PDA

View Full Version : Spray Equipment (Airless or Compressor)



Sammy Shuford
08-03-2005, 8:05 PM
Ok, the time has come! Of course, prompted by the new French doors that neither myself nor my wife want to brush or roll.
I think I want something that can pull double duty, painting doors and such around our home (not entire walls) and spray finishes in my wood shop.
I can get a compressor and spray gun for about the same as a low end airless unit.
Which do I want to do? (Based on YOUR experience!)
And what brand / model of gun assuming I go with air.
<O:p</O:p

Sammy Shuford
08-03-2005, 8:06 PM
Ok, the time has come! Of course, prompted by the new French doors that neither myself nor my wife want to brush or roll.

I think I want something that can pull double duty, painting doors and such around our home (not entire walls) and spray finishes in my wood shop.

I can get a compressor and spray gun for about the same as a low end airless unit.

Which do I want to do? (Based on YOUR experience!)

And what brand / model of gun assuming I go with air.

Don Baer
08-03-2005, 8:08 PM
I've used both and prefer the compressor/spay gun. You can get a setup for less then $300 to get ya started.

Jim Becker
08-03-2005, 9:03 PM
Airless is useless in the shop...they are best for latex paint. HVLP conversion guns "can" spray heavier materials as long as the correct size projector set is available for the particular gun. Spraying clear finishes in the shop and paint in the house are two very different jobs. That said, you can consider using a tintable acrylic, such as the Target Coatings or Fuhr International products to paint your doors as they have the same spraying characteristincs of typical water borne and solvent based finishes you will use for woodworking projects in the shop.

Michael Gabbay
08-03-2005, 9:39 PM
Sammy - I just got into spraying. Based on my research and budget I opted for the HVLP conversion gun with a compressor. Since I already had a 15 gallon PC compressor it was an easy decision. Check out Homestead Finishing. They have an Asturo BBS on sale that is a very nice gun. It runs about $190. Jeff Jewit (owner) is super with advice well worth an extra few $ for the nice gun and his time.

I think the compressor route will serve you better in the long run for furniture finishing. You can always rent an airless if you have a lot of latex to spray.

my 2 cents...
Mike

Mike Vermeil
08-04-2005, 12:19 AM
Short on time so I'll get to the point.

I bought this gun. I've sprayed water & oil based paints, and water & oil based finishes with it, and absolutely love it. If I were a paint gun, I'd marry it. Best $129 I've ever spent bar none.

http://www.gleempaint.com/hvcongunnew.html

Sammy Shuford
08-04-2005, 12:27 AM
Your the third person to reccomend this gun. So, I just ordered it!

Thanks

Mike Vermeil
08-04-2005, 12:40 AM
Your the third person to reccomend this gun. So, I just ordered it!

Thanks
In that case let me save you some money. I also bought the larger diameter projector kit anticipating I'd need it for latex pains, but so far I've sprayed eveything sucessfully without it. As a mater of fact, I've tried to use it twice now with high-quality, acrylic house paint (Dunn Edwards), and found it to be too large. I know it seems weird, but with the pressurized can, I just haven't found the larger kit necessary. I do generally thin the thicker finishes, however, nothing scientific - probably about 10% depending on how thick it is. This is really more to help the finish lay-out in the hot PHX weather, but it does seem to help the finish atomize (sp?) better also.

Mike Vermeil
08-04-2005, 12:44 AM
By the way Sammy, boy do I miss vacationing on the beach in SC since I moved to Phoenix! Nothing like hanging at the harbour there in Beaufort, except maybe a nice diner in Charlston.

Allen Bookout
08-04-2005, 12:45 AM
Looks like that I am the third vote for compressor and high pressure spray gun. You can put down flawless finishes including paint. My personal choice of paints are two part poly, two part epoxys and enamel with accelerators. All of these can be purchased from your local automotive paint dealers. If you have a sample they can match it exactly with the new machines that they have. Or --- just pick a color.

As for guns, there are so many brands and models of each brand that it would be impossible to suggest the best for you. Your best move, I think, would be to go to your automobile paint dealer and let them help you pick out one. They will also be able to tell you what tips to use depending on what you are going to spray. Do not ask some clerk, that really has no real background, at some store lead you down the wrong path. Ask the experts - it cost no more and you will probably get more for less.

Myself I use a Devilbiss that is somewhat expensive for automobile finishes. But most of the time for general purpose use such as painting shutters or tool bases or spraying clear finishes I reach for my Astro gun (not very well known) that I picked up several years ago at an automotive paint store for sixty bucks. It does an amazing job. I guess that my point is that unless you are going to do expensive automotive finishes there are many afordable guns out there that are excellent for everything else and you know who to ask about that.

Have fun! And it is fun to see a beautiful finish go on.

Allen

P.S. Well - by the time I got my message written and posted I see that it is too late. Have fun anyway.

Richard Blaine
08-06-2005, 10:53 PM
In case anyone else is looking form a gun, I agree with Allen that the Astro is an inexpensive gun that delivers good results. I got mine at mytools.com.

One other thing, you should have separate guns for latex and finishes. The latex will contaminate the finishes.

Bill Neely
08-07-2005, 1:49 AM
I like the Devilbiss FL3 gun that I have. I use the ziplock liners which make clean up very easy and allows the gun to spray at any angle. Works like a dream. Only downside... it sucks up a lot of air.