Need advice on first HVLP setup......

[Justin Jump]

OK all, I cant read or research any more.....

I read through many, many posts here at at some other forums.

I bought Jeff Jewitts book and read that, and watched the DVD..

I am just not sure which unit to buy. I thought about the Rockler unit, then found out it was the same as Harbor Freights, then I read a bunch of reviews that stated thinning was a pain for paint, and that will be one of my first uses, a bathroom vanity painted.

I have done many projects with wipe on stain and ploy, but I have only used an HVLP gun once, 10 years ago, on plastic bodywork for a motorcycle.

What is a good, entry level unit, good fro paint and stains and poly? I would say my range is around $250 for a unit.

THX,

JJ in Pittsburgh

[John TenEyck]

Do you have an air compressor? If so, an HVLP conversion gun will work well, and it need not cost much to get great results. If you don't have an air compressor then one of the turbine units might be a better choice. In either case, you most likely will need more than one gun or a gun where you can replace the needle/orifice to accommodate the different viscosities you will encounter from the usually thinner clear coats to the thicker paint products. You need to look up the viscosities of the products you'd like to use and go from there. Typical acrylic paints need an orifice of at least 2.0 mm with a gravity feed HVLP conversion gun. Even then, you might still need to thin them. Shellac, on the other hand, shoots great through a 1.0 - 1.4 mm orifice. The water based clear coats I use typically shoot well at around 1.4 - 1.8 mm.

I get great results with cheap conversion HVLP guns, the type you can buy at Grizzly or even HF for less than $50. I have a $12 HF gun that shoots beautifully. I don't spray everyday - if I did I'd buy a pro gun. But for the couple of times a month I use a gun, they work great for me.

John

[Justin Jump]

Yes - I have a Campbell Hausfeld 60 gallon. The older version, but very similar to this.


http://www.homedepot.com/p/Campbell-...=5yc1vZc2fhZbi

[John TenEyck]

Well then, you are in business. That thing will supply enough air for just about any gun you would want to run. I have no stake in his business, just a satisfied customer, but Jeff Jewitt at http://www.homesteadfinishingproduct...spray.htm#guns is a wealth of information on spray equipment and could get you set up at nearly any level of gun you want, all but the very cheap ones like I use. His website also offers a lot of info. on things like viscosity vs. orifice size. Well worth reading even if you don't buy from him.

As I said before, you don't need to spend a lot of money since you already have a big compressor. I use nothing more than the stock filter and regulator on mine. I ran 1/2" hose into my shop, about 50 feet away. I use a mini regulator that came with one of the guns to adjust the air pressure down from the 90 psi I set at the air compressor to whatever I need. Just prior to that I use an in-line water/dirt filter to catch anything that the upstream filter doesn't get. They cost about $10 each and in 4 years I've thrown away 1 but probably didn't need to.

Now here's the really important part. You need to measure the viscosity of everything you spray and thin it if required to match your gun(s). You can buy a Ford #4 viscosity cup from Jeff for about $6. You can't guess at the viscosity or how much thinner to add, certainly not until you have a lot of experience and you shouldn't even then. Measure the viscosity, adjust as necessary, and you'll be 1/3 of the way to getting good results. Keep good records and you'll know what the viscosity should be for XYZ finish and how much you have to thin, so it's not a chore. Another 1/3 to getting good results is setting the gun up to get a good pattern when you spray a burst on cardboard. The last 1/3 is your technique when spraying, and you only get good by practicing. Flat surfaces are the easiest, followed by the outside of cabinets. Insides are a lot harder, and the inside of a cabinet with the back attached is really hard and I avoid it if at all possible.

Here's what the $12 HF gun is capable of.

IMG_2919.JPG

Good luck.

John

[Brian W Smith]

Spraying/finishing is like welding.........you can give 10 guys the same equipment,and quite "possibly" get 10 different results.Change even the smallest of details in the schedule or technique and you can see it in the results.This is why there is so much difficulty in recommending a certain,gun,hose,dryer,pressure...etc,etc.

Speaking of hoses,and dryers...and fittings for that matter,they are...or maybe should say,"can" make quite a difference.HVLP setups require not only a compressor capable of supplying the necessary air,but your hoses/fittings need to be large enough to handle the job(most aren't,BTW).And then you need to understand how the hose length plays into all of this......and it's effect on any moisture/funk coming out of the compressor.The "funk" is simply blow-by getting past the comp rings and making it's way into....and ultimately,ruining your hoses.So,even though you have enough comp....it dosen't stop there.Just remember,the harder your comp has to work,the more the potential for moisture and funk.A test of sorts(and this is from Sata's tech dept.),is to get your comp good N hot,and then pull the trigger on your gun(empty cup)....shooting it at a pce of mirror.The notion is that if you're shooting anything other than "clean" air,it shows up on the mirror(and you will see it)....the inference is,you've got work to do on the system.This is irrespective of the gun's quality.

Now....and this is just my observations and others are just as valid(see opening remarks).....about the gun's quality.The better($$$) the gun,the better your edges will be.The "edges" here are about the extremes of your spray pattern.HF,and their ilk guns are copy's of an older Sata design....thats the good news.Where they differ from higher end guns is how well the spray pattern is developed(for lack of a better term).If the gun is atomising as it should,your pattern's edge should be well defined.You/we see a noticeable difference in cheapo guns and more $$ models.This may not be a problem for some?For others,it causes issues that basically add up to bigger factors than if we'd sprung for a little better quality gun.You also have to understand how fast different guns like to be sprayed at.......right back to the opening remarks.Some guns lay down a finish "faster" than others.If you are too slow in your travel speed,you're causing your own problems.One guy likes a "fast" gun....next guy can't stand it.

My advice is to skip the low end models,and get a medium priced....Devilbiss finishline 4 as an example,gun.If you get their "kit",it'll come with a few different tips.And this is assuming you have enough comp/hoses,and you've taken the steps to eliminate moisture/funk from the system.If you're wanting to shoot heavy bodied paints(acrylics).....look at auto body world on how they shoot extremely high bodied primers.The stuff is like "bondo" in a spray.Tip sizes are about where you'll need to be for acrylics.....2.0,2.2,and 2.4's.

We're an Iwata and Sata shop,but will admit to using a cheapo 2.4 to shoot acrylic.........but,I can see a difference.

[Craig Coney]

I've used conversion guns and turbine guns. Fuji has an entry level 2 stage turbine near your budget. You didn't say what type of paint, but you likely will need a good 3 stage turbine for paint at a minimum, I went for a 4 stage turbine just to make sure I had the capability when I needed it.

I prefer the HVLP Turbine system to the conversion guns and use a Fuji Q4 with a gravity cup.

[Bradley Gray]

I have a Graco turbine system I have been using for 10 years. It came with 3 needle/nozzle sets and a tool kit that lives in the top of the turbine. This is my 3rd turbine system and I will buy another when this turbine dies. I mostly spray water base poly but have also sprayed ext. stain and acrylic enamel with minimal thinning. Simple and portable and almost no overspray. I recommend calling C J Spray

2845 Service Rd W, Eagan, MN 55121 (888) 257-7729. I have dealt with them for a long time and get great service and advice.

[Bill Neely]

If you have a decent compressor there's no reason to spend the extra $$ for a turbine setup.