information on spraying finish

[Karl Card]

On bowls, pens and anything turned or not I am thinking of trying to spray lacquer instead of brushing etc.

I have the compressor already and I am thinking of getting a gun and also a air brush or I should say a smaller type tool to spray pens with.

I guess I am looking on information for spray brush/gun that will hold up to lacquer and am wondering if anyone else is doing this and could you make recommendations.

Thanks

[Dennis Ford]

A detail gun works well for this type work. They are made for lacquer, so no problem there. A couple of coats of lacquer type sanding sealer under the lacquer makes quite a bit of difference. If you get the sanding sealer sanded down right, the lacquer goes on really smooth.

[Chris Merriam]

You should hop into the finishing forum, lots of discussion on guns there. Most important thing, you know you can't spray lacquer inside right? It's fumes are explosive. You need to be in an open garage or have an explosion-proof spray booth if indoors. Many people choose to spray water-borne lacquer for this reason.

Any spray gun will spray lacquer, you just have to decide which one you want (gravity feed or suction, hobbyist or pro level, etc). Many people recommend the Wagner hvlp conversion gun as a good value. I have it, it is $130. But I won't comment on finish quality, I'm not a very good sprayer!

Between the compressor, the compressor regulator setting, the air filter, the hose diameter, the gun regulator, and the three settings on the gun, I have a hard time getting everything dialed in just right. I'm actually considering going with a turbine gun, just to eliminate many of those variables so I can focus on spraying, not tinkering. Nice turbines start at $350ish, but you lose out your investment on a compressor.

[Richard Madison]

Might consider using one of the better brands of rattle can lacquer over the aforementioned lacquer sanding sealer. I have a high dollar gun (for spraying lacquer on cars) that I never use. The rattle can is just too easy and convenient, even though it can get expensive for larger items.

[Bernie Weishapl]

I would suggest as Richard did to use rattle can lacquer. I would think as when I used to do f...work that unless you are doing many projects at a time it would be a pain spraying then having to clean the gun. Cheap and easy.

[Allen Neighbors]

Karl, I'm going to violate the norm, here, and probably get castigated for what I'm going to say.
I bought my second, standard, cheap spray gun... a Buffalo brand, for 15 bucks (about 10 years ago). (I think the cup is a pint.) I use it for spraying Pre-catalyzed Water-white (clear) Gloss Lacquer. I put lacquer in it the day I bought it, and when it runs out of lacquer, I put more in it. Everytime I fill the cup with 80% Lacquer/20% Thinner/and add a film canister (3/4oz) of Retarder. It is never left empty. It has never been cleaned. About every two weeks or so, I take off the nose fan, and drop it into a jar of lacquer thinner for overnight. That's all that has ever been cleaned.
At 30 psi, this gun sprays an absolutely superb cover of lacquer.
Notice, this is my second gun. I've been spraying lacquer on furnishings and novelties, and now, turnings, for over 25 years. I've gone for up to about 6 months or so, without using the gun, and just go into the spray room and pick it up, run my finger over the spray nozzle and go to work. Cheap gun, cheap style, excellent finishes. Works for me.

[Brendan Stemp]

I spray a lot. A great way to go. I use a nitrocellulose lacquer (sometimes called pre catalysed lacquer) and it is wonderful stuff. It is available under all sorts of different proprietry names and it wouldn't help if I tell you what I use 'cause I'm in Australia. My standard brew has 30% thinners mixed with it. Ignore the instructions that say you can only thin it down up to 10%. I occasionally thin it down with up to 70% thinners especially for my first coat which I want to penetrate the timber.

As for the gun you need one with a nozzle of at least 1.5mm, mine is 1.8mm. I operate at between 20 and 40 psi depending on what I'm doing. Drop the pressure when spraying inside a bowl or you will find a lot of the spray will bounce back into your face. I'm onto my second gun; I think quality matters because a good quality gun will give you a nice even spray. I also think having a pressure regulator on the gun itself is a very convenient feature. It means you can easily change the pressure without going back to the main regulator. I use a gravity feed gun, the sort with the pot up the top.

I spray outside but humidity does have a detrimental effect and causes what is called blooming; a clouding of the lacquer. Warm, sunny days with a slight breeze are perfect. The lacquer dries very quickly on such a day and can be touch dry within a minute. Other things you have to be aware of are overspray (when the dry airborne lacquer particles hit a surface you are spraying and cause a gritty effect) and runs (when too much lacquer is applied and it start to run down a vertical surface.

If you want any more help let me know. Good luck with it.

[Karl Card]

Awesome.... I just met a guy that does major remodels for the rich and famous her in evansville, we talked for a few minutes and he commented "sounds like you have a very serious passion" for this stuff.. I replied "gee does it show"... of course I mean I am out to learn all I can and I pretty much will talk to anybody about it if they want to talk too..

But to make a long story short he gave me a few samples of some stuff to try. he gave me a quart of amber shellac, 1/2 half gallon of precat lacquer and told me that when I get used to spraying that I could have it dry within 30 seconds should I so desire but suggested to play with it first and get a feel for what it does at different levels of thinning etc...
He suggested also putting a pressure reg at the gun so it is right there and not at the air comp. I put in a water filter in ine to catch water but it doesnt seem to be doing anything. I still get condensation out of the hose.

But anyway thanks for all the feed back and if anybody else has anything not already mentioned please post..

[Allen Neighbors]

I neglected to say in my previous post, above, that I do have a pressure regulator at the handle of the gun.