ClearVue DC - Paint the MDF parts or Not?

[Doug Shepard]

My Clearvue DC arrived yesterday (I know - No pics=It didn't happen) and I plan on starting assembly and installation this weekend. Here's my question: I saw one pic somewhere (cant remember where) where the owner had painted all the MDF parts. The idea appeals to me as it looked pretty slick and I think it might help any MDF moisture absorbtion issues from humidity but I'd have to disassemble the blower housing to do it. All the other parts came unassembled so painting would be easy. The disassembly, painting, and re-assembly aren't a problem but delays the system assembly and install by a day. Is the concern about the MDF swelling an issue? I'm also thinking painting might make the surfaces just a smidgen smoother and give me a 1/2-CFM or so increase? I'm sure it's not a number worth worrying about but just wondered if you think it's worthwhile or whether I'd just be wasting my time.

Thanks

[Ben Grunow]

I have always wondered about that issue and I think the parts should be painted or at least primed. Use some alcohol based primer for the inside-even 2 coats should dry quickly on MDF. Then paint the outside later if possible or just leave the 2 coats of primer. I think paint would be good for the long run.

[Bob Noles]

Doug,

Can't offer an answer to your question, but had a question for you instead.

Which model did you get? I would love to see some pictures and a mini review after you use it. I have been looking and thinking and thinking and looking and.....:eek: You get the picture :D

[glenn bradley]

The CV folks have been doing this for awhile, I'd ask them their opinion.

[Russ Massery]

I painted mine. I found a good latex primer seals the edges real well.

[Doug Shepard]

I have always wondered about that issue and I think the parts should be painted or at least primed. Use some alcohol based primer for the inside-even 2 coats should dry quickly on MDF. Then paint the outside later if possible or just leave the 2 coats of primer. I think paint would be good for the long run.

I'm leaning towards painting unless I get talked out of it. I was kind of planning on using Zinser Seal-Coat (mainly because I already have it) then picking up a couple spray cans of Krylon or something similar. I know the Seal-Coat dries pretty quick - not sure about the dry time of the spray paint.



Doug,
...
Which model did you get? I would love to see some pictures and a mini review after you use it. I have been looking and thinking and thinking and looking and.....:eek: You get the picture :D

I ended up being the first purchaser of their new Mini CV1400 setup. They've had it brewing for a couple of months and Ed at CV suggested I hold off buying their regular system until they figured out how well the new one worked and whether they were going to market it or not. I'm a long way from being able to turn the switch on the thing but plan to take pics of everything along the way and post my progress.

[Ben Grunow]

To be completely honest, the MDF is the only thing that I don't understand about the CV. It turns me off from the product. I'm sure it's the reason they can sell them so cheap but unsealed MDF in a fan housing moving thousands of cfm of sometimes 100% humidity air can't be good.

There is a product called MEDEX which is like MDF but rated for damp areas and even plywood would be better IMHO. Anyone had any problems with the MDF on their CV cyclone?

[Jim O'Dell]

Ed says it is not necessary to paint the MDF. I actually used some clear poly on mine to seal it off. I did 2 coats, inside and out. Reassembling the blower was a little tricky...had to clean out the channels so the PTEG would slip back into them. :o Guess I got a little too much poly in the channel. Just scraped with a screw driver and blew the channel out. I also used some silicone sealer on all the places there was a joint. PTEG to PTEG, and PTEG to MDF. Yes, the blower and motor still turn! :D Jim.

[Doug Shepard]

Ed says it is not necessary to paint the MDF. I actually used some clear poly on mine to seal it off. I did 2 coats, inside and out. Reassembling the blower was a little tricky...had to clean out the channels so the PTEG would slip back into them. :o Guess I got a little too much poly in the channel. Just scraped with a screw driver and blew the channel out. I also used some silicone sealer on all the places there was a joint. PTEG to PTEG, and PTEG to MDF. Yes, the blower and motor still turn! :D Jim.

Jim - I missed this yesterday. I went ahead and painted. I was going to hop back on this thread and ask about sealing but see you already answered my question. I figured as long as I had the blower apart maybe I'd drop a little silicone into the slot before putting the plastic back in and re-assembling. I'll make sure to run something through the slot to get any excess paint out. I'm also planning on running a tap through the T-Nuts to clean off any paint that might have gotten into the threads.

