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Thread: Teach me how to spray in Fairfield County, CT?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jun 2015
    Location
    Fairfield County, CT
    Posts
    112

    Teach me how to spray in Fairfield County, CT?

    Ok - I'm a relative newbie in woodworking (it's become a hobby/passion for the last 4-5 years). I've completed a number of furniture pieces successfully and am pleased - but I'm frustrated with the finishing portion of my projects.

    I've been using General Finishes Arm R Seal wipe on poly with reasonable success, but it's taking _forever_ and I have to deal with drips/runs on vertical surfaces (absolutely could be my technique).

    I finally invested in a Fuji Q5, but wanted to see if someone would be able/willing to teach me how to use it - I have no experience spraying and haven't found any courses in the area. I believe I have everything needed (but can review/confirm).

    Happy to pay (reasonable cash, favorite beverage, whatever) and my place or yours - I'm in Norwalk CT.

    If you'd be willing to help I'd be very greatful! PM here or email is jm _at_ removeme computertoolbox.com

    Thanks!

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2016
    Location
    Coppell, TX
    Posts
    908
    Josh, can't help you with the 1 on 1 teaching but just checking whether you've tried reading and watching the various You Tube videos out there? A Fuji or HVLP is about as easy an intro to spraying as it gets once you understand the basics of the gun and getting the right size nozzle for the material's viscosity. And a Q5 can spray almost anything. I can recommend Jeff Jewitt's book on spraying which goes into a lot of detail and has a DVD included. Jeff's website also has a number of videos that are worth taking in. I found a lot of practice improves your technique - you can use dyed water on paper or cardboard to practice so that you don't waste materials. Start simple with flat, horizontal surfaces and work from there.

    And drips or runs with Arm R Seal is your technique :-) trying to put too much on or an overloaded cloth - I had success with blue shop towels as its difficult to overload them

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jun 2015
    Location
    Fairfield County, CT
    Posts
    112
    Thanks Andy - I'll continue to peruse the videos. Was hopeful someone could walk me through the ins and outs in real time. I'll get Jeff's book as well - thanks for the response! I appreciate it, I've learned so much on SMC.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Nov 2014
    Location
    NC Piedmont
    Posts
    192
    Andy's advice on practicing on cardboard is spot on. You can learn easily about mixing, using thinners, etc. by reading but the difficult if not impossible thing to learn that way is technique. That is where watching videos and trial and error help. Having painted some trucks and tractors before YouTube was born, I had to learn by trial and error. If you don't find what you want on wood finishing on YouTube try searching for auto body refinishing. There is a ton of info on that and will help you know how fast to move the gun as well as angles, etc. Eastwood has a lot of DVDs you could order also.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Lawrence, KS
    Posts
    594
    Quote Originally Posted by Josh Molaver View Post
    Thanks Andy - I'll continue to peruse the videos. Was hopeful someone could walk me through the ins and outs in real time. I'll get Jeff's book as well - thanks for the response! I appreciate it, I've learned so much on SMC.

    +1 on the book. Get one that has the included DVD. The equipment specs are getting a little dated with respect to what turbines can do, but techniques don't change.

    Practice on the cardboard. Then try plywood. I made some quickie butt-joint-and-screws boxes out of scraps and used those to practice inside corner work. That paid off big time for me. I suppose you could do the same with the cardboard and some duct tape.

    Another "practice" method I discovered was that my neighbor up the street goes to foreclosure auctions and the like to buy sturdy furniture. He then fixes them up and re-sells them to the college students when they need to furnish a new apartment. So, I get all the practice chairs & small tables I want. He does the grunt work of sanding them and I get practice spraying.
    Don't sweat the petty things and don't pet the sweaty things.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jun 2015
    Location
    Fairfield County, CT
    Posts
    112
    Thank you all for the thoughtful responses - will continue reading/watching videos and then just try it out!

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Location
    Porter,TX
    Posts
    1,520
    Biggest learning tool is just spray.If water will not hurt your spray rig then put water in your cup and spray adjusting the knobs to see how it performs.Try to pick out a brand and either oil or water and stick with it best you can.When switching from brand to brand and oil to water it just makes the learning curve harder.But cleaning the gun is also very important so invest in a cleaning kit and develop a good technique for taking gun apart,laying out the parts in order and having some gun oil for the threads and seals.Shop around for some good Q-tips with wooded stems single ends that doctors use.-----Carroll

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