Need HVLP purchase advice

[tkpinsc]

Hope this is the correct forum instead of tools.

I'm new to spray systems and the more I study the more confused I get. I'm planning a purchase of a spray system for a 1 man shop just starting to take a few paying jobs. I plan to spray mostly clear finishes and stain on hardwood furniture, with the possibility of an enamel type paint on small items like shadow boxes. I don't plan to use latex for household painting. I currently have a small compressor suitable for my limited needs, but totally lacking for spraying. I'm currently focused on several options. My upper budget is $600 but would like to spend less but only want to buy once. I plan to make a folding spray booth and vent outside while spraying in my garage shop with waterbase finishes and spray outside when I require a solvent finish. Noise differences is a non issue.

1. Earlex 5000. $350. Like the price but I'm concerned about the non bleeder gun and 15ft hose.

2. Fuji Mini Mite 3 system. Seems like the best turbine system within my budget.

3. Used/budget 2hp 20 gallon class compressor $250, $200 for filter/dryer and hose. $150 for Qualspray or Porter Cable gun. Concerned if this is enough compressor and if the quality will match what the Fuji is capable of.

I like the idea of a larger compressor and probably could find other uses besides spraying but don't want to compromise any spray performance compared to the Fuji.

I also am confused if I want a siphon gun or a gravity gun. My inexperienced guess is a gravity gun.

 

[BSHuff]

I just recently purchased a used Fuji Mini-Mite 4 off of the local Craig's list for less than $500. It makes all of my previous spray gear purchases seem like toys, and I have bought some nice guns (Sharpe, DuraBlock). I was using conversion guns, always seemed like I was getting water in the air, and was cycling my moderate sized compressor way to often. Probably needed a better filter & moisture trap. Felt like I was always chasing another issue in my spray rig. Am sure there was a technique issue in it, but I was taking 2 steps forward one back it seemed. Once I got the Fuji, it just worked, and worked WELL, almost too well! Almost a 'plug and play' system.

I have been getting used to the Target EM6000 WBL, and like it a lot. If you buy it direct they seem to have it at ~45% off and free shipping on an weekly renewing 'special', got 3 gallons for less than $100 (Flat/Semi/Gloss), as samples to see what sheen I like best. So far I like the flat, it adds a little sheen/glimmer to the surface but still is 'there'. Gloss is too much for my style, but have not started rubbing out. Love the water based stuff so far, so nice to go to the sink and rinse it out.

Oh, and a lot of the HVLP systems use garden hoses as the air hose. Just keep that in mind if you need a longer hose. Not sure if it is 'proper' to use, but I have replaced my air control valve on the fuji for $3 vs the exact looking one fuji wanted $10 for.

 

[Bas]

I have the Earlex 5000. No experience with any other systems. I like the Earlex, it is very simple to use, only a couple of adjustments (flow/ spray pattern), and it produces great results with every clear finish I've used so far. Acrylic ("latex") paint did not work well, but alkyd paints should do OK if you thin it sufficiently.

Fuji has a great reputation and definitely makes some excellent systems. For professional use that's probably where I'd be headed. Will it be the "last machine you'll ever buy"? There's always bigger and better. Plus, if you do a significant amount of spraying, I hear a lot of stories of people that dedicate one gun to lacquer and one to water-based finishes. The nice thing about a HVLP turbine is portability. If you can easily set up a spray booth outside the garage, that's not a real issue, but for us basement dwellers, it's nice when you can just pick up the HVLP gun instead of having to lug around a compressor.

 

[tkpinsc]

I have the Earlex 5000. No experience with any other systems. I like the Earlex, it is very simple to use, only a couple of adjustments (flow/ spray pattern), and it produces great results with every clear finish I've used so far. Acrylic ("latex") paint did not work well, but alkyd paints should do OK if you thin it sufficiently.

