Rockler HVLP Spray Gun??

[Troy Donson]

Just saw an ad for this (http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?Offerings_ID=10469&TabSelect=Details) HVLP setup.

Since, for me, money is a concern, is this a good entry level spray setup for very limited (only a few "spray" projects a year) use??

Anyone with experience using this system?

Thanks

[Steve Leverich]

Troy, I've not used either but have you seen this thread?

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=77261

The Rockler probably isn't the best in that price range, although using a "conversion" gun requires a medium sized separate compressor... Steve

[Troy Donson]

Troy, I've not used either but have you seen this thread?

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=77261

The Rockler probably isn't the best in that price range, although using a "conversion" gun requires a medium sized separate compressor... Steve

Thanks for the reply, Steve. I had seen that thread and since I am in a small garage, up to now I have only needed my small (4 gal) Hitachi compressor. I don't really want to go to a bigger unit because, well, no room and mounting one outside is not an option, and to be honest I don't really "NEED" a bigger compressor... (I do, however, "NEED" a bigger lathe!!)

Since you mention the Rockler "isn't the best in that price range", what have you heard? Is there a thread I missed somewhere?

Thanks

Troy

[Steve Leverich]

Nope, just the comments by Rob who apparently speaks from experience - it's my guess that the lower priced true HVLP's would ALL suffer from lack of flow, since more money typically buys you more stages in the turbine - the over $500 crowd mostly seem to have 3 or 4 stage turbines which gives them more power, which is likely why they have less problem with higher viscosity fluids than the $100 guns.

However, if you don't want/can't have a larger compressor, maybe the $100 job is just something you can learn to live with (thinning everything so it'll spray) - in my case, I have an 80 gallon Devilbiss industrial compressor with a REAL 5 horse Baldor motor, so air volume is no prob - so I'm looking at the Wagner conversion gun at Gleem and will likely pull the trigger in the next week or two.

I've tried regular Guns with and without pots and I have a Campbell Hausfield airless (fine for house painting) but neither is worth talking about for spraying lacquer, etc... Steve

[Troy Donson]

Thanks for the info, Steve.

Primarily it is going to be used for spraying 1lb cut shellac (for sealing some book cases I am building off the NYW Mesquite plans) under urethane. Also was looking at using it when building 943 of Norm's shutters the wife wants me to build her... OK maybe not 943, but we have ALOT of windows to do...:eek:

[Rob Wright]

Troy,

The thinning required on the Rockler/Woodcraft/Harbor Freight (they all look very similar to me - I have sinced passed the unit to my father - he gets by with it - just a pain sometimes) drove me nuts. It was night and day after getting the Fuji. Spraying sanding sealer or thin material wasn't that bad with the original setup. Again - spraying with a good and quality setup was just that much better. It was night and day. The rockler may work great for you with shellac.

You may want to buy and try and see what you think of the unit. I made the mistake of using an Apollo unit at a woodworking show after cursing the original unit after owning it for a year. I think that either woodcraft or rockler will take back tools if you are not satisfied. That might be a good solution to see if the unit will be adequate to what you are spraying. I have sprayed everything from shellac to un-thinned latex and oil based enamel with my fuji. The original unit - only very thin material with good results. You would end up having to turn up the air too high to properly atomize the material that the over-spray and bounce back was BAD!

If you are looking at just a thin shellac - you may just have found something that will work for you.

- Rob

oh - and look at the bleeder vs. non-bleeder guns. They both have advantages and dis-advantages.