Photo essay of my reloading room renovation

[Cherokee]

That hood will come in handy if you ever start casting bullets. Very nice set up.

 

[Trent]

Remember the room is also used for cleaning firearms, etc. The idea is to keep fumes from stuff like Sweet's 7.62 cooper solvent from sneaking out to where my unsuspecting wife is enjoying her afternoon.

By keeping the area confined and the flow high, I am able to draw those vapors up, out and away.

That's a brilliant idea. I'm chemically sensitive - especially with certain solvents (to the point certain ones give me seizures if I don't wear protective gear).

Right now I've got an air exchanger in the reloading room that pipes fresh air to the furnace, but don't use it very much; it causes condensation RIGHT over my reloading bench if the air outside isn't real close to the temp of the air inside (and at that point, I'm opening windows!).

I could re-use those big holes in the wall to run myself a nice exhaust duct and vent over my bench.

 

[Cranky CJ]

People who reload are generally DIY types and that really shows in the design and execution of your reloading room. Nicely done.

 

[grubbylabs]

Yes very nicely done.

 

[resqdoc]

Thanks for all the compliments guys. My main motivation for sharing is to contribute back to the forum, in light of the knowledge I have gained myself.

Trent,

I researched hoods quite a bit. Lowes and Home Depot don't carry hoods that flow this much air. I went online and selected a quality product that didn't cost much more than the high end stuff at the big box stores.

I forget the flow rates now but it runs twin big fans, more than double the airflow of the best typical home kitchen type product. That's the reason I plumbed in a fresh air make up duct. Both ducts, fresh air and exhaust have dampers to prevent undesired airflow when not in use.

The exhaust hood was the last idea I came up with, right before starting construction. Almost an afterthought. It really works well and wiring it through the countdown timer is a key to successful use for me. I could/would easily walk off and leave it running all night.

 

[LiveLife]

Most kitchen hoods are 100-300 CFM. I would still consider adding a high volume exhaust fan/vent louver at the ceiling (hot air rises) so you can evacuate 100% of room air quickly of noxious fumes/dust (perhaps 500-1000 CFM).

I looked for 500 CFM fan but found 350 CFM fan for $86 and 1080 CFM fan for $66. The 1080 CFM fan may be overkill, but you will be able to exhaust/vent your reloading room in a few seconds.

350 CFM ... eliminate humidity from laundry rooms, tobacco smoke from recreation rooms and workshops ... Ventilates areas up to 315 sq. ft.

BTW, does the reloading room have HVAC supply and return vents?

 

[grubbylabs]

I think the fan was a great idea. You are spot on the the thinking there I do believe. The stink of my gun chemicals is my wife's biggest and only complaint.

 

[soonertoby]

Good call on the vent hood, I put a bathroom exhaust fan in mine and it is only 70cfm I think....it works somewhat (mainly for gun cleaning on the bench), but not strong enough to vent the entire room

 

[resqdoc]

BDS,

700 cfm. as it turned out, definately not overkill. It clears the room quickly but seems to be just right.

It's quieter than most household kitchen fans I've experienced.

No HVAC vents, my home is hot water heat. With the door closed it somewhat of a closed system.

 

[Wes B]

Very nice room. Nice details on the pictures.

How do you like the t-track (?) setup?

 

[Trent]

Don't forget the computer market. Some of the modern case fans move a LOT of air.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835706018

190 CFM for $25. Runs off a 12v power source, 4" wide. You could stick 4 of these in there for $100, with quick release brackets so they're easily replaceable, and move 760cfm of air.

EDIT: paging through the results I get for >80cfm on Newegg, found another that's 240 cfm for $29.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835213001

For $120 you could have 960 cfm.

 

[resqdoc]

Trent,

I run one of those fans (the second one you listed) on my Harley as a parade fan. I had a buddy machine a beautiful housing, inletted for the fan. It blows between the cylinders from the side. Very effective.

 

[Trent]

Yeah some of the modern computer cooling fans are unbelievable. The double-rotor fans in our Intel supercomputing cluster at work move a TON of air. There's 12 of them per 2U server. If you have a node out for maintenance and happen to take the top cover off, but forget to screw it back on before applying power, it'll forcefully eject the topcover and send it flying across the room. The spares for those 12 fans cost about $200 ... EACH. If I had to guess at their CFM, I'd guesstimate 300+ each, or 3600 per server. (Each 2U server draws over 12 amps of power, gotta keep them cool).

Those will evacuate the air in a room PDQ.. was thinking about using something similar for my vault's forced air flow when I get back on that project.

 

[RustyFN]

Wow very nice. You did a great job. I wish I could move mine inside and out of the garage.

 

[LiveLife]

I wish I could move mine inside and out of the garage.

Isn't your home your castle? Build yourself a portable castered reloading bench and you can load anywhere in the house (inside or outside).

I still have a bench in the garage but the 2'x3' portable bench I use will roll into any doorway from the hallway. I can reload in the comfort of AC/heating or reload out in the patio with wife while sipping ice tea.

 

[Tim the student]

Very nice!