Why buying second hand spray booths can be a bad idea

It’s understandable that businesses may look for areas in which they can save money. When times are tight, those responsible for purchasing resources and materials are likely to look for more affordable options. However, where buying second hand spray booths is concerned, affordability often comes at the expense of finish quality and spray booth performance.

Generally speaking, when you don’t quite know the exact history of your second hand spray booth, problems can arise when you put the equipment through your usual volume of jobs and expect the same level of performance that you would from a brand new installation.

In this article, we’re going to go into detail about these issues and the kinds of questions raised. If you are thinking about buying a second hand spray booth, you will want to consider the following issues.

What condition will your second hand spray booth be in?

There are some common questions raised regarding used spray booths. When you sell a second hand spray booth, it is usually because the owner is expanding their operation and the system needs upgrading. Another common reason is that a company has gone out of business and no longer needs their spray booth. Finally, if a company has altered or changed their paint process and the booth no longer meets their technical requirements. .

Ultimately, the overarching point of all this is that you have no insight into how well the second hand spray booth has been maintained during its time with the previous owner.

Will your second hand spray booth have all the necessary paperwork and documentation?

As with many things, after a significant amount of time the documentation originally included may become lost, misplaced, or as is usually the case in our working environment, destroyed or otherwise damaged. If you buy a used spray booth without important documents like the operation and maintenance manual and contract drawings, then the new owner may have some trouble piecing the components back together (unless they’re familiar with the particular model, of course).

Either way, lacking the original paperwork will not set you up for an altogether professional working environment.

How confident are you in reassembling your second hand spray booth?

As an additional note to the above, you will likely be aware of the often monumental task involved in assembling a new spray booth system. Between input plenums, cabin panels, lighting and air handling plants , there is an awful lot to put back together. You can presume that disassembling a spray booth system is just as difficult (if not more), so how confident are you that the previous owner of a used spray booth has disassembled theirs correctly? Do you know that the components haven’t been damaged in this process? Also, dirt and dust will have built up over time – will the previous owner have cleaned these areas?

There are questions you need to ask before you make the purchase of a new spray booth; those you need to ask before buying a second hand spray booth are entirely different.

Will the spray booth meet your requirements?

Is the internal space within the cabin sufficient for the size of item you are spraying? In fact, will it even fit in your workshop/building? Does it run on the same fuel or will you need to change or upgrade your existing supply?

Spray booths are generally built to order so no two are alike, it’s important to know the original specification.

Are you comfortable with the logistics of shipping a second hand spray booth?

The task of organising shipping for such a huge item is not one to be taken lightly. Not only will it be expensive, but it is almost certain to run into logistical problems. As the recipient of such sizable cargo, you are likely to accept some of the responsibility and risk in accepting it.

How do you feel about potentially not having a warranty for your second hand spray booth?

Of course, the longer the used spray booth has been in ownership of the seller the less likely it will still be under warranty. Without this kind of protection and the risk of poor maintenance before the point of purchase, buying a second hand spray booth could cost you a great deal of money in the long-term.

Think before you buy (and speak to us!)

As you’ll surely know, when you’re on the lookout for spray booths for sale you’re making a huge investment whether it’s new or second hand. Importantly, you need all the information to help you make an informed decision. Our blog section is a good place to start! Otherwise, speak to one of our helpful team members by calling 01706 363555 or, alternatively, get in touch with us here.

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