Better gun

tvrgeek

Scott
Corporate Member
I have limped along with the cheapo HF HVLP gun for years. it works OK I guess, but I was having a heck of a problem getting a nice varnish finish.
What is a recommendation for a reasonable ( yes some can cost over $1000) gun. Siphon? Gravity? etc?

I use a standard big compressor. I have not really looked into turbine systems.
 

tvrgeek

Scott
Corporate Member
Watching a pile of video's. Yea, the HP HTE " spectrum pro" looks like a good value. May grab one today when I take back my totally useless moisture meter. I saw the "Black Widow" in the shelf, $220 so not terrible. Reviews suggest only a tiny bit better with clear coats. I now understand some of my problem is probably the small diameter hose.

Besides just poly, I will be painting my kitchen cabinets. Probably the SW industrial latex enamel. Makes me wonder if I should break down for a turbine. I guess Fugi is tops, but gasp the price. Looking at the Earlex 6003, pres. cup system. $500 or so. Wide selection of tips. 3 stage.
 

Rwe2156

DrBob
Senior User
I just finished doing a kitchen with an Earlex 6003. I'm not a pro but I felt like one using it, and I am very happy with the results. I would recommend it to anyone below the professional level.

If I did a lot of painting or were in business, I'd spring for a Fuji.

Since you have the compressor requirements, you could consider another HVLP. I've heard the 3M Accuspray set up is nice. I've used the purple HF guns, they do spray, but both have ended up in the trash as some point.

TMK most of the good SW kitchen paint like AquaKem is sold through the commercial division, and only available in 5 gallon.

Personally, I never spray latex. FWIW I used Target Coatings products and I am very happy with results.
 

Oka

Casey
Corporate Member
I bought a Sprayfine 4 stage turbine, gotta say it works really well, but I have not owned it long enough to put out a formal review yet I have a project coming up and will do a bunch of spraying, after that project is complete, I'll do a real review. But, TBH, turbine is the way to go with spraying wood finishes, just all around easier and easier to get a across the board great results ....... (sorry/not sorry for the pun).
 

tvrgeek

Scott
Corporate Member
Yes, the good SW paint is only through the commercial suppliers, but they do mix qts. (I bought one) Not cheap. They claim as tough as good old enamel. Latex, but not like one thinks of as latex wall paint. For hosing down walls, I have a piston painter.

I have a viscosity cup I thought was a Ford #4, but water takes 5.8 seconds and I thought a Ford #4 was 10 seconds.

Found manuals for the various old guns I found in the attic. One Kobalt, One Devillbiss. Both older "conventional" guns. Might keep one if I ever paint another car as they are better for high build primers. Not the best choice for furniture finishing.

Found some good info on compressor based HVLP. So I picked up a shorter 3/8 hose and need to track does high flow fittings. All mine are type M and I should go to type T or V. As most of mine are cheap, might as well just convert.

Advice is not to use at-gun gauge or filter as they restrict volume. Specs are misleading as they say PSI at tip, but not at gun! Turns out, at gun is higher than I thought. 40 for my "purple" guns. I have not read the manual on my new one yet.
 

tvrgeek

Scott
Corporate Member
Besides regular poly that started me looking into better guns, the paint SW sold me for the cabinets is their Extreme bond primer" and Emerald Urethane Trim Enamel.

There is an Apollo 5 stage kit on Craigs list right now, but I am kind of looking at the Fuji mini 4 stage if my new gun, couplings, and some practice does not pan out.
 

Phil S

Phil Soper
Staff member
Corporate Member
I have an extra Prevost high flow coupling if you want one - just push on and push button to remove. Very handy at the gun. You can also try out my Devilbuss for a few days if you want - the difference between a DF4 and a HF would be like comparing a Central Machinery table saw to a Unisaw.
 

tvrgeek

Scott
Corporate Member
Ordered 20 packs of Milton V series. That should fix me up even for every day as they are of known quality vs whatever I get form HF or HD.

Searching for info on the paints. SW product sheet does not give recommendations for spray other than an airless. (I do have a big Graco, and they do have fine tips)
Best suggestion is to use FLOTROL to thin. The primer can be thinned 10% with water. Recommendations say at least a 4 stage turbine. Fuji mini-4 is under $900. Might be just the thing for poly and be able to do the enamel. Going to visit the SW pro supplier tomorrow for further advice. Estimate to have the kitchen painted by a pro shop was $5000, so that is a great excuse to upgrade my own capabilities. Heck, I could darn near buy new cabinets for that!

Devillbiss GFG seems to be their current HTE gun. $500 is a bit steep at this point. By DF-4, is that the FIneFinish-4 FLG? ( $280) I should watch Craig's list though. The HF Spectrum pro has a very strong following. Surprising, the HF "purple" has a pretty strong following. If I were shooting Imeron, might be just the thing as it would be disposable! Anyway, I can blame a $15 gun, but I think I need to optimize and practice before I can blame a $120 gun. A DSO can get bad results from the best tool. I painted my TVR with a $10 Sears plastic gun using Centari. It came out better than current cars even before I color sanded and buffed.
 

