Well this stinks...any reason not to buy the Fuji Mini Mite 4?

[Matt Meiser]

The magic smoke came out of my Turbinaire HVLP turbine while spraying today. On my way to borrow a friends but I need to get a replacement. I'm looking at the Fuji Mini Mite 4 to replace it. I just recently bought a new Fuji gun and love that so I want to sick with the same. The Mini Mite 4 seems like it will be better for the thick paint I occasionally spray vs the 3.

[Aaron Berk]

I know nothing about the one you mentioned, but I use a Graco 4 stage with an "edge" gun and it does excellent. Mine is a 4900 with procart.

The more stages you have, the thicker you can spray.
I sprayed a qt of 5% thinned latex yesterday in mine.

[Chris Fournier]

For not too much effort you can check out the turbine make and model on your sprayer and locate one on the wweb from a supply house. Money saver...

[John Lanciani]

For not too much effort you can check out the turbine make and model on your sprayer and locate one on the wweb from a supply house. Money saver...

My Q4 has an Ametech-Lamb turbine in it, they're off the shelf units and they're available from Grainger and McMaster-Carr. I'd bet that Turbinaire is the same. Around $100- $125 if my memory is correct.

[Matt Meiser]

Well, got home from picking up my friend's turbine (and his line-boring machine--woot) and decided I'd see what happens so I reset the breaker (which wouldn't stay reset before), turned the switch to on, stood back, and plugged the cord in and it fired right up. And in fact I just sprayed a whole second coat on my faceframes with out a problem though it is quite hot again. I'm thinking it might be the non-bleeder gun I recently picked up. I have the bypass fitting Turbinaire sold for using a non-bleeder gun but maybe its not passing enough air to keep things cool.

Given that I'm in the middle of a kitchen and can't afford the downtime I went ahead and ordered the Fuji. If the Turbinaire doesn't give me any more trouble over the next couple days I think I'll Craigslist it. If it does, I'll part out the system.

At least Kroger has 4x fuel points on gift cards right now. We bought Amazon gift cards so I'll get $2.00 off/gallon on one fill up on my truck and $.0.80/gal off another fill up--a ~$60 rebate. More if I take the gas cans and get gas for the mower.

[Mike Heidrick]

I run a capspray 9100 with the Maxum II gun. I used a buddys MM4 gun and I did not like it nearly as wuch. Maybe I am just used to mine. The MM4 sure looks nice but glad I sprayed with it before spending the coin on it. I always am looking for other options but I always come back to the Maxum.

When you buy another brand gun do you just buy it with the fitting for the turbine you already have?

[Matt Meiser]

At least in recent times, they all use the same connection--the same quick-connect fitting you can buy just about anywhere for garden hoses. I already have a Fuji gun I bought recently. Had I known...

[howard s hanger]

I have the Fuji Q4 and it works like a dream. Sprayed latex thinned a bit without issue with a Number 4 tip. An absolute must have is the six foot flex hose. You won't believe how much easier it makes maneuvering the gun. I have the regular gun but am saving for the gravity feed since it can get into smaller spaces.

[Victor Robinson]

I like my MM4 a lot. I bought it a few years ago before the Q4 was available. The main downside to the MM3/4 vs. the Q series is the noise.

[Matt Meiser]

Update: Well, I did order the Fuji from Amazon and it came but is missing a fitting. Amazon doesn't do service so it just has to go back at their expense.

It turns out that there's a circuit breaker that tripped on overheat on the Turbinaire. It wouldn't truely reset until it cooled. After it cooled down it was completely fine. In fact, I've used it, with the original bleeder gun, for a few hours since without a glitch. I had rushed out to borrow a friend's older Fuji which had an external non-bleeder bypass "valve" (these valves are nothing more than a fitting with a hole drilled into the side) and noticed the hole was much larger. I enlarged the hole in mine and did some testing and it does run much cooler.

However, in the mean time someone I know locally listed a Fuji Mini-Mite 4 for sale and its too good a price to pass up knowing that the turbine is designed to work with my new Fuji gun purchased several weeks ago so I'm going to buy that and sell the Turbinaire.

[scott vroom]

I own the Fuji 4Q.....great system but not without problems. The hose that attaches to the turbine overheated over time so badly that it collapsed on itself just past the ferrule. I cut the hose back and attached a new hose connector. I'm certain the problem will repeat....the hose is very hot at the point where it attaches to the turbine. When I have the time and energy I'm going to try to find an after-market hose that is more heat resistant.

I had also purchased the Fuji 6' whip hose...very nice for manuverability. But be very careful not to step on it beause it will crack/split quite easily. Usually not a problem in a shop setting. We did a whole house remodel and sprayed in-place cabinets in every room. The hose got walked on and split in several places. Duct tape allowed us to finish the job but I threw it in the trash when we were done.