Recommendation for HVLP sprayer for Latex Paint

[Jim Becker]

John, I agree about using the ProClassic with an airless or air-assisted...but most hobbyist woodworkers don't have those and it's very difficult to get them to cooperate with conventional or HPLV guns in my (limited) experience. That said, they do have a very nice leveling property so brush and roller application can actually work nicely on the "right" projects. I was very, very pleased that I got zero brush marks on any of the trim in our "study" room where I used ProClassic on trim and doors. Then again, I prefer to spray, so I opt for the Target Coatings products I've been using for a number of years now for my woodworking projects.

[Bob Grier]

Hi Paulh, I recently painted trim and doors with BM alkyd semi gloss white and water based poly over stained window trim. After the fact I think lacquer might have been a better choice for me but lacking experience and worried about fumes, I stuck with these paints and a respirator, painted in the garage and used a 900cfm exhaust fan for ventilation.

I started with a small 1.5 hp compressor with 20 gal tank. I called Jeff at Homestead for sprayer advise. At his recommendation I bought LVLP air assisted conversion gun and it worked well for more than 1000 feet of trim, 20 doors and casings, and 11 window casings. Half way through the job, I bought a larger craigslist compressor in the 9 cfm @ 40psi range which worked better. Better because I didn't have to stop and wait for air after 1 or 2 doors. Actually I ended up buying 3 different compressors: one a returned compressor from sears (the small one) and two 9+ cfm @ 40 psi off craigslist. The first craigslist one had a leak in the tank and I returned it to the seller. I paid $160 for the Sears, and less than $150 for each of the other larger compressors. They were Sears models too. I sold the small sears one for what I paid although I spent a couple hours cleaning it up after spraying the white paint. After that I move the larger compressor out side and ran the hose into the garage.

Although I don't know near as much about spraying as others who are giving advice, I can say I did get smooth gloss and semi gloss finishes but I did sand after priming and sometimes between coats. I did have trouble with runs on the doors sometimes. Lack of experience and knowledge. I think an HVLP rather than LVLP would have been better but I had a small compressor and it would not have run the HVLP. The quart pot I had on the gun could do both sides of 4 doors with thinned latex before refilling.

I would rather have had remote pot so I could position the gun in any direction while spraying but that is more money. Maybe some day.

I am so glad I sprayed rather than brushed. If the surfaces are prepared, then spraying gives a nice smooth finish. I think that is what you would want for cabinets. The alkyd I used took long time to harden where boards could be stacked. Maybe 2 weeks. They could be handled after 4 hours but were not hard cured for a couple weeks. I assume lacquer would cure much faster.

[Paulh Tremblay]

That was a very helpful post, Bob G. I looked at Jeff Jewit's site and emailed him today. I think I am going to buy the QualSpray AM-5008/P, or maybe the QS-600WB. What gun did you get?

I have a question for members in general. Can you buy different tips for your spray gun? The gun I want comes with 3 tips (or 2 if I get the other model). Am I stuck with the tips it comes with? I did a search on the internet and couldn't find many places that sell just tips for guns.

[Bill Neely]

That was a very helpful post, Bob G. I looked at Jeff Jewit's site and emailed him today. I think I am going to buy the QualSpray AM-5008/P, or maybe the QS-600WB. What gun did you get?

I have a question for members in general. Can you buy different tips for your spray gun? The gun I want comes with 3 tips (or 2 if I get the other model). Am I stuck with the tips it comes with? I did a search on the internet and couldn't find many places that sell just tips for guns.

I hope this is the answer you are looking for: Most brand name guns have a selection of various sized needle/nozzle sets available for their guns. Jeff sells additional n/n sets for his Qualspray line and also has n/n sets for the CAT guns he sells - if he doesn't have them all in stock he can order them for you.

[Paulh Tremblay]

I hope this is the answer you are looking for: Most brand name guns have a selection of various sized needle/nozzle sets available for their guns. Jeff sells additional n/n sets for his Qualspray line and also has n/n sets for the CAT guns he sells - if he doesn't have them all in stock he can order them for you.

Yes, it is. Thanks again. I'll order the Qual gun with the three tips and be closer to having a solution for finishing my work.

[scott vroom]

I'm a bit late to the party but I've used Ben. Moore Advance WB alkyd paint in my 4 stage HVLP with excellent results. Lays down nicely and dries much harder than traditional latex paint. I may have missed whether the OP said these were shop cabinets or something for the inside of the home. My go-to paint for high quality interior finish work is pigmented GF Enduro Poly....awesome finish. For lower budget jobs I like BM Advance...top coated with a clear poly for durability.

[Bob Grier]

Paulh

You asked which gun I got. It is the QualSpray AM-6008/1Qt with 1.0, 1.3, 1.5mm setups in the LVLP kit. I also purchased the cleaning kit which I found very helpful.

I am inexperienced novice and don't want to say a LVLP conversion gun or something similar is the best way to go. Really, all I am saying is that this is what I bought, mainly because it was relatively inexpensive, I had a small compressor, and the compressor can serve other purposes. It did work for me. The BM alkyd paint I sprayed did not give as nice of finish as professionally sprayed lacquer finishes that I have seen although I sometimes got results very very close to the same. Sometimes I got a little orange peal and called it good. Sometimes I sanded the orange peal and got smoother surface results on the second coat. The water based poly I used came out really nice. I used Dalys Seafin Aquaspar gloss with the 1mm setup.

Bob