[Terry Hatfield]

Ben,

I've had my Pentz designed cyclone with the mdf blower halves going for quite a while longer than the CV's have been around and I've had no trouble what so ever. I did paint mine but there are several other folks here that have naked MDF blower housings and there has not been any issue as far as I know. I basically just painted mine for looks but I'm sure sealing the mdf would not be a bad idea one way or the other. I've had my housing apart several times playing with impellers and I've never seen anything that would make me have a second thought about using mdf for the blower halves again. No wear of any kind was evident last time I was into mine.

Terry

[Jim O'Dell]

Jim - I missed this yesterday. I went ahead and painted. I was going to hop back on this thread and ask about sealing but see you already answered my question. I figured as long as I had the blower apart maybe I'd drop a little silicone into the slot before putting the plastic back in and re-assembling. I'll make sure to run something through the slot to get any excess paint out. I'm also planning on running a tap through the T-Nuts to clean off any paint that might have gotten into the threads.


Great minds think alike!:D Hope you don't have to wait as long as I am to get your up and running. One of these days, I am going to get the electrics turned on, I promise! Jim.

[Doug Shepard]

I have no doubt you'll be up and running before me. I haven't even bought any ducting yet, plus I need to build a wall and frame for a door to enclose the DC after it's up. The 220V power is more or less there but I need to wire up a remote and a bin level sensor, and remote control blastgates (the ducting will be overhead and I wont be able to reach regular gates), and ..., and ...
Maybe I should just build a manned vehicle for a trip to Mars. It might be a less time-consuming project.:D

[Stu Ablett in Tokyo Japan]

Doug, I can't wait to see the pics, and I'd have painted the MDF, just to make it look right, the whole system is cool, but the MDF takes away from that, IMHO, so painting the MDF would have been a no brainer for me.

Cheers!

PS....where are the pics....? :D

[Doug Shepard]

..
PS....where are the pics....? :D

Tomorrow for sure. I was holding off taking some pics until I got the parts painted and at least a few things put together.

P.S. If you're in Tokyo does that mean you're reading this tomorrow? If so I guess I'm already late with the pics:D

[Larry Cooke]

Doug,

Did you check out the photo gallery at Ed's site? I know it's too late since you've already painted yours but I looked at every one of them, there are some really interesting installations people have done.

One of the guys covered his MDF parts with laminate and it looked pretty good. Anyway, I'm thinking about doing the same. I think that the PL will give it the look I'm hoping for.

Looking forward to your pics.

Larry

[Stu Ablett in Tokyo Japan]

Tomorrow for sure. I was holding off taking some pics until I got the parts painted and at least a few things put together.

P.S. If you're in Tokyo does that mean you're reading this tomorrow? If so I guess I'm already late with the pics:D

17 hours ahead of the West coast of NA, you I'm coming to you from the future....... :D

[Jim O'Dell]

Doug, I'm still working on my ducting too. I have 2 10 footers that need to be sized and cut, and about 6 more 45 els, 1 6-6-6 wye, and 1 6-6-4 wye, and 1 more 10' pipe to purchase. Then disassemble it all and go back together sealing it as I go. Not sure when I'll get the electrics turned on. It's all run and hooked up. I got so frustrated in the spring talking to the off shore customer service people that I just gave up. I'm told I have to go commercial rates since this is not the primary house meter (shop came with it's own meter when we bought the property) And with the jump in rates for the house, I'm afraid to see what commercial rates would be. I'm waiting for a day in Sept. that I'm scheduled off to try to run down someone to go talk to. I could run wire from the house to the shop and be on the same meter, but I'm guessing that would cost me about grand, doing the work myself. It's about 75' straight shot, but that would be right through the pear tree and it's roots (not that that would be a big loss...squirrels have eaten everything for the 3 crops we've been here for :( ) So i'm guessing it might be a pretty tight race!..You'll win for sure if I decide to thumb my nose at them and install the wiring from the existing house meter! Jim

[Doug Shepard]

Jim
If we're having a race to see who gets done last, I think I'm still winning. It's been a frustrating morning. I did manage to get the blower sealed and put back together. Things went downhill from there when I went to print out the installation instructions from CV's site. I appears I have a printer driver problem and am still struggling trying to get it resolved after running into some buggy download/install problems trying to get the latest ones from Epsom. Still can't print the darn thing. It sure would have been nice if CV included those in the box.
Anyway, Here's my meager progress so far - white MDF parts.
44639

I'm off to try and get the wall brackets made.