Getting into spraying


Dnorris1369

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Hey guys I’m looking at getting into spraying. I just built a kitchen table and it’s making me say it’s time to start spraying. I have a large air compressor so I’m leaning towards a gun setup for that. Can I get some advice for this or separate setup.?  Pros/cons/etc. also recommendations on both.  Thanks in advance 

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Conventional spray guns will create a lot of overspray which wastes expensive finish . HVLP conversion guns reduce the overspray and run on compressed air but require either short spraying sessions or a larger compressor. Turbine HVLP guns can spray without stopping for the pressure to build back up. The lower priced turbine HVLP rigs do ok with thinner finishes but a lot of the better finishes today have a higher viscosity. 3 stage turbines spray better. 

I spray waterbourne finishes and some solvent based stains. My turbine rig is from American Turbine w a 35 ft hose & a Croix gun . I can spray all day with it and actually do on a regular basis but it costs $1300-$1500. I've been using HVLP turbine set ups for over 25 years and gradually replaced each piece. So I can't speak on the current more affordable rigs but plenty of guys here have them. 

Then there is where to spray and dealing with fumes plus masks & filters....

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I have two systems I use . 1 is the 3m pps conversion system that I pair with the smaller cups and an undersized air compressor for smaller jewelry boxes. 2 is an Apollo 3 stage hvlp system that I use for bigger table tops. The 3m conversion gun is great for clean up because the cups have a throw away liner and the paint is in the nozzle only. The 3m system is probably cheaper to get into than an hvlp turbine.

https://www.cpooutlets.com/3m-16580-pps-accuspray-spray-gun-system/thmn16580,default,pd.html?ref=bingpla&zmam=31282435&zmas=47&zmac=748&zmap=thmn16580&msclkid=a8fb3975343a1c7d109a62f784357206&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=CPO Outlets - PLA - RLSA&utm_term=4581596235134554&utm_content=All Visitors - 30 Days

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One of the spray rigs I use is that 3M 16580 that Larry posted the link to.   You can find them cheapest all the time on ebay, including free shipping.   There are multiple sizes of containers that fit it, tips that are right for almost anything,  as well as strainer tops for water bourne, and solvent based finishes.  I like it a lot.

I also use airless, and various HVLP rigs, and even old conventional guns, depending on what I'm doing.  The only time I use the conventional guns is if I'm spraying gelcoat though, so those shouldn't even be figured into any question about spraying woodwork, these days.  I only use them because the gaskets are leather, and no worries about cleaning with styrene bothering them.

If indeed you have a good supply of clean, dry air the 16580 is a great place to start.  I have more air than any spray gun can possibly use though, coming out of a refrigerated dryer.  I'd hesitate to recommend that gun with any single stage compressor, unless you're only doing very small projects.

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That's a single stage compressor.   It will do fine for spraying a piece of furniture once in a while.  You will need a large water filter as a starting point, and I'd want a better regulator that the one that comes on those.  The trouble with single stage compressors is that even though they will theoretically supply the volume of air asked for spraying, the pressure and volume is not exactly constant coming out of the regulator.  That one has a max pressure more than the average single stage, so I would hope it also has a higher kick on point.

What is the kick on point of that one?   

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Way back when I was spraying with compressed air I built a little stand to hold a second water separator. I laid a section of hose along the concrete floor to the second separator then a hose to the gun. The floor cooled the air and lots of water condensed out . A male and female coupling, separator plus a short section of pipe to run through a vertical board with a base on the floor came together quickly.

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I would really like to get my hands on an Apollo 7700 series gun, but haven't had the opportunity yet.   Whatever gun you decide on, it's one of those things where the more money you spend on the tool, the easier it is to do really good work with, whereas it's almost impossible to lay down a professional looking finish with a cheap gun, and is impossible without a lot of experience.

The plastic 3M gun won't do what a SATA will, but it does a pretty good job.   If I had one of the Apollo guns to try, I might say spend 300 instead of 200.   I owned an Apollo turbine rig for a number of years, but got to the place where I didn't use it, so it was sold.   I did really like it, but it was just slow for what I used it for after I bought a newer gun for the airless rig that allows much better control of thinner finishes.

With that 3M PPS gun, there are still other bits and pieces required-cups, tops, bags, before you can spray anything, that will add to that investment.

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Any hvlp spray gun will do but it only hurts once to get a decent 100.00 gun. Any auto paint supply places by you? Sometimes they have demo guns you can buy cheap. Don't get the horrible freight purple gun, it's crap. Get a 1.5 and a 2.0 needle and nozzle set. I like the M60 filter for water and oil filtering. The paper replacement cartridge you can use a roll of toilet paper or buy theirs. Most guys forget, its not only water in the lines but the oil mist passing through a  compressor that causes finishing issues. Also, I will attach the orange thing (:P) at the spray gun connect. Just to get any pixies that may escape the M60 

 

Sub-Micronic Compressed Air Filter - 100CFMImage result for spray gun line filter

 

-Ace-

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I use an Astro HVLP gun I bought from Amazon, about $100.  It is a very good gun and I spray all I want with my little 20 gallon 45 year old Craftsman 2HP compressor.  It never fails to keep up but in fairness I rarely spray more than 3-4 minutes at a time.  I'm not doing large pieces of furniture, usually just smaller pieces like I show here from time to time - trophies, plaques, coin holders, etc.

One thing I noticed right away is the vast difference between conventional and HVLP in the amount of overspray, as has been noted.  I'm using half as much Nitrocellulose sealer and lacquer with the HVLP gun and therefore the gun probably paid for itself in a very short period of time.

My compressor is in the climate controlled shop so no water trap and no oil issues from the old compressor.  I know that's the exception and if my compressor were to be outside all that would change.  But even the one time each year when I go to drain the tank my guess is I have less than one ounce of liquid.  I've stopped taking it outside to drain it annually choosing instead to just put a cup in front of the drain and catch it while it's still inside the shop.

David

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