HVLP gun: PC or Wagner

[Tim Reagan]

I just sprayed old school and want to get started with a hvlp gun. My compressor is rated 8.5@40cfm. I have read good things about the Porter Cable PSH1 ($89) and the Wagner HVLP conversion gun ($129). Any benefit one vs. the other? People have liked the gravity feed, but the Wagner seems to have a pressure regulator right at the gun. thanks for the help.

[Fred Voorhees]

I just recently purchased, and used for the first time, the Wagner conversion gun. While I guess you could say that there is a wee bit of a learning curve when switching from a normal spray gun to an HVLP unit, I thought my first effort with it turned out very well. I have learned that spraying is the way to go if at all possible. Absolutely speeds up the finishing process.

[Craig D Peltier]

Ive recently watched two really good reviews on an earlex 5000 twin turbine set up. Not hvlp but looks pretty slick. The wood whisperer has one review on his site. Its an 18 minute video.
I dont know much about these guns. Im not sure of the earlex is considered hvlp.

[Steve Clardy]

I have 4 of the PSH1's, which come with an in-line regulator.

The PSH3's are the ones without the regulator.

[Tim Reagan]

I couldn't see from the pic on Amazon the regulator on the PC. thanks for the info.

[Mike Henderson]

I have the PC PSH1 and have been satisfied.

Mike

[Nolan Taylor]

Sis or seven years ago I purchased my first HVLP set up ... an Apollo single stage turbine and the Apollo gun.... ended swapping it for a Milwaukee variable speed grinder/sander about a year.

At the time I thought it was great.

THEN .... I purchased a dual stage turbo and a gravity fed Titan as I owned and liked the Titan airless.

At the time I thought it was GREAT...... ended up trading it in on a triple turbo (name brand I don't recall) .... at that time I KNEW it couldn't get any better.

THEN .... I bought a conversion gun by Titan and hunted and hustled and looked high and low for various tips to make it more versatile.

THEN .... I found the PSH1 and tips much easier to obtain....

I like the conversion type gravity fed gun better than the turboed ones due to the ability to spray everything from heavy duty primer to poly clear coat.

for MY use ---- various ... I mean really various (I even stained the exterior wood area of my story and a half) with it ... painted crown molding and cabinets .... painted a utility trailer, riding mower, lawn furniture, etc .... yep .. really various type use..

Can't tell a lot of diference in the Titan and the PC other than the PC will handle heavier viscous liquids a bit better...

have NOT ever used a Wagner but every Wagner tool I have used is not close to pro quality .. either in construction OR results.

my advice ... go with the PC
another thing ... I've never used a conversion gun (out of the five or six brands I have used) that wouldn't strain the guts out of a compressor your size with any type of constant use.

for example, I could see you painting a cabinet door and not running out of air with yours, but should you try, say ten minutes of constant spraying I think you'd need one the size of the one I use ..... 10cfm@100psi

go ahead and get the PC ... I feel sure you'll really like it.... and I guarantee you'll be amazed at the lack of overspray and the coverage of the paint .... I'll bet 95% hits and stays on the painted surface.

[Matt Meiser]

While I guess you could say that there is a wee bit of a learning curve when switching from a normal spray gun to an HVLP unit,

I agree--when I first tried an HVLP gun I thought it worked terrible. Overspray everywhere and the finish wasn't very good. I fiddled with the settings like crazy. That was with the PSH1. So then I bought a Wagner. I tried it right out of the box--beautiful finish and hardly any overspray. I realized that the Wagner had a much softer spray. Then I turned the pressure way down on the PSH1 and it was a totally different gun. I figured out that I was trying to adjust it so it acted like the old style gun I'd used before.

Once I learned to use it the PSH1, I decided that I didn't need two guns and sold the Wagner. There was absolutely nothing wrong with either gun--I just think the gravity guns are easier to clean. Now I kind of wish I had a second gun at times. I've thought about picking up the well-reviewed Harbor Freght 43430 gun. Last night I got to compare my PSH1 to two different 43430's. One was a few years old and was CLEARLY the exact same gun. Comparing the casting for the body and the various parts, they were obviously made in the same factory. The newer 43430 was different. If I can find one of the old style 43430's at the store I'll probably buy it.

[Charlie Plesums]

I have had numerous regular guns over the last 40+ years. I bought a Porter Cable PSH 1 and it was infinitely better than a conventional gun. Somebody gave me a cheap HVLP system - I think it might have been Wagner. It worked pretty good but not great, but even the nozzle was made from plastic (no confidence of durability). Somebody owed me some money and offered a Turbinaire HVLP 3 or 4 stage turbine system, which I accepted.

Once I got to a really good turbine, the multi-stage turbine HVLP system was far better, so I sold the cheap HVLP system and kept the Turbinaire as my primary spray system. But the PSH1 was so good that I kept it and still use it occasionally, in part because I far prefer a gravity feed system to a pressure feed cup.