1st hvlp use = ok finish

[Tim Reagan]

just finished using my psh1 for first time spraying target usl. after 4 coats it is not very smooth, just didn't seem to flow. I did not thin usl and my garage was 100 F. To hot? Need to thin? air and flow adjustments didn't seem to help. thanks

[Jim Becker]

You should not need to thin the finish. In fact, you want to avoid that. So the solution to a better finish is most likely gun adjustments and or a projector set change if the needle is not properly sized for the finish being sprayed. 100ºF is a bit toasty, BTW...that finish may be drying too fast and before it settles down.

[Tim Reagan]

I'm thinking the heat was the biggest factor, it was easy 100, but could have been up to 110 in the garage (103 outside). Anyone else seen this spraying in heat?

If not heat alone, and usl shouldn't be thinned, what adjustments? More or less fluid? the air control on the bottom of the gun was set for full on from factory and have read most people don't mess with it (psh1). would spray pattern also affect this?

I really like the hvlp lack of overspray, but a little discouraged on the final finish (mild orange peel). If it matters, the worse finish seemed to be on the knotty pine plywood, and better or the solid pine.

really appreciate any help.

[Howard Acheson]

First, if you are new to spray painting, your first purchase should be Charron's Spray Finishing. You can get it at Amazon. It will tell you how to set up your equipment, when and how to thin, and how to "read" the spray to determine what controls need to be adjusted. It will also tell you how to spray to get the best results.

Spray painting is much more than filling the cup and pulling the trigger. There are things you need to know. Also, practice is at the top of the list. Get some cardboard boxes and use them to practice. Learn to spray inside corners without ending up painting your eyes.

Finally, when spraying waterborne finishes, relative humidity is much more important than temperature. High temperature is not a problem but low or high relative humidity is.

[Tim Reagan]

I have sprayed quite a bit before using conventional (cheap) spray guns, this was just the first using hvlp, and was looking for hvlp specific ideas. thanks.