Fuji has a great reputation and definitely makes some excellent systems. For professional use that's probably where I'd be headed. Will it be the "last machine you'll ever buy"? There's always bigger and better. Plus, if you do a significant amount of spraying, I hear a lot of stories of people that dedicate one gun to lacquer and one to water-based finishes. The nice thing about a HVLP turbine is portability. If you can easily set up a spray booth outside the garage, that's not a real issue, but for us basement dwellers, it's nice when you can just pick up the HVLP gun instead of having to lug around a compressor.

Do you think you'll be upgrading the Earlex at some point to get a feature you don't have and miss?

 

[tkpinsc]

So far a happy user of each of my options. Thanks for the input.

 

[tkpinsc]

I just recently purchased a used Fuji Mini-Mite 4 off of the local Craig's list for less than $500. It makes all of my previous spray gear purchases seem like toys, and I have bought some nice guns (Sharpe, DuraBlock). I was using conversion guns, always seemed like I was getting water in the air, and was cycling my moderate sized compressor way to often. Probably needed a better filter & moisture trap. Felt like I was always chasing another issue in my spray rig. Am sure there was a technique issue in it, but I was taking 2 steps forward one back it seemed. Once I got the Fuji, it just worked, and worked WELL, almost too well! Almost a 'plug and play' system.

I have been getting used to the Target EM6000 WBL, and like it a lot. If you buy it direct they seem to have it at ~45% off and free shipping on an weekly renewing 'special', got 3 gallons for less than $100 (Flat/Semi/Gloss), as samples to see what sheen I like best. So far I like the flat, it adds a little sheen/glimmer to the surface but still is 'there'. Gloss is too much for my style, but have not started rubbing out. Love the water based stuff so far, so nice to go to the sink and rinse it out.

Oh, and a lot of the HVLP systems use garden hoses as the air hose. Just keep that in mind if you need a longer hose. Not sure if it is 'proper' to use, but I have replaced my air control valve on the fuji for $3 vs the exact looking one fuji wanted $10 for.

Does your Fuji have the gravity or siphon gun. They currently offer either gun at the same price with new systems.

 

[JimD]

I bought a Fuji Mini-Mite 3 system less than a month ago. I've used it to finish one project, a queen sized bed. I was surprised by how fast it can lay down a quart of finish. I was using Resisthane, my favorite water based product. I had to thin it a little to get to the 30 second range recommended. I thinned it less on subsequent coats. I had a little trouble avoiding runs but I am pretty sure that was me. It worked well. To get anywhere close to the smallest pattern they say the gun is capable of you have to scale the air back significantly. It comes set up to throw a pattern at least a foot wide - much more than I needed.

I have a Wagner conversion gun and have finished several projects with it but there is no comparison. The Fuji works a whole lot better and is a lot easier to adjust.

I got the non-gravity gun, the one with the quart cup. For furniture, I do not think you want the gravity style gun (they both have pressurized cups) because the cup is so small. The other thing I like about the one I bought is the ability to switch cups. I bought an extra and some caps. When I get a coat on I just switch to a cup full of water and rinse the gun out. I then dump the rest of that water and do it again. When I am ready to recoat, I just put the cup with finish back on and spray away. I think I used to waste too much finish with the Wagner cleaning out the cup each time so I could rinse out the gun.

Jim

 

[Shamrock]

I have a Fuji Q4 pro and it's incredible. I've been amazed by it spraying lacquer, oil based paint, latex paint, shellac and poly.

Also, there customer service is awesome and the owners manual is very good. If you can afford it get the Fuji, you won't be disappointed.

 

[pirate71]

I bought the Fuji Mini-mite 3 with the gravity feed gun in August, 2009. I had never used anything except a spray can before. It was very easy to learn how to use and it is very easy to go thru the cleanup procedure after each spray session. I have never had a single problem with it even after letting it sit for 6 months between uses.

I sprayed all the cabinets in my shop(about 40 doors). Once finished, I had enough experience and confidence to spray all the cabinets in the kitchen. I walled off half the garage with plastic and placed a cheap fan with filter in front of it in the window for ventilation. That seemed to contain most of the spray pretty good.

