Tried my Wagner Gun & Target USL

[Matt Meiser]

I finally got a chance to try out my new Wagner HVLP gun and Target USL today. I decided to do a trial on a piece of shop furniture and am happy to report that both worked very well. I found the gun VERY easy to use. In fact, the only thing I adjusted out of the box was the air pressure. For the finish, I first sprayed Target EM8800 Sealer with a couple drops of Transtint Honey Amber tint. The sealer raised the grain some but it only took a couple minutes with some 320 grit paper to knock it back down. I then sprayed Target USL over that with the tint added to the first coat. The only problem I had was that I got a little striping of the tinted finish, so I'll have to watch that next time, but I think I made the passes of sealer too far apart. This only happened in some areas

[Bob Johnson2]

We used to call them railroad tracks when painting cars, caused by uneven paint application, for whatever reason. Spraying even steady speed passes with about a 50% overlap was the goal. We had to learn the right speed to move to avoid runs and such. Keep the gun a constant distance from the surface.

[Jim Becker]

'Glad you had a good day spraying, Matt. I haven't tried the tinting thing yet, but just may do that one of these days to add a little extra warmth and tone. (Kind the thing I use shellac for quite often)

[Matt Meiser]

I haven't tried the tinting thing yet, but just may do that one of these days to add a little extra warmth and tone. (Kind the thing I use shellac for quite often)

When you do, trust me when I say that a little goes a LONG way. One big drop in about 1/3 of a quart was plenty.

[Matt Meiser]

As an update, I've been watching a test piece of plywood since yesterday morning when I first sprayed it. As expected, at first there was a lot of orange peel which leveled out in the first couple hours. There was still a little at that point, which I figured would be the kind of thing you would get out by sanding and polishing. I was really suprised that by evening it had continued to level to a glass-smooth finish. It also continued to harden. Last night I could scratch it with my fingernail, but not this morning.

[Travis Porter]

Being that you are doing this in your new spray booth, is it pretty smooth ie NIB free? Did you put any plastic up? I have been watching your updates and am curious to how smooth you would say it is on a scale of 1 to 10?

[Howard Acheson]

If you are just getting into spray finishing, do not be in a rush to spray your first real project.

In the shop I was involved with, the apprentise finishers spent the first week learning how to mix and thin finishes, how to properly prepare a surface for finishing, and how to "read" the spray for proper air and material quantity adjustments. The second week was spent on techniques like how to plan and attack a spraying job. This included removing the back learning what sections to spray first and how not to spray into a corner. They then sprayed water to practice. They then practised on spraying cardboard cartons until they could lay down a consistant film thickness with minimal or no overspray.

In other words, get some boxes and practise. Spraying is not something you just pick up and do. To get a good finish, you need some instruction on technique and then some practise. I recommend a book by Charron callled Spray Finishing. It will give you the info you need. The practise you'll have to do yourself.

[Matt Meiser]

Being that you are doing this in your new spray booth, is it pretty smooth ie NIB free? Did you put any plastic up? I have been watching your updates and am curious to how smooth you would say it is on a scale of 1 to 10?

I would say about 8-9. There was a little dirt, but that is because a) I didn't clean the shop, and b) I just grabbed my test board from the scrap bin and brushed it off with my hand. I'm confident that it will be even better with a clean shop.

[Matt Meiser]

I recommend a book by Charron callled Spray Finishing. It will give you the info you need. The practise you'll have to do yourself.

Is this the book?

[Tim Sproul]

As expected, at first there was a lot of orange peel which leveled out in the first couple hours.

I'm a spray novice but I thought that a good spray finish didn't need to level out. It should be sprayed on in a uniform, flat manner right off the gun. Yes? No? The orange peel right off the gun usually indicates less than ideal atomization of the finish....

Again, I have no experience spraying water-based coatings, yet. I've only dabbled a bit with spraying shellac and dyes.

[Jim Becker]

Tim, I don't think it's humanly possible for anyone to lay down a perfect coat. I think Matt got it on a little thick, but the finish was pretty forgiving as it cured out. That "forgiveness" is not a substitue for learning how to do it right...I sure have a long way to go in that respect! But I will admit that I've had similar experiences to Matt and breathed a sigh of relieve when the finish was nice to me...

[Matt Meiser]

I probably did put it on too heavy.

[Tim Sproul]

Tim, I don't think it's humanly possible for anyone to lay down a perfect coat.

I wasn't trying to imply that. It seemed from Matt's post that the initial orange peel is normal. I thought that finishes should spray on without orange peel and should appear visually flat, not orange peel. I have no experience with water-based coatings and will be getting equipment and supplies in a week or so. I want to know if the initial orange peel is normal or not. It also seems that an initial orange peel can't be good if you're spraying vertical surfaces....such as spraying built-ins after installing.

[Matt Meiser]

I wasn't trying to imply that. It seemed from Matt's post that the initial orange peel is normal. I thought that finishes should spray on without orange peel and should appear visually flat, not orange peel. I have no experience with water-based coatings and will be getting equipment and supplies in a week or so. I want to know if the initial orange peel is normal or not. It also seems that an initial orange peel can't be good if you're spraying vertical surfaces....such as spraying built-ins after installing.

I read somewhere, but can't remember where, that WB finishes do go on with some orange peel at first but level out. It probably would have been in Jeff Jewitts book or on his or Target Coatings web site as that's where I've been going for information beside here. Also, when I say a lot, I don't mean that it was literally as rough as an orange, but it wasn't perfectly flat. I doubt the average person would have noticed, but a woodworker definitely would have.

[Jim Becker]

Matt, I know exactly what you are speaking about as I sometimes get it that way, too. But it really does level out once I promise it that I'll do better with the next coat....