Sparying (what to know?)

Aaron Beaver

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427
Location
Missouri
I have just now been looking and doing a little reading on spraying with HVLP. Is it hard to do?
What should I consider before thinking about spraying?
Anything special you need to spray?
Is it faster, easier to do, avoid problems you have doing it by hand?
Bleeder, Non-bleeder? One site says non-bleeders should not be used with turbines because it causes back pressure which can lead to heat. Other sites only sell non-bleeder types.
What about those turbine models, are they good? (fuji, apollo, accuspray, i think)


I have used water based finishes and water based polyurethane and oil base (minwax, general, watco) finishes. If I decide to go this route I will be doing it in my garage. I really don't know that much about spraying finishes but it seems it would be a usefull tool to have.

Thanks for any information
 
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holy cow aaron kinda like asking who makes the best car.......
hvlp is really good technology, it`ll save you material over conventional spray equipment but will use slightly more material than brushing.
there are two different ways i`m aware of to get hvlp......a conversion gun(which i use) and a turbine set-up.
if you have a good (10+cfm@90psi) compressor then maybe a conversion gun is the answer?
if you don`t have a suitable compressor and don`t intend to buy one then a turbine would be the option.
spraying really isn`t dificult but don`t expect a mirror finish first time out, it does take practice and learning to use your equipment with the finish of your choice.
i`ve sprayed all my finishes for years and swear by it, i think that it`s the only way to achieve an even consistant finish on most surfaces, but again your finish material and equipment will play a major role in both your learning curve and finish quality.
i`ve rambled on about hvlp on sawmill creek quite a bit so please read those one fingered tomes too.......tod
 
Aaron,
I was where you seem to be about 6 months ago. As you found out, there are many ways to skin this cat and there is no one correct answer. All I can tell you is... once you decide which type of set up is right for you, you'll be amazed at how easy it is to spray.

FWIW, I ended up with a small HVLP detail gun (Devilbiss bumper gun) and run it on a 2 HP 4.5 Gal IR compressor. Must of my projects are small to medium in size and by using the smaller gun I could get by with my existing potable compressor. Works very well for me but probably not the best choice for a large shop or in a production application.

As far as a learning curve...Someone suggested I practice spraying water on cardboard to get used to adjusting the gun. It was good advice. Once you see what each adjustment does, you'll have a good feel for what you need to do once you start spraying finish to get the desired results.
 
john, is this the type of gun you`re speaking about? this one is a sharpe hvlp touch-up gun that will run on a small compressor......the cup holds maybe 4oz? tod
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Yes Tod...But mine is shinier:D

I've heard them called touch-up guns and/or bumper guns by the auto crowd. My camera's on the fritz but I'll try to post a "stock" pic. It works very well off of my small compressor. I use the pumpkin filter like the one on yours and bought a decent regulator. I also have an 8oz cup for the occasional medium sized job (like my upcoming kitchen cabinets) On this particular gun I can adjust the spray pattern from very small up to an 8" fan. I found it on spraygunworld.com

Good thing it works well as I ended up with this gun based on advice from you.:rofl: ...........:thumb: And it was good advice.
 

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you will most definitely get more consistent finishes spraying, and you'll be able to cover more ground over a shorter period of time. like others have said, "practice, practice, practice". it's not hard to do or learn but it is a developed skill. probably the best spraying advice is: spray thinner coats. everytime you will get a nicer finish with four thinner coats than two or three heavier coats. i've got both a conversion gun (Accuspray) and a turbine (Turbinaire). I get equal finishes from both, but almost always reach for the turbine unless i'm just doing a quick little shoot. i have pretty much relagated the conversion gun to tints and dyes and the turbine to clearcoats. if you have the compressor that can handle it and get a good gun you would spend about half the money, but if you do alot of larger projects be prepared for the compressor to run, so if it is in the same room, have ear protection handy, good filters inline and i like to use a mini regulator at the gun rather than the one on the compressor. i also keep a mini-filter on the gun, too. and you'll have to up your tank drainage schedule. if you get a turbine i'd recommend a variable speed machine. the companies you mentioned all have good reputations, i don't think you'd go too wrong either way you jump.
 
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