How do you want to run your business? Do you want to be mobile so you can move around? Semi-mobile, so you can set up in different places sometimes? Permanent, so people always know where to find you? Or borrowed/shared space, so you don’t have your own place but use someone else’s instead?
You need to be aware of one safety concern with your location. That is ventilation.
Legal Considerations
I’m not going to get into law too much, but I want to introduce the subject so you will be aware of it.
The law is based on your location. This means that the law in your country, state, county, and the city might affect your choices. There is one very clear distinction between hobbyists and professionals. If you are a hobbyist, you do not need to worry about the legal ramifications of what you do. If you are a professional, this is a different story.
For example, some states require spray tanners to be licensed beauticians, while others do not.
Mobile Operations
Airbrush users can have mobile businesses because of the size of airbrushes, the amount of paint necessary, and even the small size of potential air sources. This includes things like spray tanning.
I’m thinking about a mobile lifestyle. This means that you go to different places to do your work and move on to the next place. It’s like making house calls.
Considerations
- Size: The bigger something is, the harder it is to move around. You want things that are easy to move, like small or portable things. You don’t want too many things, making it hard to move them around.
- Weight: Even if something is heavy, there might be a way to make it easier. You can use a lighter piece of equipment or do it differently.
- Organization: People can see your business from everywhere. This is because you are very organized and neat. This makes a good impression on people and will be more likely to use your service.
- Cleanliness: Being clean sends a message about you. You might not get a job because of how clean you are, but you might lose a job because of how dirty you aren’t.
- Ventilation: Ventilation is important when spraying because the fumes can get trapped in a room and make you sick. Make sure to open a window and use a fan to draw the air out of the room if you need to spray something in a closed room.
- Noise: People generally don’t like being next to loud machines. They can’t talk or think when the machine is making noise. Your machine should be quiet so that it does not bother people.
Semi-Mobile Operations
Semi-mobile operations are like booths. You go to a specific place and set it up for a limited time, like one day or weekend. Fairs and flea markets are good examples of this. You set up your booth, sell your products or services, then break down your booth at the end of the day or weekend.
Considerations
- Size: You need to find a way to move your hot tub. This might include using a trailer, the back of a truck or SUV, or a semi-trailer flatbed.
- Weight: How many people will help you lift and move your equipment? How close can your vehicle get to the venue? It would help if you moved your equipment. Some places will not let you onto the grounds or floor with your vehicle. Other places let you drive right up to your space. However, some places that do not let you drive up to your space might have dollies or push carts for you to use.
- Organization: Although it can be helpful to have a plan, sometimes you might be unable to stick to it. This is especially true if you’re tired. In those cases, it’s ok to pack and move things in whatever order you want. Make sure you do it safely and that everything gets where it needs to go.
- Cleanliness: Airbrushes must be clean, but you must also ensure your customers are happy.
- Ventilation: You will want to think about the possibility of using fans and a way to reduce overspray when choosing a venue for your wedding. Most of these venues will be outdoors or in buildings with large spaces, so you shouldn’t have to worry.
- Noise: You have more options. A greater distance from the noise source will let the noise diminish. You might consider a larger, louder compressor, but you might still want to do something about the noise to at least reduce it somewhat.
Small Permanent Space
This seems like a small studio or shop front. You have a few different options, but you might not have the space you want to customize into the perfect place for what you want to do.
Considerations
- Size: You need to consider how much space your studio has. Remember that you will only have to move your things when you move.
- Weight: If you don’t move around a lot, the weight of something doesn’t matter. But if you help your friends move, you might want to buy them lunch.
- Organization: You should organize your space the way you want. It is important to know where everything is. This means having a single place for everything, but I know this is not how everyone works.
- Cleanliness: If your studio is not open to the public, it needs to be clean enough for you to work in. If your studio is open to the public, I suggest keeping it clean or asking someone else to keep it clean for you. Now I need someone to help me keep my studio clean…
- Ventilation: There are two ways you can go about this. You can either spend a little or a lot of money. If you don’t want to spend much money, you can open a window or the garage door and use a box fan to help the air move. You can buy a spray booth if you want to spend more money. The nice part about the spray booth is that you won’t need to wear a mask or respirator while working.
- Noise: Noise will be your biggest concern when you are painting. You only have a certain amount of space, so you must find ways to reduce the noise. The easiest way is by getting an airbrush compressor. They are not very loud, but they can be expensive. Another way to reduce noise is by putting the compressor in a closet or building a permanent enclosure to muffle louder compressors’ sounds.
Large/Custom Permanent Space
There are not many limits here. How many people will work in this space? How will the workers flow through the space? Do you want a house air system? What kind of ventilation do you need? Do you have to follow specific guidelines to allow enough space for workers?
You might want to hire someone to help you with these details, like an architect or an industrial designer. But remember that you will have the same restraints when designing a small space.
Setting up your workspace
When choosing your workspace, you need to think about two things.
Ease of use
- You might have a place in mind for your airbrush equipment. It doesn’t need a lot of room. You really need to think about what you’re spraying with the airbrush.
- The difference between spraying a sailboat and a t-shirt is that you need to use different types of spray for each.
Ventilation
- Ventilation is important for your health and the people around you.
- I’ll say this again and again because it’s important.
It is important to always wear your mask when you are in public. This will protect you from getting sick.
There are only two exceptions to this rule.
- Spraying water in the air is ok because your lungs like humidity. But if you add other things to the water, it’s not good for you!
- If you have correctly set up your spray booth’s ventilation, you don’t need to wear a mask. The air flows from you and goes into the air filters. Then it goes out of the building. If you can’t afford a spray booth, wear your mask!
Conclusion
Spraying insecticide is an important part of keeping your home free of pests. But it’s also important to be thoughtful about where to spray. You don’t want to risk yourself or your family by spraying in an enclosed space or near a food source. Be sure to read the label on your insecticide carefully and follow the directions. With a little planning, you can keep your home pest-free and safe.