New sprayer. No experience. Need some help

[Nick Dimov]

Hi guys. Need some finishing help. I bought a Fuji miti max 3 from a board member here and would like to learn to spray. I was eyeing a earlex 5500 when a deal came on what I believe is a better unit. So what I'm here to ask is how to spray cabinets and doors. I have watched lots of videos regarding techniques but have no clue on what to spray. I want to spray the cabinets white. I would like the finish to be similar to what you would expect to buy from a funiture store or cabinet maker. Can someone break down exactly what to buy with brands and everything and how to use it? Any help would be great.

[Rob Young]

Hi guys. Need some finishing help. I bought a Fuji miti max 3 from a board member here and would like to learn to spray. I was eyeing a earlex 5500 when a deal came on what I believe is a better unit. So what I'm here to ask is how to spray cabinets and doors. I have watched lots of videos regarding techniques but have no clue on what to spray. I want to spray the cabinets white. I would like the finish to be similar to what you would expect to buy from a funiture store or cabinet maker. Can someone break down exactly what to buy with brands and everything and how to use it? Any help would be great.

Zinser BIN white primer, the shellac based stuff, not the waterborne. This is a fantastic primer and after a thorough cleaning of the cabinets to remove old grease, gunk and then sanding to key the surface and remove failing finish it will make them dead white. Suggestions for cleaning solutions, methods and sanding abound in old forum posts here.

After that you need a topcoat that is KCMA (group that tests and also has a published set of endurance tests for finishes) rated. Lots of suggestions for General Finishes, Benjamin Moore, Target and Sherwin-Williams products can be found in older posts here.

As far as a learning and technique source, get a copy of Jeff Jewett's book and video. Spray Finishing Made Simple from Taunton Press. The video is getting a bit dated but all the information is still good.

Get something inexpensive to practice with, some big sheets of cardboard and go to town. You can even mock up the cabinet boxes with cardboard to learn how to best spray inside a box.

[Andy Giddings]

+1 on all of Rob's comments, Nick. Jeff's book and DVD (included) will save you a bunch of time and frustration. Don't be tempted to use Latex paint on furniture - the brands Rob recommends are tried and tested by plenty of forum members. Better to buy a good quality finish than something cheap from the big box stores. General Finishes has plenty of videos on line regarding their range of products. You'll find with the Mini-Mite will spray just about anything as long as you follow the recommended needle/air cap sizes. Thicker materials (such as General Finishes Milk Paint) need to be thinned with 10% water but spray with great results with a 1.8 needle/cap. The Fuji needle sets are about $50-60 each and are all sold online (Amazon, Homestead as well as many others).

You will need a respirator - even with Water Based products. A place to spray is always good - I use the knock down spray booth from Jeff's book and work in the garage - venting with a box fan out the window.

[Mike Wilkins]

There is also an article in the latest issue of FineHomebuilding magazine about spraying finishes, and the author has a similar machine. He has some great tips, hints, tricks for using this type of spraying system. Great info; makes me want to go out and get one today.

[Nick Dimov]

Thank you for all the great tips guys. I will check out those products. Please keep the feedback coming. Gotta find that magazine as well.

[Evan Stewart]

Nick, i just got a mini might 4 last week after using airless sprayers for a few years. I wish i had bought this thing years ago! I am by no means a professional finisher but compared to an airless system the fuji is a dream for cabinets. I spent an afternoon practicing on a bunch of cardboard boxes just to get the feel of the gun and its adjustments and figuring out how much to thin the material for the cap set. After that i took some scrap plywood and made a couple mock up boxes and experimented with some different flow settings and fan sizes. When i felt comfortable i primed a couple of shelves flat and when those turned out well i brought a full 92" H x 30"W unit into the booth and went for it. It was good to have a primer coat as the last bit of practice since i could sand out a couple of areas that where a bit too heavy. I just did the top coats today and im very happy with this unit.

Its definitely helpful to read books or articles on methods for sure. I find the most useful method is to do some experimenting and then consult the books to help fix any issues. I use target coatings em6500 and em6000 for finishing the price is very affordable and i personally find it very easy to use.

I think you will definitely be glad you bought that unit instead of a less expensive or less appropriate setup for your purposes.