HVLP gun from home depot

[Marion Rood]

I bought HVLP gun from home depot to spray a couple of bookcases. I'm using Ben Moore oil paint and was trying to spray the primer. I couldn't get the spray bigger than an 1 1/4". I thinned the paint and messed with the knobs, but this is worse than a spray can. I gave up and brushed the primer on. Any ideas?

[Tim Sproul]

It probably requires a bigger needle/cap set for spraying thicker material like paint primer.

[Dennis Peacock]

yes....I have a very similar gun. you can't spray any kind of paint with that gun unless you buy a larger air cap and needle. It will handle shellac and lacquer just fine, but those have to be thinned as well.

To best use the gun you need a pressure regulator mounted on the gun. Push 90PSI to the pressure regulator and then adjust the pressure regulator on the gun to around 8 to 10 PSI. Do this with any finish you spray with that gun to help atomization of the fluid better. I learned this by accident one night while trying to get a better finish out of the gun.

In general, the thicker/heavier bodied finishes require larger air caps and needle sets. The thinner/lighter bodied finishes require smaller air caps and needle sets.

It's all about a balance between fluid flow and air volume for proper atomization for a wide fan and smooth, wet finish. Too much air and you'll have a lot of "fog" while too little air will produce spattering and rough texture on the sprayed finish.

Just my experiences is all I have to share. Hope I didn't confuse you even more. :)

[Frank Hagan]

Dennis, does that type of gun blow air constantly, or only when you pull the trigger?

My Wagner HVLP turbine system ... a real cheap one ... works OK, but there's a ton of air moving all the time. Really kicks up dust, and in some cases carries the finish to other parts of the job and deposits dried blobs of finish on it. The only way I can avoid that is to go very slowly with the gun, with very little material coming out.

[Dennis Peacock]

Frank,

The one from the local BB store is an HVLP conversion gun. Only real HVLP guns come as "bleeders" or "non-bleeder" type guns.

Bleeder - Air blows out the air cap if the trigger is pulled or not.
Non-bleeder - Air blows out the air cap ONLY WHEN the trigger is pulled.

A bleeder can cause you problems if you're not careful, by blowing dust and such on your newly sprayed (wet) finish.

Clear as mud now? :rolleyes:

[Frank Hagan]

Thanks, Dennis. I know the terminology to look for now ... bleeder or non-bleeder. I take it the conversion guns are always "bleeder" guns?

[Marion Rood]

Well, the gun from home depot is a conversion gun.(It is not a bleeder gun.) It does spray the gloss paint, but I had to thin so much it was real runny.
The people had Husky(Campbell) have a 1.6mm kit for thicker paint. It costs $79.00. :eek: I talked to two guys at home depot and told them exactly what I paint I was using. They both said the gun was okay.
I have the bookcases painted and they look okay. I am thinking about taking the gun back.
Is the PC HVLP gun any good?

[Dennis Peacock]

Yea, the cap/needle sets are pretty expensive...when you can find them. I have finally solved my finishing problems, but more on that later tonight.

[Steve Clardy]

Well, the gun from home depot is a conversion gun.(It is not a bleeder gun.) It does spray the gloss paint, but I had to thin so much it was real runny.
The people had Husky(Campbell) have a 1.6mm kit for thicker paint. It costs $79.00. :eek: I talked to two guys at home depot and told them exactly what I paint I was using. They both said the gun was okay.
I have the bookcases painted and they look okay. I am thinking about taking the gun back.
Is the PC HVLP gun any good?

Pc. Not for heavy oil base paint.

[Marion Rood]

I am thinking I want to put a nicer finish on painted units. I try to let the homeowner deal with the finish, but this year I painted two built-ins and one set of kitchen cabinets. I need to figure this out for the next job--or find someone to paint the units.
Thanks for all of the ideas.
Merry Christmas,
Marion