Sprayers

[Derekkest]

I decided I want to invest a little in a spray system. I will mostly be spraying shellac for now and eventully move on to other things. I dont want to spend a boatload on it as I have never done it before and unsure if I will like it or not.

What would you guys recomend for starters? I have a little compressor that I use around the shop so that shouldnt be an issue. Also, should I build a negative air vent or little covey to spray in? Or is overspray with a shellac not really an issue?

[PaulMarcel]

I have an LVLP conversion gun from Jeff Jewitt's site. He has his own line of conversion guns under the QualSpray line and the one I got he calls an LVLP as it is an HVLP that can run on a smaller compressor.

Thing is, it still requires a fairly large compressor as you need 7 SCFM @ 40 psi. My compressor can do that, barely, and is 20 gallons. I don't think a compressor smaller than that would work satisfactorily as you'd kill the compressor with too much cycling. I'm not spraying dining tables with it either (which would be difficult, actually).

So, that said, unless you have a pretty big compressor sitting there, I don't think a decent conversion gun is going to be a bargain considering the raving press hobbyist turbines like the Earlex are getting. To note: my gun cost nearly as much as the Earlex 5000 with everything. There are cheaper available now, I know. Actually, Charles Neil claims the Woodriver conversion gun is really good; just check the fit/finish at the store.

[BillN]

About three months ago I bought a cheap HVLP unit from Rockler. Cost about $120.00. It's really bare bones, but it does show you what HVLP can do. The problem with the compressor method is cold dry air, and not enough of it. The overspray can be "overwhelming". I have used the HVLP for a while now and I have run the following through it: Latex deck stain, oil varnish, dye alcohol mix, lacquer. While I know I need to sharpen my technique I think HVLP is definitely worth having around. I try to prefinish everything so I'm dealing with essentially 2 dimensional surfaces and then, in general I can use Marc's wipe on technique. However, sometimes prefinishing isn't possible. A good sprayer can get you into areas that are damn near impossible to do properly by hand. I have a gazebo with what seems like 400 hundred spindles and a million crazy angles and nooks and crannies. Next summer I want to refresh the finish on it. I wouldn't even attempt it without a sprayer. The only tricky part is to make sure you mask off EVERYTHING you don't want sprayed. A good HVLP unit will not replace a brush or a wiping pad, but it will complement them in the right circumstances.