I've used both water base and oil base paint from Ben. Moore with great results.

This summer, I built and sprayed some podiums for teachers that used college colors. Also, sprayed some outdoor metal furniture. This time I built a booth(8'x12') out of plastic....4 walls, top, and bottom with a fan in one end and a filter in the other end. That worked perfect in containing all the over spray. BUT, the booth consumes space when using and when storing.

Hats off to NCWW for providing the information I needed to make a decision on what direction to go in for spraying and then what systems to evaluate.

 

[Bas]

Do you think you'll be upgrading the Earlex at some point to get a feature you don't have and miss?

At this point, no. If I ever want to spray acrylic paint, I'll get a paint sprayer. That's about it. Or if they made a gun that cleans itself

Sometimes I wonder whether having more knobs and levers could help dial in a better result, e.g. tweak the air flow and/ or pressure, not just the amount of finish being sprayed. I had a project where the shellac I was laying down showed some orange peel. In retrospect, that was probably the shellac itself, not the gun, because the next project went great without any peel. And having all those knobs and levers would mean having to learn about them too.

 

[BSHuff]

Does your Fuji have the gravity or siphon gun. They currently offer either gun at the same price with new systems.

I have the previous generation siphon setup. The newer gun has a pattern control knob and is supposed to be even better. I think I would have liked the gravity gun, as most of my stuff is smaller pieces (end tables, boxes, not sets of kitchen cabinets), but I like the siphon cup cause you can add enough finish for 3 coats, and if you are recoating at a 30-45 min coats, it is nice to not have to find a stand to hold the gravity gun, or risk spilling out the

I do have a -1 tip, so one step smaller than the stock one, forgot the numbering scheme, maybe a 3 vs the stock 4? In my playing it seemed to flow a little better with the finish I was using straight out of the can.

I agree about the too many knobs problem with other guns. So my line pressure is 100, my gun pressure is 34.5 and this knob it 1.2 turns out.....etc...etc. That is the nice thing with the turbine systems. Turn it on, adjust the fluid flow so you are laying down wet and tweak back the air flow to reduce overspray and you are done.

 

[JimmyC]

The Earlex 5000 seems like the best bang for the bunch and costs $299.95 @ Klingspor
http://www.woodworkingshop.com/cgi-bin/F4251E66/mac/qryitems.mac/itemDisplay, It definitely has my interest.

Here's a very good review from the Wood Whisperer on Earlex 5000:

http://thewoodwhisperer.com/episode-45-music-to-my-earlex/

Good Luck,

 

[terry1166]

If you've got the cash you can't go wrong with the Fuji system. I've had a "mini-mite 4" for over a year now and have never been disappointed with the equipment. If you do consider Fuji, you might talk to others that have both the pressurized gravity gun and the siphon gun and get their opinions on which they prefer. In my opinion, the only advantage to the siphon gun is larger capacity. The gravity gun is easier to fill with finish (just take the lid off) and clean than the siphon gun. I can tilt the cup and spray finish into tight areas.The gravity gun's capacity has never been a problem for me as I can quickly just remove the the top cap and re-fill the cup. Also, the Fuji pressurized gravity gun will spray thicker materials as good or most of the time better than the siphon gun using the same needle setup. Alot of of re-finishers that do cabinet work use the gravity gun. I've never used the Earlex system, but everything I've read about the equipment has been positive.

Terry

 

[gdoebs]

I have a Fuji Q4 Pro. Don't know if I like it yet cause I haven't used it! From what I've heard and seen (on YouTube) it works really well.

I'm going to use it hopefully this weekend when I start painting my new kitchen cabinets.

 

[tkpinsc]

Thanks to all that replied.

I just brought home a fairly clean Graco 4900 4 stage system with five different nozzle combinations included. A craigslist find at $300. Seems to be a more robust compressor with a similar featured gun compared Fuji Mini Mite 3 for half the price.