Hmerkle

Board of Directors, Development Director
Hank
Staff member
Corporate Member
@Phil S what size air hose are you using - I had a 3/8" hose reel, but ALWAYS seemed to need more hose... (Behave!) an found a longer 1/4" hose, but believe I realized its limitations, I don't think I got the flow from it that I did when I had the 3/8" hose... The next time I spray I plan to do a little test, with a 3/8" fixed hose and a quick switch over to the 1/4"...
 

Phil S

Phil Soper
Staff member
Corporate Member
I would seriously rethink the paint you want to use. I just did a large millwork job. I sprayed a colored pre-cat primer, lightly sanded with 320 within 30 minutes and then followed with two coats of tinted pre-cat with maybe 20 minutes between coats. The next morning I stacked and wrapped the pieces with no problem. I used a solvent based product but also could have bought water borne. Dry time would be more weather dependent. Assuming you need to spray indoors I just happen to have a portable explosion proof fan with an 8 meter large exhaust hose. Hope this helps
 

Phil S

Phil Soper
Staff member
Corporate Member
@Phil S what size air hose are you using - I had a 3/8" hose reel, but ALWAYS seemed to need more hose... (Behave!) an found a longer 1/4" hose, but believe I realized its limitations, I don't think I got the flow from it that I did when I had the 3/8" hose... The next time I spray I plan to do a little test, with a 3/8" fixed hose and a quick switch over to the 1/4"...
3/8 I should be more specific. I use 3/8 hose and high flow fittings on my Devilbuss Finishline as it is an HVLP (high volume low pressure) and it consumes over 13 cfm at 23 psi at the gun input.
I use 1/4 hose and standard fittings on on Sprayit guns which are LVLP ( low volume low pressure) and use less than 4 cfm
 
Last edited:

gmakra

New User
George
The brand of the gun isn't as important as having the correct needle and air cap. You would not use a framing hammer the adjust a plane blade. So get a gun set up for what your going to spray.

The air caps are not forgiving when you try to pass something other than what that cap was designed for.
DeVilbiss is a good gun and parts are available for them.
 

tvrgeek

Scott
Corporate Member
I would seriously rethink the paint you want to use. I just did a large millwork job. I sprayed a colored pre-cat primer, lightly sanded with 320 within 30 minutes and then followed with two coats of tinted pre-cat with maybe 20 minutes between coats. The next morning I stacked and wrapped the pieces with no problem. I used a solvent based product but also could have bought water borne. Dry time would be more weather dependent. Assuming you need to spray indoors I just happen to have a portable explosion proof fan with an 8 meter large exhaust hose. Hope this helps

Gee, and I keep getting accused of over thinking everything! :)

I agree, but want to do some testing first.
OK, 2 projects. One is the continuing furniture jobs of plain old poly and stain. I think the gun I just got will do that very well. Small 1.3 tip and of course poly can be thinned as needed. It should do well on 2K and clearcoat when I finish my Stag interior. (cold-formed walnut trim)

Kitchen is the second project. Doors I can do in the shop, but face frames will have to be done insitu. The SW Emerald, maybe with a bit of flow modifier, can be brushed or rolled on the frames and I hope do pretty well. They claim it is as hard as Alkaid enamel, but only testing will tell. I can thin about 10% with water and add a little flow modifier, but it may need more like a 1.8 or larger tip to spray the doors. If it is actually not useable in a compressor/HTE and not any better in a 4 or 5 stage turbine, then it is the wrong paint. I don't know anything about the current water based auto paints and nothing about pre-cat. Only the good old 2K single stage enamels.

Searching for cabinet paints
S-W Emerald said to be harder to apply than most ( I have a quart to test)
S-W Pro-Classic Acrylic Alkyd ( obsoleted by Emerald?)
B-M ADVANCE satin is said to be lower viscosity. Maybe easier to spray.
FinePaints of Europe Eurolux Acrylic Says may be sprayed. Could be the best paint. Very expensive.
Valspar Cabinet
Valspar oil enriched enamel, door and trim. Maybe OBE.
Behr trim and cabinet
Behr Hybrid Urethane Alkyd Semi-Gloss
Insl-X self priming
Furrow and Ball is full gloss only.

Product sheets seem to be focused on DIY brush or roller, not spray. No suggestions for viscosity, pressures anything. It seems the only reliable guidance is to test everything myself.
 

tvrgeek

Scott
Corporate Member
The brand of the gun isn't as important as having the correct needle and air cap. You would not use a framing hammer the adjust a plane blade. So get a gun set up for what your going to spray.

The air caps are not forgiving when you try to pass something other than what that cap was designed for.
DeVilbiss is a good gun and parts are available for them.
Like all tools, got to know how to use and abuse them. A framing hammer is a very versatile tool. Remember the old song: "Son go get the hammer, there's a fly on papa's head" :p
 
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Reactions: Oka

tvrgeek

Scott
Corporate Member
Going to visit Spectrum paints in the AM. Cary is a bit if a haul, but may learn something.
 

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