem. We do have HEPA filters on the house's air handling system.

Do you have pets? Try wearing a shower cap? Are you using a foam roller? Go ahead and wash it, then squeeze it out.

Good luck.

[Ryan Mack]

Hmm, I'm using plastic folding tables to work on. I wonder if that's causing static and bunch of dust to get stuck on the table?

[Paul Roark]

As an individual photographer-printer, I gave up on the water-based coatings and use solvent based Premier Art Print Shield only in an open garage.  I, realistically, just do not do enough business to warrant the investment in a top quality spray booth, which is what is needed for the water based coatings from what I can tell from my experience and talking to the service bureaus that have such.

FWIW

Paul
www.PaulRoark.com

[Ryan Mack]

Do you prefer solvent-based because it comes in a spray can so you don't need a roller, because you can spray it while hung vertically, or because it dries faster?

[Paul Roark]

Do you prefer solvent-based because it comes in a spray can so you don't need a roller, because you can spray it while hung vertically, or because it dries faster?

All of the above.

I avoid windy days, time my spraying to the wind level, (and other factors I'm probably forgetting now).

I apply four coats -- vertical, horizontal, and both diagonals.

For up to 24 x 36 I can hold by breath long enough for each direction that I do not need a proper respirator.  For 44 x 65, I do need one.  (Research what is needed.)

I just leave several minutes between coats  (long enough for me to catch my breath).

I wear goggles that seal well.

I've found there is or was a major difference in quality of nozzles.  Premier Art's is one of the best.

I have never seen cracking, but I assume the acrylic becomes rather brittle.  So, after spraying, the print is not rolled for shipping or storing.

I mount my canvasses and glossy prints on acid free foam core.  For very large prints having a pro service bureau do the coating and mounting on Gator board makes a lot of sense.   

I do think the water based can give a better physical barrier and protection, which may be useful for canvas-wraps (which I do not favor, but understand for at least color work, as opposed to my B&W).

Paul
www.PaulRoark.com

[John Nollendorfs]

Paul:
When I first started printing on canvas, I too prefered using "rattle can" acrylic and varnish can products (Krylon). but then I  found that those products did not afford any water protection what so ever. The canvas I was using at the time also was not water resistant, so the printed image was very easily destroyed by any liquid splashed on the canvas.

I am now using a water resistant matte canvas product, and spraying it with two coats of Rosco Clear Acrylic Gloss Glaze, diluted 1:1 with water. (half the price of the other products) I started off using a Wagner turbine unit, but graduated to the cheapest $10 on sale HVLP spraygun from Harbor Freight, which gave a much finer spray pattern. I spray in a a garage with the canvas pinned to a wall. No exhaust fans. Have never had a dust problem. BTW, spraying is very much a technique oriented job. The more you do, the better you figure out how to do it!!! You have to thoroughly disassemble and rinse the gune after each usage.

[DougDolde]

I use Timeless Matte applied with a foam roller. No issues. Works great.

[Zachary Goulko]

I've had a hell of a time avoiding hair/fibers/dust getting into my varnish (Timeless which should dry as quick as possible). Room is hardwood only, so I've put in 2 HEPA filters and robot vacuum that only runs in the morning so any dust should settle by when I get to work on printing at night. I also only wear well-worn white t-shirts and I put a big release board over it while it dries help up by some soup cans in the corner. I use an anti-static brush to clean the canvas.

I try to keep the roller away from dust and blow it out (in another room) before use. I thought about washing it before use but I worry if it isn't totally dry it could cause inconsistency in the varnish.

I suspect I should get a sticky roller to suck up any dust on the table too since the roller will also touch the table. Any other tips?

I too had the same problem when applying resin to large mounted prints and when face mounting which drove me absolutely nuts. Even with 3 floor standing HEPA filters I would still get dust specs here and there because the way they're designed they create turbulent air moving dust around. Perhaps I'm a bit OCD, but I decided to install 2 large clean room fan filter units in the ceiling of my office building studio (expensive at $750 each), directly over the laminator and work table into the ceiling grid. Each filter measures 2'x4' giving me a total of 4'x4' of clean laminar flow air stream coming from the ceiling downward. The work area is closed off from the rest of the large room with a curtain leaving about 10 inches on the bottom to keep the dirty air constantly pushed out (positive pressure cleanroom principle). With a laser particle counter the readings I get are consistently 0/0 and I no longer have any dust issues. I also got some ionizing air guns for my air compressor to remove the static charge from the plexi, but I don't even use those anymore. Silicone rollers are an absolute must to get any surface dust off prior to applying coatings, and I use a small flashlight running it across the surface from the sides of the print to scan for any dust particles.
Here's a link to similar filters: Terra Fan Filter Unit

[mearussi]

I solved my dust problem by doing two things:
1. using a simple air purifier that runs 24/7 in the small room I coat in (I only turn it off when I actually coat).
2. applying three thin coats that dry fast instead of one heavy coat that doesn't dry fast.